The Socialist Party has made public a new draft for administrative-territorial reform, directly affecting the map of local government in the country. According to the majority’s proposal, 15 municipalities will be dissolved and merged into larger units, with the official argument of increasing efficiency and improving services.
Which municipalities are set to be dissolved
On the list of municipalities expected to lose their current status are Fushë-Arrëz, Klos, Rrogozhinë, Dimal, Poliçan, Patos, Divjakë, Selenicë, Maliq, Këlcyrë, Memaliaj, Libohovë, Cërrik, Belsh and Prrenjas.
The Socialist Party draft aims for these local units to be merged with their respective larger municipalities, reshaping the country’s territorial organization once again. In essence, this is another intervention at the local level, this time justified by the majority with the logic of more efficient administration.
Prrenjas, one of the points that has sparked the strongest reactions
One of the changes that has drawn the most opposition is the one concerning the Municipality of Prrenjas, which according to the draft would be merged with Librazhd.
This proposal comes despite reactions from Prrenjas residents, who have protested against the dissolution of their municipality. Their opposition is linked to fears of weaker local representation and worsening access to services for citizens.
The efficiency argument and the questions raised by the reform
According to the official version, the new reorganization aims to increase administrative efficiency and improve service delivery. However, this is precisely the kind of promise that in such reforms requires concrete evidence, not just political wording.
When the boundaries of local representation are affected, the debate is not limited only to administrative management. For citizens in areas that risk losing their municipality, the issue is also tied to the community’s political weight and the actual distance from public services.
The draft enters political discussion
The Socialists’ proposal is expected to be discussed as part of the new administrative-territorial reform, while it remains open whether the current list will change after consultations and political debate.
For now, the draft has reopened an old debate: whether municipalities should be measured only by the criterion of efficiency on paper, or also by the impact a merger has on representation and the daily lives of residents.
With this package, the majority is once again putting on the table one of the most sensitive interventions in local government.
And whether reactions from the ground, as in the case of Prrenjas, will carry real weight in decision-making remains to be seen.