Democratic Party MP Igli Cara has stated from Durrës that he was not allowed to be present at Edi Rama's meeting with the citizens of Durrës to discuss the TID project.

Cara stated that this project is being implemented abusively and violates public properties and those with cultural heritage.

He denounced the government and Prime Minister Edi Rama, accusing them of favoring a private organization under the guise of development, which will take over the management of the area without competition and in violation of the law.

Cara emphasized that residents are being compensated with much less than the real value of the properties and called for immediate intervention, transparency, and respect for the law and property rights.

Statement by DP MP Igli Cara

In fact, we were informed that today Mr. Rama would be present at a meeting with residents affected by the TID project. As you know, we have followed this project step by step and have denounced with facts and evidence the abuse that is being done with the properties of the people of Durrës, as well as the corrupt nature of the project, which affects the interests of Albania, not only economically, but also in terms of cultural heritage.

So, if I may, I will briefly explain what it is about. The TID project has been trying to be implemented for several years. It started as an agreement between the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Durrës and AADF, a non-profit organization. At first glance it seems like a positive project for the development and revitalization of the area, but step by step it is seen that the government has a history of abuses in the name of development, stealing the assets of Albanians and economically benefiting Rama's friends.

The AADF says it will finance part of the project, while the bulk of the funding comes from the Ministry of Culture, which will also compensate the properties of the residents who will be affected. The Municipality of Durrës will make investments in infrastructure, energy and others, but the properties of the Albanians remain of great value. The agreement stipulates that after the project is completed, it will be managed by the BID organization.

The question is how a national asset, the property of the citizens of Durrës and cultural heritage can be given for management by another organization. If it is a donation, the benefit should go to the citizens and be managed by the Municipality of Durrës, not by another organization. The Municipality and the Ministry of Culture say that the project will be under BID from the beginning, but this contradicts the law and previously signed agreements, which require the owner's approval for any intervention in cultural heritage properties (Law no. 169/2020). These procedures have not been respected, therefore the entire process is illegal.

This is not just about the residents, but about all of Albania and national assets. The government has made a habit of stealing national assets and giving them to its friends. A property given to the BID does not reflect the interest of the citizens, as the benefits go to the foreign organization, not to the residents or the Municipality of Durrës, which also contributes to compensation and investment.

This is illegal and contradicts the property rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Any alienation of property for public interest must be done according to the law, but in this case all stages have been violated. Mr. Rama is here today due to the insistence of residents and the media, which have made public the protests and denunciations. However, the government tries to lure citizens with dubious offers, such as social apartments, while not respecting the legitimate properties of the residents. Moreover, the value of the compensation per square meter is significantly lower than that set by the government, which shows the abusive nature of the project.