NGA FATMIRA NIKOLLI*

"When the Prime Minister's Office was surrounded by bars and guns just a few years ago, we were discussing existence, murder on the boulevard, freedom of speech, state violence. Today we are debating aesthetic taste and the work of artists with international reputation."

The Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro, while giving her opinion on the debate on the facade of the Prime Minister's Office, assures that the monument has not been damaged, she does not leave two times unsettled. Beyond this, in an interview for "GAZETA SHQIPTARE", she dwells on the main issues of the department she leads. She talks about the reconceptualization of the pavilions of the National History Museum, a new museum line for the National Gallery, the reconstruction of the Opera, the fate of the Theater, museums and archaeological parks in the districts; giving special emphasis to the primary goal of this conversation: Cultural Heritage, from the villas of Tirana, to the constructions (with and without permission) in Durrës, Krujë, Berat and beyond. Her goal as minister? "To build a sustainable management and administration system in public art institutions, so that it does not change with the change of governments and ministers" - she says. Below is a long interview, on many issues, where a long pause is necessary.

-A work by Philippe Parreno (Marquee Tirana 2015) on the facade of the Prime Minister's Office sparked debate, because it interfered with a cultural monument. As the president of the KKR that approved this intervention, how do you respond to the voices that see the 'shelter' as a damage to heritage? Does it set a bad example for its protection?
If we look at it carefully, the debate on this topic has been mostly aesthetic and based on subjective approaches, if you will, legitimate ones, of a professional or amateur public, specifically interested in issues of art or architecture. Let me say that debate is only a good and healthy sign in a society. Especially when discussing such topics of a cultural, artistic, aesthetic, philosophical nature, I say that we should call it progress for the city.
Let's not forget that when the Prime Minister's Office was surrounded by bars and guns just a few years ago, we were discussing existence, murder on the boulevard, freedom of speech, state violence. Today we are debating aesthetic taste and the work of internationally renowned artists.
From the point of view of cultural heritage, I assure you that the law was respected by discussing the project in the scientific council of the IMK and in the KKR, as well as the monument, which is not damaged at all by the installation. The latter is mobile, light, clear and with its contrast does not interfere with the monument, but highlights it through contrast. This is not the place to make personal reflections on my aesthetic approach, but I can suggest, for example, reading the comment that Professor Artan Fuga makes to the installation in question. With its observations and contradictions, it is one of the ways to see this new artistic spirit in a historical building.

– COD at the Prime Minister's Office brings three well-known artists, an exhibition: Two videos with photos of Albania 1945-1990, a library and a mini-exhibition "Made in Albania Shelf". Is the Prime Minister's Office competing with the institutions under your control and has the possibility of building a museum for contemporary art been discussed in your department?
I don't know how we can talk about competition between government agencies, while we are part of the same government team with already established priorities for which we all work together. Since the beginning as a government, and each from their own position, we have expressed in all forms our intention to open existing facilities to the public as cultural, educational destinations, spaces for debate and diversity, etc. We have launched several such projects with full openness, such as the Youth Center in Tirana, the former abandoned Film Studio and where the Ministry of Culture is now located with spaces ready for cultural activities, the Archaeological Museum in Durrës that remained closed for more than 4 years, etc.
But also openings in the experimental phase or temporary openings until the status of the facilities changes, which requires some administrative procedures, but also for as long as it takes to develop sustainable and well-thought-out projects, such as government residences: the Brigades Palace, the former dictator's villa, the building of the former Writers' League, the forgotten industrial ruins near the "Petro Nini" gymnasium that will be turned into a new scenic center, or the museum and educational project that is being developed at the House with Leaves that is already in the restoration phase of the building, or even the Bunker on Mount Dajti. The first floor of the Prime Minister's Office is just one more station on this cultural and diversity map that we aim to develop in the service of the community and youth.
We are currently preparing several competitions to select quality project ideas for the best possible functional use, but also in respect of the monument, for some of the buildings I mentioned above, where the idea of ​​contemporary art will also find space.

