“Territorial Reform” / Hearing session with the mayors of the municipalities of the Korçë district

The Special Parliamentary Committee on the Administrative-Territorial Reform held a hearing session yesterday with the leaders of the municipalities of the Korçë district, where the effects of the 2014 territorial reform, current challenges, and the need for improvements were discussed.

The mayor of Korçë, Sotiraq Filo, described the 2015 reform as necessary and successful, emphasizing that its main objectives had been achieved. According to him, the reform brought higher efficiency in revenue collection, synergy of economic resources, and increased human capacities.

Filo said that during the last 11 years, 3.3 billion lekë have been invested in the administrative units.

“The 2014 reform was a successful reform; it was a necessity and indispensable. Its objectives were achieved. First, efficiency in revenue collection and expenditure execution; second, synergy in economic resources; third, greater access to human capacities. Regarding revenue collection, I am speaking about administrative units: before 2015, 19.5 million lekë were collected, while today 98.3 million lekë are collected, meaning a fourfold increase in revenues. During these 11 years, 3.3 billion lekë have been invested in the administrative units,” said Filo.

However, he requested greater financial support for municipalities in relation to the competencies that may be delegated to them.

“The decentralization of competencies requires greater financial support for municipalities. If municipalities are to cover a larger territory, accompanied by greater competencies, these must be matched with adequate and appropriate financial support so that we have the opportunity to carry out these competencies as residents and communities expect from us,” Filo stated.

The mayor of Maliq, Gëzim Topçiu, also praised the positive impact of the reform, highlighting the increase in local finances and investments in the territory. Topçiu stressed that the reform should not be viewed as an issue of territorial expansion or reduction, but rather as a matter of clearly dividing competencies between local and central government.

“In the case of the Municipality of Maliq, there has been an increase in local finances, investments in the territory have grown, and community services have remained at satisfactory levels. We have preserved basic services in all administrative units so citizens do not have to travel many kilometers to receive a service. The level of investments has seen considerable growth.

“I think the reform should not be viewed as an enlargement or reduction of territorial division. For us, as local government leaders, it should be seen in terms of competencies and financial coverage of the functions and competencies that local government has. What is important is that a function given to the municipality is financially supported and followed through. We have some functions that we cannot cover as well as we would like, such as rural roads, forests and pastures, or other functions that overlap with central government, such as irrigation and drainage,” said Topçiu.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Devoll, Eduard Duro, declared that the 2015 reform had been effective for this municipality, bringing increased administrative efficiency and improved services for citizens. He announced that municipal revenues have doubled compared to 2016.

“The 2015 reform, at least for the Municipality of Devoll, has been effective. Another positive aspect is the increased efficiency of the Devoll municipal administration; we have recorded improved services for residents. Revenue efficiency compared to 2016 has doubled,” he said.

The mayor of Pustec, Pali Kolefski, said that the reform has brought noticeable improvements, especially in municipal performance and tax collection. However, he raised concerns about the lack of clarity in the division of competencies between central institutions and local government.

“This reform left this municipality on its own. There was no territorial change. I think the reform had many positive aspects. I see that the municipality, compared to the former communes, has performed and continues to perform much better than during the time when it had limited competencies. There is a need for improvement, and the relationship between central institutions and local government should be reviewed. We are located in a 100% protected area and the competencies of each side have not been clearly defined. We are a municipality that does not have the right to exercise our functions in our own territory regarding the protected area. As for tax collection, there has been noticeable improvement,” he said.

Meanwhile, the deputy mayor of Kolonjë, Ristana Gjergo, said that the merger of Ersekë and Leskovik under the Municipality of Kolonjë has brought more investments, especially in the Leskovik area.

According to her, the reform has also influenced the increase in the number of businesses, especially in the agritourism sector, as well as the return of young people to invest in the area.

“KORÇA BOOM”