Himara Mayor Vangjel Tavo confirmed today that three of the damaged houses were inhabited, while the other three were vacant.

The municipality prepared the local high school gym with temporary bedding for evacuees. However, the 12 to 13 tourists who were displaced ultimately chose to stay with relatives instead.

Mayor Tavo stated that all affected residents will be compensated, and the destroyed perennial olive trees will be replanted.

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Mayor of Himara Vangjel Tavo said that thanks to the commitment of the firefighting forces and emergency structures of the Himara Municipality, as well as the support of the National Civil Protection Agency, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense and firefighting forces from other municipalities, there were avoided  the serious consequences in residential areas and businesses.

“The night and the wind conspired against us, but at dawn, helicopter support joined the ground operation to douse the remaining flare-ups,” said Tavo.

He emphasized that the relevant structures continue to work on the ground to monitor the situation and identify the damage.

“Fortunately, there were no victims or injured people,” Tavo said.

During the day, the Himara Municipality, in cooperation with the relevant institutions and emergency structures, will continue to identify and assess the damages, as well as to identify cases that need urgent assistance for accommodation, damage recovery or support of any other kind.

Tavo expressed special thanks to the firefighters and all employees engaged in the operation, the citizens who contributed to the fight against the fire, as well as the residents who responded to the call for evacuation from the endangered areas.

“Now, it is the time to support each other and work to recover the damages caused,” concluded Tavo. /p.s./

Mayor of Himara Municipality Vangjel Tavo said that Himara Municipal Fire Department personnel are on the ground with firefighting vehicles, who are working to isolate and extinguish the fire.

Air support is assisting ground teams to quickly control the situation and stop the fire from spreading.

Due to the fire and atmospheric conditions, smoke and ash have also spread towards the center of Himara, causing a temporary deterioration in air quality.

Tavo emphasized that there is no fire in the coastal area of ​​Himara, explaining that the situation there continues to be calm. /e.xh/a.f/p.s./

In a recent social media post, Tavo shared that the meeting focused on new chances for cooperation, sharing experiences and supporting projects across various fields. He noted that they have built strong and ongoing channels of communication with the Embassy of Israel in Tirana.

He highlighted the power of volunteerism to build civic awareness and social activism, noting that strong communities rely on active, engaged citizens working together. That was another topic he discussed with his Israeli guest. /k.s/a.f/r.e/p.s./

According to Tavo, Vlora International Airport will directly serve to increase the number of tourists in Himara.

“With an investment of over 104 million euros and over 1 million passengers per year, with hundreds of new jobs and serving as a gateway to the south of the country, this major and historic investment will directly serve to increase the number of tourists in Himara, in the activity of small businesses in Himara, in the personal and family economy of common residents of Himara,” Tavo wrote.

Tavo emphasized further on that Vlora airport, “will also serve as a very close air flight point for Himara residents traveling around the world as well as those returning from the world here, in Himara, saving a lot of time and income and ensuring travel convenience through this very close distance where the Vlora international airport is located”.

The mayor of Himara underlined that, “This investment, among many others, is evidence of the country’s development and an indicator of the great steps being taken in improving the lives of citizens and in transforming our country into one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Europe”. /a.f/r.e/p.s./

The Electoral College has unanimously upheld the decision of the Appeals and Sanctions Commission which evaluated that the final result of the elections in Himara should be approved, since there was found no violation that would change the election result. The decision today paves the way for the swearing in of the winning candidate of the partial elections in the Municipality of Himara Vangjel Tavo. The latter ran under the logo of the ruling Socialist Party and his challenger was the candidate of the “Together We Win” coalition Petraq Gjirkuria.

In a press release, the panel of the Electoral College, composed of judges Nafije Hasko (Relator), Esmeralda Xhili, Manjola Xhaxho, Alma Kolgjoka and Sokol Ibi, examined today cases No. 5 and No. 6 registered on August 30 2024, in a session held in the premises of the Administrative Court of Appeal in Tirana.

In this process, the Coalition “Together We Win” and the Party “Union for Human Rights”, represented by lawyers Franci Nuri and Vangjel Dule, sued the Central Election Commission (CEC) demanding invalidity of the elections held in the 36 voting centers of the Municipality Himara.

The object of the lawsuit included the request for the change of the Appeals and Sanctions Commission decision and the repetition of the elections in the Himara Municipality. After reviewing the arguments, the Electoral College unanimously decided to reject the lawsuit of the Coalition “Together We Win” and the Party “Union for Human Rights”. This decision is final and no appeal is allowed. /a.f/p.s./

Rama wrote in the social media that they talked about the new projects of this mandate and Himara 2030 strategic plan.

“With Vangjeli, the mayor of Himara, about the ongoing work, the new projects of this mandate and the strategic plan Himara 2030 in Albania 2030”, wrote Rama.

Vangjel Tavo won the elections for the municipality of Himara with 58.62% of the votes against the opposition candidate Petro Gjikuria. /m.m/p.s./

Tavo expressed his regret at Gjikuria’s statement, while he reiterated the invitation to cooperate with him as the deputy mayor of Himara municipality.

“I am sorry for your reaction as if Himara is a battlefield where not political and civil alternatives, like in the whole of democratic Albania, but enemy armies face each other”, he added.

Tavo recalled that this time in Himara there were more voters than last year, when the government had postponed the expire date of identity cards.

“Yes, it’s true! There were several dozen citizens, voters of yours and mine, who could not vote because of expired identity documents. However, those who listened to the call of the Ministry of the Interior and renewed the ID cards could even vote normally. That’s why I reiterate my invitation to you to stay with me by my side, in the position of deputy mayor”, said Tavo.

“I would be very honored if you accept my proposal otherwise I wish you a good journey to the US and may success attend you there. However, let’s stay in touch, but don’t worry about Himara because it is in safe hands and has the indisputable support of Edi Rama and the Socialist Party”, Tavo said in conclusion. /m.m/r.e/p.s./