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"We have invited him to join our delegation"/ Pogradec Municipality responds to the accusations of Poradec's daughter

2026-02-03 21:26:00, Aktualitet CNA

"We have invited him to join our delegation"/ Pogradec Municipality

The Municipality of Pogradec has reacted after the interview of Marie Gusho, the daughter of Lasgush Poradec. An interview in which Marie Gusho made several accusations towards the municipality.

In its response, the Municipality of Pogradec says that regarding the activity that will take place in Austria in honor of the writer, this institution is not the organizer, but participates as an invited guest. A few days ago, Marie Gusho said that the Municipality of Pogradec had not notified her and had not invited her to this activity.

But the municipality announces that it has invited Lasgush Poradec's daughter as part of the municipality's delegation to participate in this activity.

Further, in its response, the Municipality of Pogradec also focused on the poet's apartment in Pogradec, which it says was sold by the heirs themselves and is now privately owned.

The municipality's reaction

The Municipality of Pogradec, after following the full interview of Ms. Marie Gusho, daughter of the great poet Lasgush Poradeci, in a national media outlet, regarding the accusations raised against our institution, feels obliged to publicly clarify the following:

First, regarding the event to be held in Graz, Austria, to place a memorial plaque in the apartment where Lasgush Poradeci stayed, we would like to clarify that the Municipality of Pogradec is not the organizing institution of this event. The organization is carried out by the Albanian Embassy in Austria and the Municipality of Pogradec is officially invited to this event.

However, after the public reaction of Ms. Marie Gusho, which also included the Municipality of Pogradec, we as an institution offered our full support for her participation in the activity, despite the fact that we are not its organizers, support which was rejected.

Secondly, regarding the naming of the Palace of Culture in Pogradec, we clarify that since 1988, with the participation of the writer Ismail Kadare, this building has been named the "Lasgush Poradeci" Cultural Center, a name that continues to remain unchanged today.

The multifunctional center mentioned by Ms. Marie was created for the development of cultural, artistic, sports and promotional activities, (the Cultural Center and the Sports Directorate are subordinate to the QMP) but it has never changed either the name of the Palace of Culture, which continues to bear the name of the great poet, or the name of the Cultural Center.

Thirdly, regarding the accusations of fake invoices and the spread of false news in the media, we clarify that:

The company QMP sh.a. operates under the legislation for joint-stock companies with state capital and is subject to continuous control by the General Directorate of Taxes. At the end of each year, financial balance sheets are submitted, prepared by licensed accountants, in accordance with the legislation of the Ministry of Finance.

From the creation of this company in 2022 to date, no violations and no economic damage have been found.

Also, the company administrator is subject to the HIDAKKI, another control and transparency mechanism.

Fourthly, regarding the Lasgush Poradec house-museum, for the sake of truth, we recall that the poet's apartment was sold by the HEIRS themselves and is currently in private ownership.

The Municipality of Pogradec, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, has been working for years to find an agreement with the current owners, with the aim of returning it to a house-museum, as the figure of Lasgush Poradec deserves. We are currently in the process, within the framework of the project for the redevelopment of historical neighborhoods, which also includes the museum.

Fifth, regarding the restoration of the statues of Lasgush Poradeci and Mitrush Kutel, we clarify that they were damaged by atmospheric factors. The Municipality of Pogradec had drafted a restoration project and, in co-financing with the Korça District Council, was nearing the finalization of the works.

At that time, there was a self-offering by the esteemed professor Mr. Vladimir Llakaj, who, in close collaboration with our institution, carried out the restoration of both statues free of charge.

In conclusion, the Municipality of Pogradec understands the indignation of Ms. Marie Gusho regarding the activity in Graz, but reiterates that it is not the organizer of this event. For this very reason, the Municipality has invited Ms. Gusho to join our delegation.

We request that in the future, false and disinformation accusations be avoided against the institution that represents the citizens of Pogradec and that, with the utmost respect, has honored the figure of Lasgush Poradec every year through numerous cultural activities, where Ms. Marie has always been invited but who, for personal reasons, has been absent.

Thank you.