Clash on NOW: Divjaka mayor tells Mazniku “do not vote for the reform”; commission chief replies “you are wrong”

In a discussion on the programme Now, with Erla Mëhilli on Euronews Albania, about the territorial reform, the Mayor of Divjaka, Josif Gorrea, in a live link, publicly called on the chair of the Special Commission for Territorial Reform, Arbjan Mazniku, not to vote for the new reform.

Gorrea raised the concern that key services are moving away towards Lushnja, such as urban planning and civil status. Mazniku, for his part, replied that this reform will serve citizens’ interests and that after four years the results will show that the decision was the right one.

Part of the discussion:

Gorrea: Do not vote for the territorial reform, Maznik! This is a wrong decision.

Mazniku: We will meet again in four or five years and you will say: I realised I was wrong.

Gorrea: People have trusted me, that is why they trust me.

Mazniku: That is why the Socialist Party has trusted you. There is no problem at all with us not agreeing, there is no problem with us thinking differently. It is completely normal. You know very well, I have no interest whatsoever in Divjaka, zero. I am also convinced that you are having this discussion and debate driven by what you genuinely believe are the best interests, and it is completely normal for us not to agree. But I tell you, looking you in the eye, with great conviction, that the citizens of Divjaka, the citizens of Prrenjas, the citizens of Belsh, Cërrik, the citizens of Fushë-Arrëz and all the rest will have a much better life within four years.

We will meet again in four years together and we will agree. Just as life became better for the citizens of Gradishtë, Rremas, Grabjan and Tërbuf.

Gorrea: Two services! I am giving you two services, Maznik: Where will urban planning go?

Mazniku: Part of it will stay there, part of it will go to the centre.

Gorrea: Where will urban planning permits be obtained?

Mazniku: Where they are obtained today, the same!

Gorrea: Then why is urban planning going to Lushnja?

Mazniku: To draw up an urban plan, because you cannot draw up an urban plan. You have not been able to draw up an urban plan! Today, in 2024–2025, you do not have an urban planner in the municipality. Do you have an urban planner in the municipality?

Gorrea: Let me give you another service, Maznik. Two months ago civil status was cut. So civil status, the civil status service, until two months ago was in every unit. It was cut, it has come to Divjaka. It has got worse.

Mazniku: Why has it got worse? Because the problem today is with civil status. You only need to go physically to the office for death registrations/deregistrations and birth registrations/deregistrations. These are the only two actions for which you need to go physically to civil status. And we have the luxury, you and I, of paying a person to provide one service unit per month?! Meanwhile all the other civil status services you get right here online.