Funds allocated to Albania enables implementation of about 380 projects




Balkan Business News Correspondent - 17.03.2011
Funds allocated to Albania enable implementation of about 380 projects in country municipalities and communes like secondary roads, village lanes, schools, canalization and waterworks. Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha chaired the meeting of the Committee for Regional Development which finalizing the allocation of grant for the regions following long discussions with the local authority. Taking the floor in this meeting, the Albanian Prime Minister said that this grant paves the way to implementation of about 380 projects countrywide like secondary roads, village lanes, schools, canalization and waterworks. The prime minister said that these projects mark another important step toward building new infrastructure in Albania. The prime minister said that allocation of these funds is made in accordance with new and fair criteria already announced in public. “On good reasons the government has prioritized during the last years certain districts and it has been inevitable. We couldn’t help prioritizing the coastal lowlands infrastructure because it is known that without new infrastructure we could not develop the tourist potential of the country. In the allocation of these funds this current year is taken into account the average amount of investments realized in the previous years while great efforts are made so that to reduce inequality,” said the prime minister. The prime minister said he expects the local government units will appreciate this step which is quite neutral and indispensable. While congratulating all the city halls and communes which find their projects in the funds allocation, the prime minister ensured all the others not involved because of the scheme of priority applied, that they will not be neglected, but the committee is set to examine their opportunities with the greatest seriousness during the coming period. “I believe the local government units would appreciate this step, those who run as candidates and those who don’t. This is a politically neutral step as it is also indispensable. All estimations have already been made and I would like to congratulate all municipalities and communes that find their projects in this transparent distribution of the funds and ensure those that couldn’t get involved, only because of the priority scheme, that they will not be neglected, but the committee will consider them with great seriousness over the coming period,” said the prime minister. The beginning of work on procurement procedure, a transparent process, is to the best interest of the Albanian citizens, said PM Berisha. Further on, the prime minister called on the opposition not to politicize the process: “I wish work on procurement procedures begins as soon as possible, a transparent process to the best interest of the Albanian citizens. I invite the opposition not to politicize it because it sounds absurd to me their attempt to politicize the fiscal amnesty, which is not political at all.” Source; government