Albanian local leaders call for administrative-territorial reform

Local leaders in Albania are calling for a reassessment of the country’s administrative-territorial reform. Fisnik Qosja, Mayor of Kavaja and representative of the Association of Municipalities and Local Electors, has expressed support for an opposition proposal to restructure the country into 100 municipalities and 12 counties.

Qosja argued that the 2014 territorial expansion failed to improve public services despite increasing the size of municipalities. He emphasized that proximity to citizens is more critical than administrative scale and requested that any new competencies granted to local governments be accompanied by appropriate funding. He also called for public assessments and community consultations before any final decisions are made.

In Shkodra, Florian Bjanku raised similar concerns regarding decentralization and local autonomy. During a Municipal Council meeting, Bjanku advocated for fiscal decentralization and the establishment of regions as a second level of government. He noted that residents in areas ranging from Theth to Velipoja require closer governance to address needs such as property documentation, infrastructure, healthcare, and investment. Bjanku stressed that a city is defined by its infrastructure, services, and economic activity rather than just administrative designations, and urged for more direct community engagement in the reform process.