Reconstruction in Durrës, delivery of apartments not completed by January

Over 1,000 families in Durrës have still not received their new apartments, even though five years have passed since the devastating earthquake. This was officially confirmed by the Municipality of Durrës to Faktoje.al. Meanwhile, residents say that they have been assigned apartment numbers, but they have no information on when they will move into their homes.

On the 5th anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck the country, the mayor of Durrës, Emiriana Sako, spoke again about the reconstruction process. This time, Sako promised to deliver housing to families affected by the earthquake in December 2024 or January 2025.

"We certainly have the 2024 objective of delivering the apartments in the new neighborhood, there are still some works related to the infrastructure, OSHEE networks and water supply and sewage, which are nearing completion. We will stick to this objective, we believe that December and January will be a date for delivering the apartments," Sako declared on November 26, 2024.

Faktoje.al addressed a request for information to the Municipality of Durrës regarding the reconstruction issue. Among other things, we asked the institution about the number of families affected by the earthquake who have not yet received their apartments.

Officially, the Municipality of Durrës announces that there are still over 1,000 families who have not entered their homes, even though 5 years have passed since the tragic earthquake.

"There are still 1,189 apartments in the New Development Area in Spitalë, the Kastrati Palace and the New Development Area in Ishëm that have not been accommodated," the institution writes in its official response to Faktoje.al.

He further emphasizes: "The reconstruction process is nearing completion along with the homes of those damaged by the earthquake. The municipality will enable the delivery of the homes as soon as possible, in order to accommodate families in their new homes."

Given that there are still reconstruction facilities that need financing, the Municipality of Durrës has taken measures to prioritize investments in the 2025 budget.

On the other hand, the Municipality of Durrës acknowledges the fact that families have not received a rent bonus for almost 2 years.

"Referring to the complaints directed to the Municipality of Durrës, regarding the rental bonus for families affected by the earthquake, we inform you that from the moment of the natural disaster and until March 2023, the rental bonus has been financed by the Ministry of Finance and Economy according to Normative Act no. 9, dated 16.12.2019 'On coping with the consequences of the natural disaster'

 

"Under these conditions, the Municipality of Durrës has only approved the beneficiary list of residents by municipal council decision," the institution argues.

 

However, the Municipality of Durrës does not provide an answer as to whether citizens will receive the overdue rent bonuses.

"Through letter no. 5897 of the Ministry of Finance and Economy, all municipalities have been notified that the rent subsidy after March 2023 will no longer be financed by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, but must be provided for by the Municipality's budget," the response further states.

Residents: We are waiting for the elections to take over the apartments

Bashkim Gjika is one of the residents affected by the earthquake of November 26, 2019. The earthquake made his apartment in neighborhood 5 in Durrës uninhabitable. Since that night, Bashkim still has not had a roof over his head. He told Faktoje.al that he will get the new apartment in Spitalë and not in the area where he had it. In addition, the elderly man says that only the allocation of numbers has been done for the people who will receive the apartments.

"The houses have not been divided, they have only given us the numbers. They have only given me a 2+1 apartment on paper, not in the neighborhood where I had it, but in Spitalle. They have a good one, they do not speak to anyone, they do not give us any information at all. The houses have been completed, I have seen them, but the votes have not yet come to give them to us. I was there one day and I saw them, they had not set the water and electricity meters. January has passed, February has come, we have not received anything," says Bashkimi worriedly, who has been knocking on the doors of institutions for 5 years for an answer.

Faktoje.al has reported in a series of articles about the violation of promises for reconstruction in Durrës.

cONcluSiON

From the information collected, we decided that the promise of the Mayor of Durrës, Emiriana Sako, to deliver housing to families affected by the earthquake within January, will be categorized as Unfulfilled.