The PD of Berisha has today deposited in the Parliament the draft law for the new territorial reform where it proposes 97 municipalities out of the 61 municipalities that are currently there. It seems that the two DP parties do not even agree on the number of Municipalities, as the Alibeaj group has earlier proposed a map with 92 municipalities and 6 Regions.
After the submission of the draft law, the vice president of the DP, Oerd Bylykbashi, said that if this division is not supported in the parliament, the interests of the citizens are not being given importance.
As for the draft law submitted by DP for 94 municipalities, Bylykbashi further said that this proposal has only a few changes from Alibeaj's proposal and there is a possibility to find a common language. This means that they also support the proposal of the Alibeaj group. But in the event that the latter combine their votes with SP for 61 municipalities proposed by the majority, Bylykbashi says they will not cast their vote.
Among other things, Bylykbashi said that the 2014 reform has affected depopulation, so they are against the SP proposal, although Taulant Balla has said that experts have suggested that the best territorial division is 61 municipalities.
"All of us must respect the interest of the community. Territorial division cannot be a narrow political interest, but fundamental to democracy in Albania. 61 municipalities are not only insufficient, but failure. Nothing that deviates significantly from our proposal gets our vote. I think that we are all aware that we serve the interests of the citizens.
The 2014 reform has proven to be a colossal failure at great cost to the development of municipalities and communities, a factor in depopulation. We have tried to get the best interests. The elected should be close to the voters, the local government should be efficient. The proposal is that the next elections will be held on the basis of this division with 97 municipalities. The number of municipalities we propose is the one that gives the most space to local communities. It doesn't matter what the government thinks, but what the people down there want. The 2014 reform has proven in all its aspects to be a colossal failure at great cost. People have left because there are no more services. Our proposal will follow the legislative path, it requires 84 votes. At this moment, we propose 97 municipalities and anyone who does not support this division in the parliament, does not have the interests of the citizens.
Është një tjetër draft me 94 bashki, mundësia për të gjetur gjuhën e përbashkët është aty sepse parimet dhe kriteret që kemi përdorur në aspektin e ekspertizës dhe konsultës kanë provuar të njëjtin rezultat. Unë besoj që është shumë e thjeshtë që në procesin legjislativ të gjejmë një version përfundimtar. Më e rëndësishmja është të jenë komunitetet që e ndjejnë veten të përfillura”, tha Bylykbashi.
I pyetur përse nuk ia kanë dalë që të bashkohen për të shkuar nismë të përbashkët, Bylykbashi shprehet se kolegët zgjodhën që të shkonin me projektligjin e tyre. Megjithatë nuk mungon shpresa që të gjejnë dakordësi për opozitën.
"At this stage we took the time to talk with colleagues. The colleagues chose to go with their own bill, but there is only a slight difference between them. I believe that we can find a common version to agree with the majority. We ask for a lustration. The room for agreement is complete. In the 2 cases, the Democratic Party demands lustration and not 61 municipalities, but 94", said Bylykbashi.