Territorial reform, Berisha meets allies: DP opposes the 46-municipality draft; their closure is being done without consultation

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, has held a meeting with political allies regarding the territorial reform, declaring that the opposition will continue to oppose the majority’s project for the reorganisation of local government.

According to Berisha, the government interrupted consultations and presented a draft with 46 municipalities, while the Democratic Party has proposed an alternative with 100 municipalities, leaving open the possibility of creating other units depending on whether the criteria are met.

“We engaged in the process not because we were not sure that Edi Rama would not engage in a real reform, but we tell you here, there were two reasons why we engaged. First, there were many requests from citizens that we should not abandon this reform and leave the socialists a free hand. Second, the territorial reform is one of the two requests of the European Commission in last October’s report, as the new report is now coming.

The consultations had not been completed, yet he withdrew, presented the draft with 46 municipalities, removing another 15, all for his electoral purposes. We presented a draft of 100 municipalities, leaving open also the possibility of creating other units depending on the fulfilment of the criteria for their existence,” Berisha said.

The DP leader also claimed that the changes proposed by the government are contrary to the Constitution and to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, demanding broader consultation on the reform.

Berisha said that in some municipalities there have been protests against the changes and that even majority councillors have not supported their merger.

“Of course Edi Rama continued with his project. It is contrary to the Constitution and the charter of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which require that these changes be made with consultation and referendum. But as you know there is no chance that he will heed the referendum or the recommendations.

Badly wounded and hopeless, he now takes every kind of decision that suits his own skin. We, for the sake of public opinion, to clarify public opinion well on this point, have presented our law in parliament with 100 municipalities, a law which without doubt is rejected by the socialists. There are a number of municipalities that have risen in protest; in some of them even his own councillors have not agreed to vote for the abolition of the municipalities,” Berisha said.