Armand Kullau | Vetting

The prosecution has launched an investigation into Sinaballaj.
The case of Rrogozhina is a tragedy that continues to happen because for part of the time, the residents of Sinaballaj have been forced to replace their homes with huts. Some of them even sleep in barracks where there is no protection from the rain and cold.

Servet Jusufi is another resident of Sinaballaj who has not yet started building his house because, according to him, the firm has excavated on a new plot of land, but has not begun construction work on it.

"This is the house that the firm built, the building, that's been there for two years, with lies, with deception, don't be upset. How can I not be upset? I live there with sheet metal, here's the house with sheet metal and when it comes to the bill, to this day, they haven't brought any materials," Yusufi says with irony because the new house hasn't been built, but he lives in a shack.

The problem with Serveti is that like every resident, he has notified the institutions about the problem, as well as the company itself, but to date he has not received any solution.

Regarding Servet Jusufi's problem, administrator Danaj said that the works were not carried out due to ownership problems the resident had.

"I had it, when we issued the permit, we applied and issued the permit. Serveti had ownership problems with someone else, and the fund was not approved by the Municipality because he had a problem with a person, they exchanged property, he complained and Serveti got another lawyer," declared administrator Danaj.

While Jusufi has signed the contract with the Municipality, it remains a mystery how the institution granted him the construction permit. But Jusufi reveals other details from the institution and the private company.

"Yes, the building permit, always, she told me, don't go, I'll get it, said that lady. I'll get the permit, since the ownership certificate has been issued, I said. I'll get the permit, she said, no, don't bother, it's ruining our work. Why, what plans will I ruin? I was going to go for my apartment, for my house. In the end, I didn't go. The day before yesterday I went there, I found those employees there, with these people from the mortgage company. And they tell me what's wrong with me? I came, I said, to ask questions, has the house permit been issued? She said everything has been issued, this one told me, that certificate has been issued, that application for houses has been issued, she told me, but the permit, she said we'll talk to the administrator to get it, because she's the one who deals with these things, both of them. I also left today. Yesterday I was there, I didn't find them, no one was at work, except the mayor. The mayor hasn't even been out there in the field. I said, are you the mayor?! "Yes. But how did you get out into the field? Yes, that's all I know," says Yusufi, disappointed.

Serveti's case is more unique because he is the only resident who has been contacted by the Prosecutor's Office, revealing details about this case.

"Yes, the prosecutor called me about the work on those houses there, and he asked me how things are going? I said, this is where the work is."

"What about witnesses?" he asked me. "Did you get them?" "Yes, I got them," I told him.

He called the witnesses, he saw the housing applications, he told me it was okay.

Who is the firm? This! Okay, he told me. That's it. He finished work with me, with all the witnesses, he told me okay, don't bother, he told me, I'll come and verify it myself. That gentleman had noted there that they had made that denunciation, supposedly as a denunciation work, he had noted that I had given it to him for maintenance. We verify it with the mayor of the area, the mayor who was the mayor of the commune, with all the employees of the commune. And they came there, they saw it, you told me, don't bother. He told me you will build the houses over there, the prosecution told me. Now I have this, you told me don't bother, he told me that you can enjoy them once with children and with all the wife, and land in the field that you have with all the law, he told him, his work that he bought the house, we know that, but the firm will build your house. Wait, wait, seven months, no action from the firm. No action from the firm. "I'll call him, he's upset, don't upset me. How can I not be upset?", says Servet Jusufi indignantly.

Unlike other residents, he has no shelter to stay in because the damaged house was completely collapsed and now he is waiting.

In this case, in addition to the problems reported by residents regarding the implementation of the works, the issue of institutional response remains. "Vetting" has sent a request for information to the Durrës Prosecutor's Office to obtain clarification, but until the publication of this material we have not received any response from the institution.

The problem is that some of the residents are homeless and some have spent money out of their own pockets to finish them, while they should all be sheltered.

"Vetting" contacted the mayor of Rrogozhina, Edison Memolla, by phone about the reasons why they allowed the company "Duka Tr Construction" to carry out the reconstruction works when it did not have a license, why they did not block the works, but until the publication of this material, Memolla has not returned any response.