Addressing concerns raised during consultations about the representation of areas set to be merged, Mazniku said greater municipal efficiency must go hand in hand with ensuring that citizens feel properly represented.

“We were clear about the need to increase efficiency, but people repeatedly told us that they wanted to feel represented,” Mazniku said.

According to him, the concept of towns as an element between the municipality and administrative units is the mechanism that guarantees proportional representation on municipal councils.

“This preserves the identity of the town, its name, history and a range of elements of everyday functionality. Citizens’ identity is not affected by this element,” he said.

Mazniku stressed that municipal councils would retain proportional representation based on population size. According to him, this principle would also apply to municipalities that are restructured, ensuring representation for their constituent units.

He said that preserving local representation and identity is intended to ensure that citizens’ voices are heard not only during the reform process, but also in the day-to-day decision-making of local government.

“We want local democracy, where people’s voices are heard, to function not only today during this process, but whenever a budget is drawn up, whenever a road is built or an irrigation canal is excavated,” Mazniku said.

Referring to public services, he stressed that the reform does not seek to remove any of the services currently provided in administrative units.

“Name one service that will be removed as a result of this merger. No mayor, no one, has named a service that will be removed,” Mazniku said.

In conclusion, Mazniku linked the territorial reform to the European integration process, arguing that it is part of the changes aimed at bringing local government in line with the requirements for membership of the European Union.

“The Socialist Party of Albania has a responsibility that it took on in the latest elections: to carry Albania forward, to take Albania into the European Union,” Mazniku said, describing Territorial Reform 2.0 as one of the reforms forming part of this process.

Mazniku said the new territorial reform had been drafted in accordance with the criteria set out in the Constitution, focusing on the four elements that determine the administrative-territorial division.

Referring to the Constitution, Mazniku said that the administrative-territorial division of local government units is determined by law, based on common economic needs and interests, historical tradition, and after obtaining the views of the population living in the territory.

“The first element is that the territorial division is established by law. It is not decided by a municipal council or a regional council. It is the prerogative of the Parliament of Albania,” Mazniku said.

He stressed that the second element concerns common economic interests and the ability of the proposed mergers to improve services and the economy of the territory.

“Does this merged territory improve the economy? Does it improve services, roads, waste collection, the maintenance of nurseries and kindergartens, and investment? The key question is whether we can create stronger economies and common economic interests,” he said.

Mazniku also referred to historical tradition and the social and cultural ties between the territories proposed for merger. According to him, the proposed mergers involve areas with a long history of administrative, cultural and social cooperation.

According to Mazniku, the fourth element is consultation with the population. He said that 11 public hearings had been held across the country and 23 meetings had taken place with mayors, while the draft law, explanatory report and rationale had been sent to all 61 municipal councils for their written views.

“Some 128 public hearings have been organised by municipal councils across the country. All these views have been collected, documented and formally submitted, together with the minutes and supporting arguments, to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Public Administration,” Mazniku said.

Mazniku stressed that the process had taken into account the constitutional criteria concerning common economic interests, historical traditions and socio-cultural ties, as well as the views of residents in the territories affected by the reform.

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