Hearing for "Territoriale"/ Boçi: The 2014 reform served the government and not the citizen

2026-05-05 17:46:00, Politikë CNA

Hearing for "Territoriale"/ Boçi: The 2014 reform served the

Co-chair of the Territorial-Administrative Reform Commission, Luciano Boçi, delivered his speech at the public hearing taking place with the citizens of Vlora.

Boçi stated that it is important for the Territorial Reform Commission to have a consensual conclusion. He said that public hearings are necessary because reforms bring direct consequences to the lives of citizens.

Among other things, he added that Vlora is a typical case of the failure of the 2014 Reform, and this is stated in a 2024 World Bank report. Boçi further said that that reform was only to serve the government and not the citizens.

"The Territorial Reform Commission must have a consensual conclusion. Otherwise, all these hearings and the investment made would not be worth it. This hearing serves more than the conversations in the halls and the decisions made. The territory is not read in parliament but only in the field. Hearings are necessary because reforms are not the property of politics but bring direct consequences in the lives of citizens. This reform has a very great and specific importance. We are not here to compare 2014-2015 with previous years. We must do what was foreseen in 2014-2015 and what it brought.

I have a question, is the life of the citizen better before this reform or after? We do not need administrative praise, but we need courage to take measures that serve the citizen. This reform was requested by the mayors, but they have not done it because they are under great control from the central government. The EU has not set conditions for the realization of a certain model to determine the receipt of funds. It is not an obstacle that we must definitely reduce the number of municipalities in order to be successful on the path to the EU.

Vlora is a typical case of the failure of the Territorial Reform. This is what the WB report of 2024 says. The increase in the territory of municipalities reduced the number and quality of services to citizens. Discrimination also exists within a municipality, rural areas differ from urban areas. Here in Albania, local government is considered a warehouse of votes. And the central government controls the local government. That reform was for the government and not for the citizen. The DP is for functionality, granting powers, increasing services, support from the state budget. Territory is not a goal but the main means that the Territorial Reform aims to solve to serve the citizen , "said Boçi. /CNA