reform-committee-meeting – Albanian  Telegraphic  Agency. http://en.ata.gov.al News Agency Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:21:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Albania’s Territorial Reform Committee meets, Co-chairs stress consensus and unanimity http://en.ata.gov.al/2026/02/11/albanias-territorial-reform-committee-meets-co-chairs-stress-consensus-and-unanimity/ http://en.ata.gov.al/2026/02/11/albanias-territorial-reform-committee-meets-co-chairs-stress-consensus-and-unanimity/#respond Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:21:03 +0000 https://en.ata.gov.al/?p=287429 TIRANA, Feb 11 /ATA/ After several weeks of boycott, opposition members participated on Wednesday in the Special Parliamentary Committee meeting on Administrative-Territorial Reform.
During the meeting, co-chair Luciano Boçi emphasized the importance of reaching a consensual outcome. The Democratic Party lawmaker added that the committee should not operate merely on a formal basis, but should produce a solution agreed upon by both sides.
He said the committee on territorial reform is important, but tensions between the parliamentary majority and opposition remain high, and the parliament cannot be seen as stable.
“We are here with the conviction that we are serving the citizens and Albania on a very sensitive issue, focusing on services that need strengthening. There is no predetermined outcome for this committee, as ultimately, you will present the option that has already been discussed at various levels regarding the number of municipalities, territorial divisions, or the creation of other institutions,” Boçi said.
According to Boçi, if the majority ultimately presents a one-sided option, the very legitimacy of the committee would be called into question.
Boçi said the committee, established by consensus, must produce a single, agreed-upon outcome. He warned that if the process brushes aside opposition input and results in a politically tailored option, the committee’s purpose would be compromised.
“We must set the parliamentary and political standard for a committee operating on parity. We need a consensual product agreed upon by all parties,” Boçi said.

Co-chair Arbjan Mazniku said the majority has shown its commitment to an inclusive process and to approving the reform unanimously.
“The majority’s position is clear: the committee should ideally reach a single outcome. The majority has shown its willingness for the reform to pass unanimously in parliament, demonstrating good-faith measures such as co-chairing, equal representation of members, and involving the Congress of Local Authorities, the EU, and other potential partners in the committee’s work,” Mazniku said.

Mazniku emphasized that the reform must be completed within a specific timeframe, in line with the European integration process.

“With the understanding that, regardless of the steps taken, we return to find the best possible option for cooperation. The trust systematically shown by the majority cannot be used as a mechanism to block or stall this reform,” Mazniku said.
“We have a specific window for this reform, tied to Albania’s EU accession process. By 2027, negotiations are expected to conclude, and with political will, Albania could become an EU member by 2029-2030. During this period, municipalities and regions must be fully functional—not just as administrative structures, but able to absorb EU funding and projects,” he said.
Mazniku emphasized that it is important for the reform to be completed before the 2027 local elections.

At the end of the meeting, committee members voted in favor of the majority’s proposal to appoint Ermal Pacaj as the committee’s secretary. The committee also approved the list of experts assigned to support its work.
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