An unusual political front has emerged in Selenicë, where PS and PD councilors voted along the same line against the project that foresees merging the municipality with Vlorë. The joint position comes in a sensitive debate over the local map, as local communities are signaling that they do not accept decisions made from above without guarantees for representation and the public interest.
Municipal Council opposes the project
In an extraordinary meeting, the Selenicë Municipal Council expressed its opposition to the project to merge the Municipality of Selenicë with the Municipality of Vlorë.
According to the position taken at the meeting, all councilors requested that Selenicë continue to function as a municipality on its own.
Open opposition from the majority and the opposition
The majority and the opposition have come together on this issue, rejecting the project proposed by the PS for administrative reorganization.
The councilors said they would oppose this initiative to the end, arguing that a merger with Vlorë would harm the representation and interests of residents in the area.
Mayor Bellaj on the same line
The mayor of Selenicë, Nertil Bellaj, has also spoken out against the project.
He argued that Selenicë should preserve its status as a separate municipality and that this position would be defended through institutional arguments.
Village elders support the opposition
Village elders from the Municipality of Selenicë also took part in the meeting, and they likewise came out against the merger with Vlorë.
They declared support for any initiative aimed at stopping the project, turning the opposition into a broader position among local representatives and local communities.
The clash in Selenicë puts the debate over territorial reform before a real political and institutional test: not only between the sides, but also between the center and local government.
So far, the message coming from Selenicë is clear: the merger with Vlorë is facing full resistance at the local level.