The Council of Ministers has decided that the new Archaeological Museum in Tirana will be located underground. The decision, which has already been published, notes that part of the project are "the construction of an underground archaeological museum, underground parking and the rehabilitation of Mother Teresa Square."

By entrusting the Albanian Development Fund with carrying out the procedures and the Ministry of Culture (among others) with concluding cooperation agreements, the decision leaves it unclear what happens to the Albanological institutes, whose offices are in Mother Teresa Square, above the current archaeological museum, and next to an underground parking lot of the Tirana municipality.
The Albanological Institutes became subordinate to the Academy of Sciences with the reform of recent years.

Although the Academy had promised protection for them, the Council of Ministers has excluded the Academy of Sciences from the process, bringing the Ministry of Culture into play and exposing the shadows of its avoidance as an authority, which speaks volumes about both the reform itself and the fate of Albanological institutes. The very initiative for a new museum highlights old problems of space for scientific workers.
"Albanology? The fund, the researchers, the institutes?"

They don't matter. We live in a time when tall towers and concrete with VKM are the trend; it is not the time for knowledge, books, publications, studies, or scientists and professors who are not (yet) in the "right direction" of history! "Anything can happen, we live in Tirana!" was the warning refrain on the road to power, writes researcher Afrim Krasniqi.

DECISION ON THE CHARGING OF THE ALBANIAN DEVELOPMENT FUND, AS THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, TO CARRY OUT PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT “CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERGROUND ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, UNDERGROUND PARKING AND REHABILITATION OF THE “MOTHER THERESA” SQUARE”

DECISION ON THE CHARGING OF THE ALBANIAN DEVELOPMENT FUND, AS THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, TO CARRY OUT PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT “CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERGROUND ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, UNDERGROUND PARKING AND REHABILITATION OF THE “MOTHER THERESA” SQUARE”
In accordance with Article 100 of the Constitution and point 2, Article 53, of Law No. 162/2020, “On Public Procurement”, as amended, upon the proposal of the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers
DECIDED:
1. Instructing the Albanian Development Fund, as contracting authority and implementing unit, to carry out public procurement procedures for the implementation of the project "Construction of the underground archaeological museum, underground parking and rehabilitation of "Mother Teresa" square".
2. In order to implement the project, defined in point 1 of this decision, the Albanian Development Fund is tasked with carrying out:
a) all procedures, according to the legislation in force for public procurement, including concluding the relevant contracts for the design, implementation and supervision of the project, as well as following their implementation and that of the relevant project;
b) submitting requests for the approval of development and construction permits on behalf of the beneficiary public institutions to the competent territorial development authority, as well as following all actions and procedures necessary for this purpose, according to the legislation in force for territorial development.
3. The Albanian Development Fund, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports and the Municipality of Tirana may enter into cooperation agreements, in order to develop the project defined in point 1 of this decision.
4. The financial effects are covered by the approved budget for the Albanian Development Fund.
5. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports, the Municipality of Tirana and the Albanian Development Fund are charged with the implementation of this decision.
This decision enters into force after publication in the "Official Gazette".
PRIME
EDI RAMA