Albania territorial reform sparks intense political debate

Albania is facing intense political debate over a proposed territorial reform aimed at reorganizing local government units. The government's draft proposes reducing the number of municipalities to 46, a move that opposition leaders, including Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha, claim was developed without adequate consultation and serves electoral interests. Berisha and his allies have proposed an alternative model consisting of 100 municipalities.

Opposition members have criticized the process, with Nard Ndoka of the Christian Democratic Party arguing that allies have been kept in the dark and that even the 100-municipality proposal is insufficient compared to models like Italy's. Within the parliamentary Law Commission, tensions have flared between Socialist deputy Zegjine Çaushi and opposition deputy Xhelal Mziu regarding the handling of legislative initiatives and previous boycotts.

On the administrative side, Tirana Mayor Erjon Veliaj has called for a suspension of the reform process, citing a lack of preliminary studies on population, territory, and service transfers. The debate highlights a conflict between the government's drive for administrative efficiency and opposition/local concerns regarding civic autonomy and constitutional compliance.