Protest in Maliq / Residents: The Territorial Reform should be reviewed, Korçë MPs should not vote for it

Residents of the city of Maliq and surrounding areas protested this Sunday in front of the Maliq Municipality building against the Territorial Reform project, which plans to merge this administrative unit with the Municipality of Korçë.

Holding banners and chanting against the change to the administrative map, the protesters said that such a decision would lead to the loss of administrative functions, a decline in economic activity, and difficulties for citizens in accessing public services.

Protester Jurgen Isufllari said that the initiative to oppose the reform began out of concern that Maliq risks losing its identity and its role as a municipality. He called for transparency on how the proposal to merge with Korçë was made, emphasizing that Maliq is a municipality with a large territorial extension and a clear agricultural profile, which, according to him, makes its dissolution unjustified. Isufllari also expressed disappointment over the lack of response from political representatives and the administration, while calling on MPs not to vote in favor of this change in Parliament.

"I was the first to start this protest. I called for it because I realized that something unfair and something bad was being done to this city. In fact, I come from a village here, and it saddens me that I did not see anyone from Maliq [speaking out]. It is strange who proposed or who came up with the idea of dissolving the Municipality of Maliq and who signed it."

He added that he wants to know who signed the decision to dissolve the city, not just the municipal building, because, as he put it, "this is ultimately just a building, but it is the city that will be dissolved." He claimed that Maliq would lose all functions and that the area would no longer have the same economic activity.

"We are a large municipality with 81 villages, 31,000 inhabitants, and a very wide territorial extension. We are among the largest municipalities and could very well be considered an agricultural municipality because our territory is a plain, and there is no way we can be merged with Korçë," he said.

"We have no problem with Korçë, but Korçë can focus on tourism while we focus on agriculture. Today I am very disappointed with the administration and I feel betrayed. I am not afraid to say things as they are. We feel betrayed by all our colleagues because today it seems to me as if I have been sold out by them, but I will fight for them. I will be here, and when I pass through Maliq, I will walk with my head held high. In fact, in my posts I have called on all MPs, even those who received only one vote, because they have a responsibility and should not vote in Parliament for the dissolution of the Municipality of Maliq," he said.

The protesters argued that such a reform would not affect only the administration, but also the economic and social life of the city. According to them, the removal of institutions would lead to fewer citizens coming into the area, less spending for local businesses, and fewer investments for the region.

“KORÇA BOOM”