Video/ A year before the elections, property titles were given, after the vote was taken, Rama ordered the demolitions in Theth

A year ago, on June 30, 2024, Prime Minister Edi Rama famously distributed over 200 property titles in Theth and other northern areas. In the eyes of residents, he promised to waive fines for illegal construction on existing houses, acknowledging the difficult reality of alpine areas and the need for tourism development.

This act was read as a signal of support for residents who had built without permission but with the aim of improving their livelihoods, mainly by investing in tourist hostels, mainly with their savings and income from emigrants. 

The prime minister's statements in 2024 spoke of understanding towards construction out of necessity, and it seems that it turned out to be simply a pre-election promise. 

"What is important is that today there are 200 property titles here and we will distribute a small part now, the rest during the day. Meanwhile, there are 90 other titles, for 40 the Municipality of Shkodra will have to do a study, the issue of the area, while for the other 50 titles there is a problem with their property.

Of course, we will find a solution here, for all those who are in your conditions, but the inability to obtain a permit is related to the problems. Second, the issue of fines that are a result of interventions where you had your old house. The government will forgive all these fines, because we discussed it that day and these are not constructions made massively to evade the law, but they are constructions out of necessity. This does not mean that these constructions without permits will continue", Rama said.

Today, a year after the distribution of titles, and a few weeks after the elections, the government has taken a harsh action to demolish dozens of unauthorized buildings in Theth. This change of course has left residents disappointed, hurt, and uncertain about the future.

Today, on the ground, the IKMT does not seem to be making a difference. Residents who have built guesthouses for tourists, many of them visited by high-ranking officials, are seeing their assets demolished without public dialogue.

Protests, clashes with police, and roadblocks are not just signs of anger, but calls for transparency, justice, and the fulfillment of public promises.