– During the electoral campaign, we saw you visiting heritage sites with mayors and mayoral candidates. Were these public appearances with them: To involve them in your heritage projects, i.e. to secure their support, or to support them?
I have started my first month of work as a minister by inspecting cultural heritage sites. These tours are part of my routine, if not weekly, then monthly. And the visits have intensified because we have already opened construction sites throughout the country, but also because we prepared the summer tourist season. During these visits, I have always met with the mayors of municipalities, regardless of which party they belong to, because I am convinced that the work of the Ministry of Culture cannot be efficient without close cooperation with local structures and residents who live in the monument.
During the period when these inspections coincided with the election campaign, the candidates who have been in office as mayors have done their duty and have expressed their personal commitment to this cooperation, while the candidates who were running for mayor have been an example of a citizen concerned about the cultural heritage of the area, and have sought to learn more about how cultural wealth can be developed, which seems completely normal to me and I even appreciate it to the maximum because there were some of them who came to exchange opinions even a year or more ago without even knowing that they would be candidates, such as the case of Keti Bazhdari who shared with me her concerns about Shkodra since the end of 2013. Otherwise, outside of these projects, I believe I have every right to individually support the political force that has brought this team to government and to express my support for the candidates in whom I have strong faith.

– The images of the restoration of the Kruja Bathhouse caused a wide debate, among competent and incompetent people. Considering the fact that not everyone can study the restoration project (just as visitors and tourists will not), how do you respond to concerns about this restoration and is this the model that will be followed in the future?
First, As I said above and it is very important to emphasize, I note with great pleasure that the debate is no longer about thefts, vandalism, breaking, desecration, murders, robberies, illegality in heritage, as we were used to until two years ago, but it is a debate about the quality, about the methods, about the standard of preservation, restoration, and promotion of cultural monuments. This is no small step forward!
Secondly, I wish all the debaters on the issues had taken the trouble to look at the place before they went on social media, aimlessly and indiscriminately anathemating everyone based on just one photo. No one did. And that's a shame. However, this is also part of an educational process in public debates about heritage, and it's better that way than not confronting the issues under discussion.
Third, The Hamam restorers, who worked with the organization Cultural Heritage Without Borders, with funding from the Swedish government, spoke publicly about the methods used and invited everyone to dialogue, but the media preferred not to publish their professional and open-minded opinion.
Fourthly, We must begin to understand and accept the idea that cultural monuments are not "quiet natures" built only to be passively contemplated. When they were built by generations before us, centuries before us, monuments were living environments of living people, where people worked, performed theater, fought, had children, cooked, built, etc.
Today, if the monuments are not lived, they are not maintained. And the coexistence of the monument as a cultural heritage with the activity of modernity is not impossible. The Verona Charter has very clearly defined the criteria for how this is achieved. The revitalization of monuments under rigorous professional measures and in respect of those criteria is a process that must be developed. The hammam in question has not been affected in its originality at all. The monument is there, and at any moment the stone slabs that make it usable precisely for its purpose and its very existence can be removed and it can be turned into a site that can simply be visited as historical evidence, just as its use not only increases visitors to the Kruja castle, but also creates employment and income. Europe has endless such examples.

– Madam Minister, for all the damage that has been done so far to the heritage (and there is not a little), no measures have been taken, so no responsibility has been held, just like for the debts with which you found MK. Will impunity or lack of responsibility continue?
It is not entirely true. First, the analysis of the situation found and the implementation of the reform removed many senior leaders of the heritage system, and not only of heritage, from the management of institutions.
Within our capacities as Minister of Culture, but also referring to the reports of the Supreme Audit Office, we have entered several files by canceling decisions of the National Council of Culture or ministerial orders, such as those of the project to revitalize the Lezha Castle. We have processed several cases of illegal construction for us as well as complaints for abuse of office. And we continue to do so. Furthermore, the prosecution bodies must do their duty.
Meanwhile, we are awaiting the conclusion of a trial related to a serious accusation of icon theft, a denunciation and accusation that was made by our government a few months after we took office.

– The removal of Berat and Gjirokastra from the danger zone, which would have declared them world heritage sites at risk, was good news. Eleni Maistrou, in her latest report, called for the buildings to be demolished or adapted, in fact, what will be done with them?
It is undoubtedly good news and an appreciation for the work done in these two years by cultural heritage structures from the ministry to the regional directorates, as well as an appreciation for the measures taken by the government, such as the 2013 moratorium or the repression we have exercised against illegal constructions, the regular reporting system, the on-site and daily monitoring of monuments.
The Bonn Resolution of July 2, 2015 also issued several recommendations, some of which we have already implemented, such as the new regulation of Berat, the new regulation of Gjirokastra, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary at UNESCO, and intensive work is underway to finalize the new draft law on heritage. We are also working to turn the historic center of Gjirokastra into a pedestrian zone, but this requires an infrastructural solution so as not to hinder the daily life of residents. For this, we will organize a competition and have requested UNESCO's expertise.
Regarding the constructions we found, it is known that the National Inspectorate for Territorial Protection has been reviewing cases one by one for some time and has intervened and demolished where the construction was illegal. The last case you saw in Berat a few weeks ago when the hotel built in the historic center was demolished.
But, even where construction certification has been done, although I have strong doubts about the ways in which it was done, we have carried out expropriations such as all the abandoned buildings in "Mother Teresa" Square which had managed to be registered in the entire public system within just one month!

