Residents of Vërdova against the project for the river in the Ring Road/ Demand arrangement of the riverbed and preservation of the bridges

2026-07-01 12:49:00, Qyteti im CNA

Residents of Vërdova against the project for the river in the Ring Road/

Residents of the village of Vërdovë oppose the project to regulate the river in the Unaza area, damaged by the floods of November last year.

During the hearing held with representatives of the Pogradec Municipality, they raised concerns that the planned interventions could make access to their homes more difficult.

Residents demand that the intervention focus on cleaning and widening the riverbed, strengthening the protective walls, and reconstructing the existing infrastructure, while preserving the bridges that connect the residences to the main road.

" Our problem is that the bridges remain as they are and the river be regulated. The wall across should be built, strengthened here as well, expanded and made strong. We do not agree with this project they have done. We demand that it be expanded, cleaned and paved ," said 1 resident.

According to them, the proposed solution with a passage space of about one and a half meters does not guarantee normal movement, especially for families that have sick or elderly people.

" How will I cross that one and a half meters to enter the house with the sick, paralyzed?! We demand that the river be repaired, concreted and the bridges remain as they are, so that we can communicate with our homes and bring in agricultural vehicles and equipment ," said another resident.

Residents say the river problem is old and has not received a final solution for decades. They are demanding the construction of protective walls on both sides of the river and interventions in its bed to avoid future floods.

" We have been suffering like this for 30 years with this river. We want this work to be done properly. Two complete walls to be built, the bottom of the river to be widened and cleaned, so that we too can cross ," said the resident.

On the other hand, the independent advisor to the Pogradec Municipality, Arbër Male, stated that the consultation showed that some residents did not have complete information about the project and are seeking a final solution.

" Residents are uninformed regarding the river system project. They are demanding sewage system, deepening of the river bed and a final solution for the flows coming from the mountain. I hope that a common path will be found between the residents and the municipality and that their proposals will be taken into consideration," said Male.

The hearing ended without a final agreement, while residents are demanding that their concerns be reflected in the project before work begins./CNA