Are the spas of Bênja in Përmet privatized? ADF, 2 million euros for bars, restaurants within the Protected Area

Fiks Fare has continued to follow government projects for the protected area "Bënja Thermal Waters" in Përmet, where after the failure of previous investments, the Albanian Development Fund has allocated 2 million euros to build bars and restaurants with tax money.

The investigative show Fiks Fare made an observation in the tourist area, where several projects have been implemented to date, but the investments were left half-finished. Fix's camera filmed destroyed river defenses, potholed roads, abandoned buildings and thermal water baths built before the 90s.

The Albanian Development Fund made several tenders, where the implementation of the works leaves much to be desired. The previous works cost 200 thousand euros, where the photos of the project and those of the implementation are like night and day. But, this money went to waste, as the ADF has just finalized another tender, with a large value, to build "buildings, additional structures in the service of meeting the need for accommodation, stalls for the display of local products, platform for events, restaurant, bar, etc." A restaurant will be built above the Langarica River, within the Protected Area.

Employee: They built them step and go

Fiks Fare traveled to the Protected Area "Thermal Waters of Bênja" in Përmet, where there are 6 baths with thermal waters. There is even "Ura e Kadiu", a cultural monument, and "Kanioni i Langarica", a natural monument. Some time ago, the Albanian Development Fund did a rehabilitation project, erecting several wooden structures. Journalists spoke with the employee who maintains those structures, who says that so far no one manages them. "The project is not over yet. I know that the World Bank financed it. I only supervise that these tourists try to open. Now the first thing should be some second project to bring water, because there is no water. You can't see that I'm wearing a can! The parking is done, a beam will be placed at the beginning for the tickets" says the employee.

He adds that the buildings built should function as showers, minibars or information offices. "Several tables have been set up. Yes, it was half the project that these have no value if there is no protection from the river. The river comes and if you look at it there in the corner it has eroded it. And there was no project. The engineer put his hands on his head, I can do camping without protecting Langarica", he says, as at the time Fiksi shot there were hundreds of tourists from all over the world. "Foreigners come here. First we were swamped with Germans, Poles and Czechs in July. Now for the last two weeks the Italians have left the coast and come here. These foreigners enter the canyon without a guide, with children. Two months ago, a German woman drowned. Nothing has been done here," he says, adding that the works have been interrupted.

Turistët i bëjnë nevojat në natyrë!

Fiksi ka mësuar se projekti nisi në vitin 2016, por edhe pas 7 vitesh, ende s’ka përfunduar. Investime të copëzuara, njëherë projekti gabim, probleme me pronësinë, me Fondet nga Banka Botërore. U ndërtuan vetëm strukturat e drurit, por ato nuk janë funksionale. Asnjëra prej tyre nuk është e hapur. Punonjësi thotë se turistët ndotin ambientin, duke bredhur me lopata.

“Gjithë problematika është se këto janë bërë me nënkontraktorë. Problematika numër gjë është që vjen turisti dhe bredh me lopatë në dorë. Për të ndyrë se s’ka tualete! Me lopatë vërdallë. Bëj një hesap të vogël, tërë këta kampera, kaq janë pak, ku e derdhin kasën?! Ankohen çobanët na rrëshkasin dhitë. Në lumë s’ua mban b… se ka dalë i mbrojtur. Këta ndërrohen ku të mundin. Vjen gjermania ma bën shurrën mbrapa godinës. Ça ti them unë asaj! As e rruajnë fare. Këta rrinë edhe 1 javë” thotë ai.

Sipas dokumenteve që disponon “Fiks Fare”, projekti ka filluar disa vite më parë me financim të Bankës Botërore. Është kontraktuar Fondi Shqiptar i Zhvillimit, i cili ka bërë disa projekte për këtë zonë. Por, megjithëse janë hedhur qindra mijëra euro, asnjë gjë s’është bërë.

Fiksi bisedoi me përgjegjësin e Zonave të Mbrojtura në Përmet, i cili tha se projektet i di drejtori i Gjirokastrës. Ndërkohë, drejtori tha se “i di Agjencia Kombëtare e Zonave të Mbrojtura në Tiranë”. Fiksi kërkoi informacion nga AKZM-ja, e cila në këtë përgjigje shkruan se “në zonën e mbrojtur monument natyre ‘Ujërat Termale të Bënjës’ po zhvillohet një projekt me qëllim primar përmirësimin e infrastrukturës turistike, nxitjen e turizmit dhe forcimin e kapaciteteve institucionale për të mbështetur turizmin dhe zhvillimin e ekonomisë lokale”. Sipas saj, projekti është hartuar për të përmbushur objektivin kryesor “krijimi i kushteve sa më të mirë për vizitorët-turistët që frekuentojnë zonën. Sipas Agjencisë, procedura e prokurimit për këtë projekt është realizuar nga Fondi Shqiptar i Zhvillimit.

FSHZH, 200 mijë euro të hedhura dëm!

A few months ago, Fiksi received information from the Albanian Development Fund that the project is financially supported by the World Bank. The agreement was signed on December 13, 2016. In the framework of this project, several interventions are foreseen for the "Bênja Thermal Waters". Due to expropriations, social issues or the use of asphalt, the project was reduced to only areas that are public property. "The intervention for the rehabilitation sub-project of the protected area near the Thermal Waters in Bênja is worth 19 million ALL. The construction of a control point for entering the park, parking for campers and cars, the creation of a camping and picnic area and the construction of the center of the park. The tender was canceled 2 times. For this reason, the third time, due to the small value and in order to guarantee success, this procedure was attached to a larger package 'Civil Works for the 'Integrated Urban Improvement of the City of Berat'" says this answer . But, this money has been thrown in the "trash", as it is not functional and has become half and half!

2 million euros to build bars and restaurants

Meanwhile, the Albanian Development Fund has finalized in recent days another tender with the object "integrated intervention for strengthening the tourist potential in natural areas, Region 4: Bênja - International Tourist Destination", with a limited fund of 209 million ALL.

Fiksi flipped through the accompanying documents, which detail what work will be done. According to them, bars, restaurants and picnic areas will be built throughout the Protected Area. "The design of a restaurant and bar structure is necessary for the functioning of this national destination. The proposed facility is located along a road accessible by vehicles. The structure is thought to be made of wood, in harmony with the area, and is placed on a platform that protrudes over the river, which will serve as a place for vacationers to enjoy the beauty of this area," these documents state.

The restaurant will be built on the Langarica River, within a protected area. The project even has photos of the bar and restaurant, where it is expected that the entire area of ​​Ljica will be transformed into an urban area.

But if these bars and restaurants will be built with government money, who will use them? Maybe this is the first step for the privatization of the entire area?! Top Channel