– What will happen to the constructions near the Kruja Castle, constructions that interfere with the historical landscape?
It is true that the landscape has been severely damaged in Kruja, although we have intervened together with the American-Albanian Development Foundation to restore the entire old bazaar and the historic center.
You should keep in mind one more thing, all these demolitions, cleanups, expropriations have a heavy cost for the state budget, that is, they are paid for with our taxes. And what has been done badly and damaged for years by an irresponsible and abusive administration cannot be repaired in one or two years.

– Another project, for a construction opposite the '1 Maji' Garden in Durrës, has been submitted. The KKA that you lead has not approved it, however, the builder has publicly stated (in the media) that he has the support of the head of the Municipality of Durrës, the same one who granted the first permit, approved by the Ministry of Culture of the Berisha government where the 'Albanian Pompeii' was damaged. If the new construction starts, what can you do as a minister to prevent it?
I am hearing this from you for the first time. I assure you that no project starts without the approval of the heritage authorities, and for this we are in proper cooperation with the local government.
I also assure you that the Ministry of Culture and its subordinate institutions, as well as the National Councils that I lead, examine with the greatest scrupulousness every project and every development. I am proud to work with a team that pays maximum attention to heritage and has shown in two years that when working conscientiously and with dedication, even in difficult conditions, many things can be achieved, without blocking development, but by finding the right balance between preserving heritage and developing the country.

– The Ministry of Culture and you as minister, came out in defense of the villas of Tirana. Currently, with the change of mayor, what will happen with the two permits granted?
On July 16, I signed the decision to declare about 130 objects in the city of Tirana as second-category cultural monuments, following a several-month study conducted by the Institute of Cultural Monuments, and we have reintroduced the remaining objects under preliminary protection, which will be reviewed in the following. This decision is immediately made known to the local government, as we have done all along.
Objects under preliminary protection or classified as cultural monuments cannot be touched, and their permits, if granted after the official dates of the aforementioned announcements, will be subject to review for their legitimacy and the subject of discussion with the parties to protect Tirana from construction without coherence and without a harmonized city plan.

– There are several monumental churches that have recently been restored, or that are in the process of being restored. Beyond restoration and maintenance, will the guardian system be restored? How will they be protected from evildoers, let us recall here the case of the Church of St. Mary of Elbasan?
Your question is right, but I do not share it as a method, because it is impossible to place a guard in every church and on every stone. And this is not the system we should create. For churches, we regularly seek cooperation with the Orthodox Church so that the priest of the church can also be its guardian, but this is not possible in churches where there are no regular services. I firmly believe that cooperation with the community is much more efficient, raising their awareness, educating schools and young people, cooperation with civil society and the police, are tools that when they work are efficient. The “Friends of the Monument” network that we have built works very well, and thanks to this network, just to give you an example, we brought to light the Roman Baths of Durrës that had turned into a giant garbage dump accumulated there in 25 years, while the Baths themselves were discovered in the 60s when the current Palace of Culture was built on top of them.
Today, thanks to social networks and email, we regularly receive information about heritage sites where there are no system employees, and this allows us to intervene within 24 hours. The fact that in these two years there has been no talk of looting or rape shows that this system works.

– The Archaeological Museum of Durrës and the one of Oriku (Vlora) are already open to visitors, while work is underway on the “Marubi” museum. What are your projects in this regard?
The Archaeological Museum is a true success story. In just 3 months, we have had more than 6 visitors, including distinguished visitors who have highly appreciated the museum, which in fact still has several unfinished pavilions that will be completed in the future. The museum is also an educational place for young people and a concert venue much appreciated by the public and artists.
While Orikum is not a museum, but an archaeological park, which has been returned to visitors rehabilitated, equipped with a service and signaling system, and together with the Amantia park, which has been rehabilitated and specially arranged, they deserve to be visited and promoted in a special way.
We have increasingly turned heritage sites into stages for concerts and living cultural activities, giving them a function, promoting them, but also lovingly attracting the public to the heritage.
Marubi is a very important construction site for the Ministry of Culture that we are implementing in collaboration with the Albanian-American Development Foundation and that will be completed early next year, to turn it into a unique photography museum in the Balkans and with European standards, but also into an education center.
The Museum of Medieval Art in Korça is being completed at the same time, a very interesting project that will house 6500 icons. This museum will create a new exhibition space for about 500 icons as well as a restoration laboratory.
But work has also begun to liberate the arena of the Durrës Amphitheater, where we have completed the expropriation and are removing inert materials to continue with the rehabilitation of the arena.
We have other projects, but let's reveal them gradually.

