11 million euros for a car racing track in Elbasan, DP reacts: Albanians in economic crisis, the government spends on luxury

The Democratic Party has reacted regarding the ADF project which will spend a full 11.1 million euros of taxpayers' money for the construction of the supporting infrastructure for the Auto-Moto Park complex in Elbasan.

The chairman of PD Elbasan, Blendi Himci, in a statement to the media, warns that with these luxury expenses on the part of the government and the municipality, taxes and obligations for the residents of Elbasan will increase.

Full statement:

The hot days of August are coming to an end and the long-given indications of the economic crisis will begin to emerge more and more throughout the month of September and beyond.

Every data shows that this will not be an easy winter for Albanian families. To prevent the negative effects we would need to have responsible institutions that take measures and alleviate the effects of this crisis, but the opposite is happening.

Today I am again in front of you to denounce another scandalous misuse of taxes not only of the citizens of Elbasan but of all Albania to build the so-called Auto-Moto Park in Elbasan.

I want to clarify at the beginning that the Democratic Party has never been and will never be against development projects, even more so when they are built in Elbasan! But what is happening?

From the data that the Democratic Party has, which have been made public in the media, it results that the Albanian Development Fund is expected to spend 11.1 million euros to build the supporting infrastructure for the so-called Auto-Moto Park complex in Elbasan, a long motoring track 5.3 km.

So the citizens of Elbasan should know that while they are unable to provide a minimum living, while they remain debtors to pay the electricity and water bills, 11.1 million euros from their taxes will go to a motor racing track. In the middle of the crisis.

Por ajo që është akoma e rëndë lidhet me faktin se ky projekt i Drejtorisë se Përgjithshme të Shërbimeve të Transportit Rrugor do të mbështetet financiarisht përtej vlerës prej 11.1 milionë eurosh me të tjera fonde nga qeveria dhe bashkia e Elbasanit. Pra kryetari i Bashkisë Elbasan, i vetmi që rrit taksat dhe tarifat për qytetarët e Elbasanit në faturën e Ujit, del garant të siguroj fonde nga buxheti i bashkisë për të ndërtuar pistën e automobilizmit.

Pyetja që bën çdo njeri i përgjegjëshëm për situatën me të cilën po përballemi është: Çfarë e shtyn qeverinë shqiptare dhe Bashkinë Elbasan të mbështes një projekt të tillë me një kosto kaq të lartë për qytetarët?

Sa efektive do të ishte që përballë pamundësisë së pensionistëve dhe familjeve në nevojë, që ky investim të shtyhej në kohë dhe me këto të ardhura të hartoheshin paketa lehtësuese për krizën?

It is naive for anyone who thinks that they are not familiar with the crisis that the country is going through. The reason why they have chosen to advance this motoring track is related to financial benefits!

The Democratic Party has chosen, unlike Elbasan Municipality, to have only one partnership, that with the citizens! Whoever believes that he can do everything with the power and the trust of the citizens is seriously mistaken. The battle to restore dignity to Elbasan is not far off.