Shkodra, construction of 35-storey tower begins/ DP: We denounce the concreting of the historical center

2025-09-25 11:01:00, Politikë CNA

Shkodra, construction of 35-storey tower begins/ DP: We denounce the concreting

The most controversial project of recent years, the construction of a 35-story tower, has officially begun in the center of Shkodra. A year ago, when the project was presented, several protests took place in the city, but without any impact.

At the start of the works, the DP advisor and urban planner by profession, Imeld Sokoli, issued a public statement saying that this project concretes the historic center and violates the city's urban plan.

" The Democratic Party Shkodra Branch takes the opportunity from the start of the works for the construction of the tower in the city center to denounce this case as a serious violation of the territorial development policies. This construction permit granted arbitrarily seriously violates the General Local Plan as the only instrument that protects the public interest and balances development. The Municipality of Shkodra as the competent institution for the implementation of the general local plan must protect public interests and not become part of illegality by violating this interest. What the municipality preaches on social networks is the development of sustainable policies on the territory, while on the ground the exact opposite is happening. Where unnecessary projects concrete the city center, destroying the identity of the city center and contributing to the deterioration of environmental elements in the city. Moreover, this permit has its own corruptive light and shadow because it is benefited from dubious property transaction processes. The Municipality must react by blocking the works process because this is how "it contributes to the destruction rather than the improvement of city life ," said Sokoli.

The construction of the tower is expected to last 84 months and will forever change the urban landscape of the northern metropolis. For the opposition, urban planners, but also civil society, this project will bring excessive concreting to the city center, destroying the historic appearance of Shkodra.