– Although they are often considered urban legends, what can the Ministry of Culture do to prevent the damage caused by treasure hunters?
These are not urban legends, they are unfortunately potential evildoers and traffickers who come around like hyenas digging in ancient tombs, in some necropolises in the hope that they can find "treasures".
It must be said that the number of these episodes has been greatly reduced, the last of which was a year ago in the Orikum necropolis. It is a very large and widespread area. We are vigilant, and as I said before, we cooperate closely with the local government and the police.
On the other hand, we are building protected areas around necropolises, along with archaeological research missions, as a legal tool that forces local authorities to intervene and prevent.

– Will the possibility of restoring the house of Abat Preng Doçi be considered?
The public knew little or nothing about Abbot Preng Doçi and his work until September 2014, when the Ministry of Culture, as part of the activities for the Pope's visit, organized a conference, exhibition and promotion of the life and work of this Albanian prince. We have just published the proceedings of the conference that took place in Rubik.
Immediately after this, we declared his tower a cultural monument, which until that day no one had thought of considering. An addition had been built behind the tower, by some of the owners, without the permission of the municipality and before the declaration of a cultural monument. What worried us was the advancement of this addition in the last days of the elections. The regional directorate intervened immediately, cooperated with the Inspectorate and the Police, and thanks to this cooperation, not only was the addition stopped, but it was also demolished.
It is primarily the obligation of the lawbreakers to restore it to its previous state, and for this reason we will continue to pursue it, as well as prepare the consolidation project in the future, also seeking the contribution of the heirs of the Doçi family.

– It is a structure with which you have often clashed, the Heritage Forum. Have you seen the possibility of cooperating with it as a civil society structure that was in the same position before 2013?
To my knowledge, I have not clashed with the Forum. I do not believe that there has been any case where I have spoken out against the Forum! And I do not see why I should clash since I am convinced of the correctness and legality of the processes undertaken by the Ministry of Culture, which these two years have proven more than once.
Every time that representatives of the Forum, when it still had a management structure, have requested a meeting, we have sat down and talked about common concerns. I myself have been in constant contact with Mr. Bojaxhiu and have always had complete understanding with him. When they have had an interest in being present at the meetings of the KKA or KKR, they have been welcomed as all citizens of the Republic are welcomed. One of the major changes in the reform that we have carried out in the legacy is transparency in decision-making.

Since 2014, meetings have been public, all decisions are published online within a week, the media have full access, and it has not been rare for both the agenda and the decision to be published in the newspaper or on social networks before they become public. Until 2013, no KKR or KKA decision was published in public. Likewise, since 2014, no circular decision has been taken by us, which means that every project becomes the subject of a detailed and professional collegial debate. While in the first two weeks of September 2013 alone, the KKR had taken 9 circular decisions! The facts speak for themselves.

– Is the Ministry of Culture satisfied with the results of the projects it has supported (private projects)?
The Ministry of Culture is first and foremost very pleased with the call process for independent artistic projects, which is being applied for the first time in the art-culture system. This puts an end to factions, corruption and monopolies in the allocation of public funds intended for this field.
From around 20-30 projects per year, today around 100 independent artistic projects are supported per year.
On the other hand, the transparent mechanism of public calls for projects, according to European standards, has brought about efficient budget management and planning, created competition between projects, gender balance, and seasonal and geographical distribution.
The results are very positive in this regard, an annual artistic calendar has already been built, organized and promoted by the Ministry of Culture, greatly enlivening cultural life in the country according to the seasons and especially in line with the tourist season.
This mechanism has also served as an educational tool for independent entities in building their capacities to design projects. This becomes even more necessary when Albania has become a member of Creative Europe where it competes only on the quality of the project.
And finally, in this calendar there are many activities or festivals that are undoubtedly important cultural events in the country and the region.

