Debate in Tirana municipal council, opposition demands special session on territorial reform

Tuesday’s meeting of the Tirana Municipal Council was accompanied by debate, as councilors discussed the Socialist Party’s proposal for the new administrative-territorial division.

Item 11 of the agenda foresaw councilors expressing their views on changes affecting the capital’s borders, while the debate focused on the proposal to include Rinas, Bërxullë and Domje in Tirana’s territory, as well as on how the Municipal Council’s stance will be reflected in the process to be forwarded to Parliament.

Democratic councilor Ilda Zhulali opposed the fact that the reform had been placed as item 11 of the agenda, demanding that such a change be handled in a special session.

“Now I don’t know if you understand what significance this item 11 of the agenda has. This is not item 11. Here we are discussing what will happen for at least the next 10 years, with this country and local governance,” Zhulali declared.

She accused the majority of minimizing the importance of the Territorial Reform.

“You minimize and damage one of the most important acts, which is the Territorial Reform, which has national and not local importance,” Zhulali said.

On the other hand, the secretary of the Municipal Council, Behar Zeneli, said the report had come from Parliament and that the Council should give its opinion on the territorial change affecting Tirana.

“This report has come to the Municipal Council from the Parliament of Albania and we have forwarded it simply for an opinion,” Zeneli declared.

According to him, the Council must express whether it accepts or not the inclusion of Rinas, Bërxullë and Domje in Tirana’s new administrative structure.

“Mr. Zeneli, this is not a game with maps,” Zhulali replied, opposing treating the issue only as an administrative change of three territories.

Democratic councilor Dorjan Teliti also intervened in the debate, saying the Council’s stance is not simply an informal opinion. According to him, the draft decision foresees that the majority’s stance and the minority’s opinion be included in the final report.

“Since we, the minority, have a different opinion from you, the majority, we want to know what procedure we will follow today, so that both your opinion and ours are reflected in this decision,” Teliti declared.