The hearing of the Parliamentary Special Committee on Administrative-Territorial Reform moved to Gjirokastër today. Present at this meeting was also the leader of the Party Union for Human Rights, Vangjel Dule, who addressed the co-chair of this reform, Arbjan Mazniku, stating that he disagrees with two theses raised by him. According to Dule, Mazniku claims to detach the basic notion of space, and according to him, territorial reform should not start from borders. Another concern for Dule was the lack of representation in the municipal councils of Gjirokastër for some former municipalities in the south of the country. Mazniku, in response to him, said that when we talk only about territory, we get nowhere because, according to him, the problem to be solved is the ability to provide services to citizens. The co-chair of the Reform, Luçiano Boçi, also intervened in this debate, stating that local power is representation, service, financial autonomy, democracy, and decentralization, and according to him, the part of opinions falls into subjectivism.
Vangjel Dule: I would like to express a couple of ideas, starting with a categorical objection to the thesis expressed by Mr. Mazniku, who claims to detach us from the basic notion of space. We should not start from borders. But nothing can be analyzed in the future without considering the dimension of 'where'. I am concerned by one very fundamental fact: even if we have ideal local power in its function, perfect administration, and ideal borders, if democracy does not work, we have failed. We avoid democracy, which is representation. Tell me, in this municipality we are in today, are the former municipalities of Picar, Antigone, and Lunxhëria represented in the municipal council? Who will convey their voice in the Municipal Council?
Arbjan Mazniku: This is a first discussion; we will have opportunities for other discussions, but together with the co-director of the Reform, we thought to gather citizens' opinions. Mr. Dule said that we cannot discuss territory without competencies... I am not saying we should not discuss territory without competencies, but when we talk only about territory without competencies, we get nowhere because we need to have the ability to provide the service. I listened to all of you without saying a word... (referring to Vangjel Dule, who speaks from his seat), I will state the argument as I see it, and I only spoke about one service, which is road construction, but what about cleaning? Social service? The issue is why it is important to talk about competencies, to see if we have the services and financial resources for these services? So I say that discussions start from services.
Mazniku: Please, because I listened to you... Mr. Dule...
Dule: You cannot abuse sophisms.
Mazniku: You have a very bad habit of speaking when others are speaking. We need to have the ability to provide services to citizens and think about how to provide them, and that should be our goal.
Luçiano Boçi: It is natural to have debates and different positions, but local power is representation, service, financial autonomy, democracy, and decentralization; we must focus on that, and then the rest of opinions falls into subjectivism.