Two days after the tensions and incidents that occurred in the village of Dardhë in Librazhd, where a group of residents demolished the fence surrounding a private hydroelectric power plant, protesting the lack of drinking and irrigation water, the situation on the ground continues to remain tense, while residents are seeking an immediate solution to a problem that, according to them, has been going on for months.
Footage from the scene shows the barbed wire fence collapsed to the ground, the presence of State Police officers to prevent the situation from escalating, as well as hydroelectric plant workers in the area. Meanwhile, a representative group of residents continues to stand near the water source, insisting that their action was a consequence of an unbearable situation and not a premeditated act of conflict.
According to their testimonies, for about six months the community has been facing a lack of drinking water and water for irrigation, which has brought great difficulties in daily life. They emphasize that, as a rural area, water needs are vital not only for families, but also for livestock and agricultural activity, which constitutes the main source of income for many residents.
Residents of the village of Dardhë in the Hotolisht Administrative Unit in the municipality of Librazhd state that they have repeatedly raised their concerns with the responsible institutions, seeking interventions and concrete solutions, but according to them they have not received an effective response. It is precisely this lack of response, they say, that led them to the decision to intervene themselves in the area where the hydropower plant is located.
Another concern raised by them is related to a previous agreement with local institutions, according to which during the summer season, priority in water use would be given to the residents of the area. They claim that this agreement has not been respected, leaving the community without one of the most basic services for life and economic activity.
The lack of water, but also the ongoing problems with road infrastructure, according to residents, have also directly influenced the emptying of the tourist village of Dardhë and the entire Hotolisht area in the municipality of Librazhd, which are still among the most populated along the Shkumbini valley. Many families have left over the years in search of better living conditions, while those who have remained are seeking immediate solutions to avoid facing an even greater abandonment of the area.
Residents call on state institutions and responsible authorities to intervene as soon as possible to restore normal water supply and to respect the agreements reached, emphasizing that guaranteeing a basic need such as drinking water is a fundamental right of every community.
