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Are the spas of Bênja in Përmet privatized? ADF, 2 million euros for bars, restaurants within the Protected Zone

2024-11-12 20:57:22Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Are the spas of Bênja in Përmet privatized? ADF, 2 million euros for
The thermal waters of Bênja

The Fiks Fare show has continuously followed the government's projects for the protected area "Bënja Thermal Waters" in Përmet, where after the failure of previous investments, the Albanian Development Fund has allocated 2 million euros to build bars and restaurants with tax money. .

The investigative show Fiks Fare made an observation in the tourist area, where several projects have been implemented to date, but the investments were left half-finished. Fix's camera filmed destroyed river defenses, potholed roads, abandoned buildings and thermal water baths built before the 90s.

The Albanian Development Fund made several tenders, where the implementation of the works leaves much to be desired. The previous works cost 200 thousand euros, where the photos of the project and those of the implementation are like night and day. But, this money went to waste, as the ADF has just finalized another tender, with a large value, to build "buildings, additional structures in the service of meeting the need for accommodation, stalls for the display of local products, platform for events, restaurant, bar, etc." A restaurant will be built above the Langarica River, within the Protected Area.

Employee: They built them step and go

Fiks Fare traveled to the Protected Area "Thermal Waters of Bênja" in Përmet, where there are 6 baths with thermal waters. There is even "Ura e Kadiu", a cultural monument, and "Kanioni i Langarica", a natural monument. Some time ago, the Albanian Development Fund did a rehabilitation project, erecting several wooden structures. Journalists spoke with the employee who maintains those structures, who says that so far no one manages them. "The project is not over yet. I know that the World Bank financed it. I only supervise that these tourists try to open. Now the first thing should be some second project to bring water, because there is no water. You can't see that I'm wearing a can! The parking is done, a beam will be placed at the beginning for the tickets" says the employee.

He adds that the buildings built should function as showers, minibars or information offices. "Several tables have been set up. Yes, it was half the project that these have no value if there is no protection from the river. The river comes and if you look at it there in the corner it has eroded it. And there was no project. The engineer put his hands on his head, I can do camping without protecting Langarica", he says, as at the time Fiksi shot there were hundreds of tourists from all over the world. "Foreigners come here. First we were swamped with Germans, Poles and Czechs in July. Now the last two weeks the Italians have left the coast and come here. These foreigners enter the canyon without a guide, with children. Two months ago, a German woman drowned. Nothing has been done here," he says, while adding that the works have been interrupted.

Tourists defecate in nature!

Fiksi has learned that the project started in 2016, but even after 7 years, it is still not finished. Fragmented investments, once the project was wrong, problems with ownership, with Funds from the World Bank. Only the wooden structures were built, but they are not functional. None of them are open. The employee says that tourists pollute the environment by walking around with shovels.

"The whole problem is that these were done with subcontractors. The number one problem is that the tourist comes and wanders around with a shovel in hand. Too bad there are no toilets! Shovel around. Do a little calculation, all these campers, there are so few, where do they pour the cash?! The shepherds complain that our goats are falling. In the river, he doesn't care... because he came out protected. These are replaced where they can. Germany is coming and making a noise behind the building. What do I tell her! They don't even shave at all. These stay for 1 week" he says.

According to the documents available to "Fiks Fare", the project started several years ago with funding from the World Bank. The Albanian Development Fund has been contracted, which has done several projects for this area. But, although hundreds of thousands of euros have been thrown, nothing has been done.

Fiksi spoke with the person in charge of the Protected Areas in Përmet, who said that the director of Gjirokastra knows about the projects. Meanwhile, the director said that "the National Agency of Protected Areas in Tirana knows". Fiksi asked for information from AKZM, which in this answer writes that "in the protected natural monument area 'Thermal Waters of Bênja', a project is being developed with the primary purpose of improving the tourist infrastructure, promoting tourism and strengthening the institutional capacities to support tourism and the development of the local economy". According to her, the project was designed to fulfill the main objective of "creating the best possible conditions for visitors-tourists who frequent the area." According to the Agency, the procurement procedure for this project was carried out by the Albanian Development Fund.

ADF, 200 thousand euros wasted!

A few months ago, Fiksi received information from the Albanian Development Fund that the project is financially supported by the World Bank. The agreement was signed on December 13, 2016. In the framework of this project, some interventions are foreseen for the "Bênja Thermal Waters". Due to expropriations, social issues or the use of asphalt, the project was reduced to only areas that are public property. "The intervention for the rehabilitation sub-project of the protected area near the Thermal Waters in Bênja is worth 19 million ALL. The construction of a control point for entering the park, parking for campers and cars, the creation of a camping and picnic area and the construction of the center of the park. The tender was canceled 2 times. For this reason, the third time, due to the small value and in order to guarantee success, this procedure was attached to a larger package 'Civil Works for the 'Integrated Urban Improvement of the City of Berat'" says this answer . But, this money has been thrown in the "trash", as it is not functional and has become half and half!

2 million euros to build bars and restaurants

Meanwhile, the Albanian Development Fund has finalized in recent days another tender with the object "integrated intervention for strengthening the tourist potential in natural areas, Region 4: Bênja - International Tourist Destination", with a limited fund of ALL 209 million.

Fiksi flipped through the accompanying documents, which detail what work will be done. According to them, bars, restaurants and picnic areas will be built throughout the Protected Area. "The design of a restaurant and bar structure is necessary for the functioning of this national destination. The proposed facility is located along a road accessible by vehicles. The structure is thought to be made of wood, in harmony with the area, and is placed on a platform that protrudes over the river, which will serve as a place for vacationers to enjoy the beauty of this area," these documents state.

The restaurant will be built on the Langarica River, within a protected area. The project even has photos of the bar and restaurant, where it is expected that the entire area of ​​Ljica will be transformed into an urban area.

But if these bars and restaurants will be built with government money, who will use them? Maybe this is the first step for the privatization of the entire area?!


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