The Municipal Council of Prrenjas has officially launched the round of public consultations with citizens within the framework of the new Territorial Administrative Reform, a process that foresees the development of six public hearings throughout the territory of the municipality.

The first hearing took place in the Qukë Administrative Unit, where residents expressed a unified stance against the proposal for the possible merger of the Prrenja Municipality with the Librazhd Municipality.

During the discussions, citizens presented arguments of an economic, geographical and administrative nature, opposing further territorial expansion of their local unit.

According to residents, such a merger would have consequences for the provision of public services, as greater distances from the administrative center would make it more difficult for citizens to access local institutions. They also raised concerns about increased costs and logistical difficulties in obtaining basic documents and services.

Another argument repeated during the hearing was the preservation of local identity and representation. Residents emphasized that a territorial reorganization should take into account the specificities of communities and the need for an administration closer to citizens.

In addition to opposition to the possible merger with Librazhd, strong criticism was also expressed during the meeting about the way the consultation process is being conducted.

Some residents described the hearing as a "facade" and "another farce," arguing that the Special Parliamentary Committee should have held consultations with communities on the ground before drafting or proposing changes to the administrative map.

The role of the deputies representing the area in the Albanian Parliament was also at the center of the discussions. Residents asked them to take a clear stance on this issue and for the will expressed by the community to be represented in the parliamentary process.

According to them, the area's MPs should take into consideration the citizens' opposition and, if the proposal for the merger of municipalities goes to a vote in the Assembly, vote against it.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the residents of Qukës requested that all arguments and positions expressed during the meeting be fully reflected in the official minutes and forwarded to the responsible institutions.

They insisted that public consultation should not remain simply a formal procedure, but that the voice of the community be truly taken into consideration during the final decision-making on the Territorial Administrative Reform.

The consultation process will continue in other administrative units of the Prrenja Municipality, while the stance of the residents of Qukës marks the first public reaction in this series of hearings to the proposal for a possible territorial reorganization.