The hearing of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Administrative-Territorial Reform was moved today to Gjirokastra.
Also present at this meeting was the leader of the Union for Human Rights Party, Vangjel Dule, who addressed the co-chair of this reform, Arbjan Mazniku, telling him that he disagreed with two theses raised by him.
According to Dule, Mazniku claims to break the basic notion of space, and that according to him, territorial reform should not start from borders. Another concern for Dule was the lack of representation in the municipal councils of Gjirokastra of several former communes in the south of the country.
Excerpts from the discussion:
Vangjel Dule: I would like to express a couple of ideas, starting with a categorical objection to the thesis expressed by Mr. Mazniku, which claims to detach us from the basic notion of space. We should not start from the borders. But nothing can be analyzed in the future without taking into account the dimension of 'where'. I am concerned about a very fundamental fact, even if we have the ideal local government in its function, even if we have its administration perfect, even if we have ideal borders, if democracy does not function, we have failed. We avoid democracy, which is representation. Tell me in this municipality that we are in today, is the former commune of Picari, Antigonëse, Lunxhëria represented in the municipal council? Who will convey their voice in the Municipal Council?
Arbjan Mazniku: This is a first discussion, we will have the opportunity to have other discussions, but together with the co-director of Reforma, we thought we would get the opinions of citizens.
Mr. Dule said that we cannot discuss territory without competencies… I am not saying that we should not discuss territory without competencies, but when we only talk about territory without competencies, we do not get anywhere because we must have the ability to provide the service.
I listened to all of you without saying a single sentence… (referring to Vangjel Dules, who speaks from the country), I will state the argument as I think it is and I only spoke about one service which is road construction, but what about cleaning? Social service? The point is why it is important to talk about competencies, to see if we have the services and the financial resources for these services? So I say that the discussions start from the services.
Dule: These are sophisms…
Mazniku: Please, I heard you… Mr. Dule….
Dule: You can't abuse sophisms
Mazniku: You have a very bad habit of talking when others are talking. We need to have the opportunity to provide services to citizens and think about how to provide them, and this should be our goal.
Luciano Boçi: It is natural to have debates and different positions, but local government is representation, service, financial autonomy, democracy and decentralization, this is where we should focus, then the rest of the opinions enter into subjectivism.