– Did "Tirana Open" have the impact expected by the ministry? What about the Gjirokastra Festival?
It is important to understand that the impact of the activity is in relation to the public, to the community of artists. As one of the supporters of that activity, the Ministry of Culture noted with pleasure that in the second edition of "Tirana Open", by expanding to several buildings at once, it opened the activity to other genres besides books and visual arts, with a very interesting architecture laboratory, with very high-quality master classes, such as the activity of Adrian Paci, with the promotion of new books, such as the latest novel by Ardian Vehbiu, with the operetta Kater i Radës that can be safely considered a special cultural event in the city, the TIF film session, etc.
While the 2015 Gjirokastra Festival is undoubtedly a great achievement of the Ministry of Culture, but especially of original Albanian folklore.
With around 2000 participants who took to the stage, with geographical and diaspora coverage from the USA to Switzerland, with more than 500 young people from the age of 5, with costumes and instruments revived like rarely before, with the extraordinary intensity of the 24/7 calendar, with the participation of many special guests who not only witnessed the translation of folklore into other contemporary musical genres, but also attracted an active, young and loyal audience. With the numerous stages from the Castle to the squares and corners of the stone city, this edition called ArgjiroFest_ON turned the entire stone city into a large, lively stage, thus reviving the folklore castle as the main monument of intangible cultural heritage.

– The National Gallery of Arts needs a new museum line, while as you know, for two years a collection seized on account of a prosecutor's investigation has occupied its space. Will the Ministry of Culture finance the new line, and how much can you do to relocate the icons?
It is true that the GKA still houses the seized collection of icons and we have intervened several times with the justice authorities to review their location, but this is part of a judicial process that operates at a different pace and with different priorities. Despite all our requests, we remain awaiting a decision as soon as possible to free the Gallery.
For the new museum line, the Art Gallery will present a detailed project from a financial and calendar point of view to realize it, a necessary condition for planning next year.
Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that for 2015, the Art Gallery had the highest project fund in the last 5 years, or four times the fund intended for 2014, and likewise in 2015, the Gallery also had a special investment fund available that the directorate could use according to its priorities.

– The National History Museum, besides the need for facade restoration, will there be a redesign of the pavilions?
Despite the rehabilitation we did to the building by finally insulating the terrace, rebuilding the Atrium, renovating the elevator and services, and electronic ticketing, the redesign of the pavilions is urgent, we have been thinking about it for some time because in its current state, the museum is incoherent, fragmented, without a professional concept of museumization, so much so that in some parts of it it seems as if time has stopped in the 80s and has not moved on.
We have been thinking about it for some time, and for this reason we are preparing a competition for a new museum concept and a refunctionalization of the building, whose spaces have been poorly utilized.

– The Opera House will be 'closed' in November for reconstruction. Does the ministry have an image or idea for its new appearance, what do you want this theater to be like after the intervention?
The Opera House will close when the implementation project, which is already in the tendering phase, is completed, and when the implementation procedure is ready, which means sometime in early 2016.
We cannot know exactly what that appearance will be like as the project implementation has not yet been completed, but we know for sure that the investment aims to completely renovate the performance hall with all its elements, stage, backstage, auditorium, as well as rehearsal and service areas, in the appropriate and dignified parameters for the quality of performances that the TOB troupe claims.

– The National Theater will be moving to a new building. How long is this going to take and how would you respond to the artists' concerns: What is the future fate of the current building?
The new project of the new stage center is nearing completion, approximately estimating the time required for the tender procedures for the works, and with all the relevant reservations, we believe that at the beginning of 2017, the new stage will be ready to welcome the National Theater troupe.
The current building, according to all reports and technical expertise, is extremely dilapidated and difficult to recover. We plan to organize a competition next year for a new theater project, on the same site, and it will be decided there whether something from the existing building will be preserved or a completely new one will be built on the same site.

– Art, culture, heritage, how difficult has it been in these two years? Have you had any pressures and have you exerted any pressure?
The first year was more complicated, because all areas were equally problematic; the heritage system and the institutional scene were left to inertia and a complete lack of a strategy and priorities, as we also found a high debt bill. This is why the first year was characterized by deep structural and administrative reforms, and the second year was a year of consolidating the system we established and opening many construction sites that have begun to yield the results I mentioned above. The only pressure I have had has been that of the sense of responsibility before the public and the great and legitimate expectations of the community for radical change. The pressure I exert is daily on myself, on my collaborators, not to slow down and not to lose priorities.

– What are your goals, at the head of this ministry? What are the things you definitely want to do, as minister?
Let's build a sustainable management and administration system in public art institutions, so that it does not change with the change of governments and ministers, so that it guarantees competition and meritocracy, and for this we are on the right track.
To develop a strong policy of education through culture for the entire population because we find this necessary for social stability and sustainable development. This is one of the priorities of the government that we have implemented since the first days.
To foster the independent art scene as a way of decentralizing culture and fostering free creativity, opening the borders of culture beyond administrative boundaries.
To strengthen the heritage management system in a professional manner, preserving, promoting, and also turning it into a source of economic income.

(mk/GazetaAlqqiptare/BalkanWeb)