The debate over the historic building where the Patriotic “Labëria” Club was founded in Vlora is taking on renewed public weight. Scholar Aurel Plasari has openly opposed any intervention that could lead to the alteration of the site, while the project to establish the Jewish Museum has sparked objections and questions over how the city’s historical heritage is being treated.
Plasari’s reaction against alteration
Through a reaction on social media, Plasari declared his support for protecting the “Labëria” Club, placing the emphasis on preserving monuments of cultural and historical heritage.
He spoke out against any intervention that, according to him, would result in the alteration of the historic building as part of the announced Jewish Museum project.
“Monuments are not simply tourist assets”
In his position, Plasari rejects an approach that sees monuments primarily as products for tourist consumption. According to him, they are testimonies of the past and not urban decoration that can be adapted according to the next project.
“Against — completely against — the alteration of monuments of cultural heritage,” he said, making clear his opposition to any transformation that undermines the building’s historical identity.
The building’s historical weight in Vlora
According to Plasari’s argument, cultural heritage monuments have a deeper function than their tourist value. He regards them as spaces where generations can come to know the country’s history and build a relationship with the past.
“Monuments of cultural heritage are a living school for successive young generations, to know the history of their country, to respect it, and it would be even better to love it,” the scholar wrote.
Debate over the Jewish Museum and public concerns
His reaction comes at a time when the Jewish Museum project in Vlora is being accompanied by public discussion and opposition. Concerns have been raised by scholars, citizens, and the association “Labëria – Honor of the Nation,” who have called for the building’s historical identity not to be diminished by new interventions.
At the heart of the debate remains the question of how far a new project can go without affecting the character of a building tied to the city’s historical memory. So far, public objections have focused precisely on the risk of altering this site, which carries symbolic weight for Vlora.
The controversy surrounding the “Labëria” Club building is once again highlighting the clash between new projects and heritage preservation. In this case, the opposition is not simply about one building, but about the way institutions choose to affect places that carry historical and identity significance.