Petrela Castle with hotels and restaurants, Tare: Albania is destroying authenticity in tourism development

On a huge area of ​​210 thousand square meters in the Petrela area of ​​Tirana, within which the Castle, which is a cultural monument, is located, the so-called Park of Faith is expected to be built. A government initiative for religious harmony and tolerance, where "copies" of several cultural monuments from around the world, Islamic, Christian, Buddhist or even other faiths, will be built.

Researcher Auron Tare says he finds it a ridiculous project to build the Besim Park, where documents indicate that hotels and restaurants will be built.

Speaking to MCN Live, he stated that the Petrela castle is now privately owned and that there is currently a bar and restaurant there.

Tare raised the concern that Albanian society now has no sense of cultural heritage issues and that Albania is destroying authenticity in the development of tourism.

"It is proposed that construction be carried out in the surroundings, around the castle. Meanwhile, whoever designed it, I find it a ridiculous project."

Nobody turns castles into restaurants, only Albanians have done it. I am afraid and I am convinced that it is no longer a matter of the Ministry of Culture, this is a matter of Albanian society which no longer has any kind of feeling, except for the national match.

Albanian society has no sense of cultural heritage issues. We have the Tower behind the Clock and the Mosque, in the cultural heritage law there is a buffer distance that prohibits these constructions.

I no longer have faith that cultural heritage will be valued. There is no interest whatsoever in such cultural heritage issues.

Look at Tushemishti, they will build palaces there. Petrela is a masterpiece, it has an extraordinary history, there is no need for such projects.

It's not just a matter of the government and the builder, it's also about the one who has the inheritance who doesn't have the sense to preserve the villa of their grandfather and great-grandfather.

When you yourself destroy the family heritage, who will you tell, the one who comes from Tropoja to build it?

Albania is destroying authenticity in its tourism development.

Those who have money are not stupid, but all this energy is not being channeled properly.

Our coastal cities are in the black market, Saranda, Shëngjin, Durrës and to some extent Vlora are calling the cheap tourist.

The ships of the wealthy have already been withdrawn from Albania with the idea that it is attractive to mass tourists, it is no longer an attraction in the future.

There is no vision, we have never sat down to say where we are going, are we going to do Buddhism in Petrela, or something authentic?

Everything is happening unplanned. In Kruja, there is a lot of excitement, here are the lime kilns, there are the palaces.

A large hotel is being planned inside the Butrint National Park.

None of the mayors of Saranda since 1992 live in Saranda.

They came to Tirana themselves, they sent their children abroad.

"A couple I know, with those small savings, have bought two villas in Corfu," said Tare.