Details from the meeting/ Rama's orders to the mayors, focus on salaries

2024-03-09 14:34:00, Politikë CNA

Details from the meeting/ Rama's orders to the mayors, focus on salaries

Edi Rama and Arbjan Mazniku

Details from the meeting held today by Prime Minister Edi Rama with the mayors in Shkodër are revealed. It is reported that the first issue addressed by the prime minister was that of applications from municipalities to EU funds.

For these projects, the head of the government has requested cooperation between the municipalities and the Ministry of Local Government headed by Arbian Maznik.

"Whoever performs better will have support from the Ministry of Finance when distributing the unconditional grant. So there will be a different difference for those municipalities that have better performance compared to those with problems and in debt to third parties," Prime Minister Edi Rama is quoted as saying.

As a second issue, Prime Minister Edi Rama has focused on the human resources that work in all the country's municipalities. Rama has emphasized that they should commit to reviewing salaries, bringing them closer to those of those who work in the central government, as there is a very large disparity.

"The goal is to unify local government salaries with those in the central government," says Rama.

On the other hand, Minister Arbjon Mazniku presented the report of the country's municipalities, according to the information conveyed by the correspondent of Top Channel in Shkodër, Klodian Zhivani.

It is reported that the liabilities of local units have decreased by 60% from 12 billion ALL to 4.8 billion ALL, the minister emphasized, while adding that Kavaja and Vora are the municipalities with the most debts, according to the report.

"In terms of human resources, the number of employees per 1000 inhabitants has been analyzed for all municipalities, in their apparatuses and the services they offer. Regarding the financial side, the municipalities have entered the site, the municipalities' capacities to collect income theirs, as well as which are the municipalities that perform better. The municipalities were also analyzed in terms of the ability to write projects and absorb funds from the European Union. As for local income, in 2023 they increased by 271% compared to 2015, from 13 billion to 31 billion. As for local expenditures, 102% higher than in 2015. The debts of small municipalities are 85% dependent on government grants and transfers. The largest municipalities of have balanced this ratio at 55%. The liabilities of local units have decreased by 60% from 12 billion to 4.8 billion ALL. Municipal debts are 4.8 billion ALL, 60% less than in 2015, Kavaja and Vora are the municipalities with the most debts. 14 municipalities are 85% dependent on government grants and transfers, while 10 municipalities (with over 100,000 inhabitants are 55% dependent), Minister Mazniku is said to have said during the meeting./CNA