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Çupi: Bushka should resign, the Laws Commission should not be dragged by Veliaj's handcuffs
The DP leadership makes the decision, the date when the primaries will be held is revealed
Rama orders Dumani: Investigate the PD's suicide judges at the GJKKO
Rama 'shoots' the head of ILD: Don't make the mistake of coming to ask for my phone
The hearing for Erion Veliaj is postponed.
Lezha on the eve of elections: Asphalt for votes or investments for citizens?
The village of Kallmet, located 10 kilometers northwest of the city of Lezha, lies in a hilly terrain rich in vineyards, olive groves, and fertile soil. This terrain has made it famous for the production of the red wine of the same name.
However, the village's infrastructure, despite its reputation for quality produce, has not been up to par. This has led to a recent investment by the Lezha Municipality being welcomed by residents.
“The day has finally come for the road here to be paved,” said an elderly man from Kallmeti, as the road near his home was being paved. “We suffered a lot, because the road was always muddy and potholed,” he added.
On the other hand, residents of the village of Tresh, which is located just 13 kilometers southwest of Kallmet, do not share the same optimism about the municipality's investments in the road network.
“All this is done to deceive us and get our votes, as elections are coming up,” said a resident of Trush, who preferred to remain anonymous. “Where were these people all these years? Today they come and pretend to be working, ” he asked.
The Lezha region produces 7 parliamentary mandates, and political forces have begun intensifying their activity for the general elections on May 11. The Socialist Party and the Democratic Party are holding numerous meetings, both inside and outside the country – as the diaspora vote is seen as crucial in these elections.
Meanwhile, as the election campaign approaches, there has been no shortage of accusations from the opposition for mismanagement of public funds for electoral purposes and for pressure on the public administration, including the registration and sharing of immigrant voter data with the Socialist Party.
The representative of the Democratic Party in the Municipal Council, Alfrida Marku, says that the budget approved by the Municipal Council – which is controlled by the Socialist Party – does not reflect the needs of citizens. According to her, the budget is focused on roads for electoral purposes.
"During the drafting of the 2025 budget, there was a lack of transparency and respect for priorities on the part of the Lezha Municipality, due to the lack of proper consultations with citizens and interest groups," she said.
The mayor of Lezha, Pjerin Ndreu, disagrees with these accusations. He assesses this year's budget as the largest in the history of the local government unit. According to Ndreu, the budget comes for the first time with zero outstanding debts and the investments have no connection to the election period.
“Është një arritje dhe përgjegjësi e jashtëzakonshme, një administrim korrekt dhe me përkushtim i gjithë stafit,” tha ai. “Në këtë mënyrë i kemi dhënë frymëmarrje Bashkisë Lezhë, gjë që na mundëson realizimin e një sërë investimesh,” shtoi Ndreu.
Në fund të vitit 2024, Bashkia Lezhë miratoi buxhetin për vitin 2025, i cili kap vlerën e 2.27 miliardë lekëve. Nga ky buxhet, 42.3% do të shkojë për investime publike, 29% për paga dhe 28.7% për mallra dhe shërbime.
Me këtë buxhet, është parashikuar ndërtimi i 51 rrugëve në zonat rurale dhe urbane, si dhe një fond prej 70 milionë lekësh për rindërtimin e një pallati në qendër të qytetit të Lezhës, i cili u dëmtua nga tërmeti i 26 nëntorit 2019.
Sipas Alfrida Markut, gjatë dy viteve të fundit investimet e bashkisë u përqendruan vetëm në infrastrukturë rrugore, duke anashkaluar problematikat e tjera që banorët kanë në çdo njësi administrative.
“Madje, viti 2024 u karakterizua edhe nga moszbatimi në kohë i investimeve të premtuara, si pasojë e dy faktorëve: parashikimet jorealiste dhe përpjekjet për të shtyrë punimet sa më afër periudhës zgjedhore,” tha ajo.
“Të njëjtën gjë po bëjnë edhe me buxhetin e vitit 2025, pasi janë parashikuar investime në 51 akse rrugore, dhe kjo është tërësisht për qëllime elektorale,” shtoi Marku.
Edhe planifikimi i 70 milionë lekëve për rindërtimin e një pallati të dëmtuar nga tërmeti i vitit 2019 ka sfond elektoral, sipas këshilltares së PD-së. Përveç pallatit, bashkia do të investojë edhe për rindërtimin e 41 banesave të dëmtuara nga tërmeti.
“Uroj që të jetë një parashikim serioz dhe objektivi të jetë zgjidhja përfundimtare e problemit të tejzgjatur të këtyre familjeve, e të mos jetë një përpjekje për t’u përdorur gjatë periudhës elektorale,” tha ajo.
“Theksoj se kjo shtesë në buxhet u paraqit një ditë para diskutimit në Këshillin e Bashkisë për projektbuxhetin e vitit 2025, disa ditë pasi këshilltarët ishin njohur zyrtarisht me projektbuxhetin 2025,” shtoi Marku.
Ndreu pranoi se, ashtu si në vitin 2024, edhe në vitin 2025 fokusi i buxhetit të Bashkisë Lezhë do të jetë tek infrastruktura, por mohoi se kjo shtyhej nga interesa elektorale.
“Po vazhdojnë investimet e parashikuara në rrugët e zonave rurale, dhe po ashtu kemi parashikuar ndërhyrje në 51 rrugë të tjera në qytet dhe fshatra,” tha ai. “Nuk ka aspak lidhje me zgjedhjet e 11 majit, por ne mendojmë se situata është tejet problematike dhe ndërtimi i rrugëve është një domosdoshmëri,” shtoi Ndreu.
Ai theksoi se rindërtimi i pallatit të dëmtuar nga tërmeti dhe i 41 banesave individuale do të realizohet me fondet e bashkisë, ndërsa shtoi se më herët procesi i rindërtimit u bllokua për shkak të rritjes së çmimeve të ndërtimit.
On the other hand, the opposition also claims that the Socialist Party is blackmailing the administration to secure votes from the diaspora. The vice-chairman of the Freedom Party in Lezha, Vivian Golemi, says that the administration has been given a form to fill out and, according to him, they are being threatened with dismissal from their jobs.
“A form has been distributed to the administration employees and each of them must secure 5 votes for the Socialist Party in order to keep their jobs,” Golemi said. “These are anti-democratic methods aimed at distorting the will of citizens in the May 11 elections,” he added.
But the mayor of Lezha and representative of the ruling Socialist Party, Pjerin Ndreu, rejects the opposition's claims regarding diaspora votes.
"The opposition's delusion has gone so far as to believe that immigrant registrations are being done under pressure," he said, adding that the opposition has lost "orientation, logic and the way in its own backyard."
“But why, the opposition knows this job so well that they produce such stale gems?” Ndreu asked. “Who cares about an immigrant registration under pressure?” he concluded./ BIRN
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