17 November 2018

Ombudsperson Committed For A Quality And Full Investigation Of The Situation Created At Unaza E Re Area In Tirana


OMBUDSPERSON COMMITTED FOR A QUALITY AND FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE SITUATION CREATED AT UNAZA E RE AREA IN TIRANA

The People's Advocate Institution is attentively following the situation created while hundreds of citizens and state authorities are facing tensions as a result of the enlargement of the Unaza e Re.

A petition signed by more than 200 citizens has been sent to the Ombudsman at the request of the institution to investigate whether there are violations of the official procedures violating their right.

Even before the arrival of this petition, since at least two weeks ago, the People's Advocate had already initiated an administrative investigation on this issue that seems to affect the interests of a large number of citizens.

The People's Advocate had also noted since June, when first raised the problem on the enlargement of Unaza e Re impacted the area of Shkoza causing clashes between citizens and public authorities, that measures had to be taken to avoid the situation during works in other tears this work, as is the case with the current area at Astir.

Unfortunately, none of the recommendations that the People's Advocate included on its Special Report sent to all relevant institutions, including the Albanian Parliament, has not been addressed, and consequently, we are in the situation of a new warned crisis.

However, in accordance with the law on which it operates, the People's Advocate has again filed requests for information at all public institutions involved in the process, such as the Municipality of Tirana, ALUIZNI, ARAA, IKMT.

Also, representatives of the institution came in contact with representatives of these state authorities as well as with the local residents, seeing the situation first hand, so that the argumentation of the report that is expected to be completed would be more correct.

The Ombudsperson Institution notes that it is imperative that not only any action that violates the citizens' property is conducted in consultation and in agreement with them, but also the responsible institutions shall undertake in any case all the eforts for dialogue aiming at achieving a solution that does not force any Albanian citizen to lose confidence in our institutions and our common state.

Also, the institution considers it extremely important that no construction works starts its implementation without first being provided with the respective permit and this should be a standard that should apply equally when applied to citizens as well as to public institutions undertaking public works. In a state of law, the law should apply to everyone alike.