Albania Fights Losing Battle Against Illegal Construction on Coast

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama months is getting tough with illegal builds. Earlier this year he announced an operation codenamed "Our Coastline", aiming to remove all such illegal constructions damaging the coastline, and punish those responsible.

This is not the first time that PM Rama, or his predecessors, declared war on the "wildcat" construction that is a widespread phenomenon across the country.

But the success of this latest campaign is doubtful at best.

Data obtained by BIRN through Freedom of Information requests, FoI, show that the in the southern Vlora region during the last three years, several hundred illegal construction were demolished and the number of prosecutions for breaking the law increased.

However, prison sentences are almost invariable commuted and fines are rarely paid. Moreover, illegal constructions are not the only problem in the field. Others relate to property registration and lack of urban planning for these areas.

The Balaj family, who have lived in Jal village since 1989, told BIRN that IKMT's demolition was illegal and the destruction of their property had left them ruined.

"They killed our future and our means of living," Artan Balaj, a member of the family, told BIRN. "In one day, we all ended up down and out," he added.

A major problem for over 30 years

Photo: Demolitions in Jali village. Photo: Jerola Ziaj

Unauthorised construction has been one of the most acute issues facing Albania for the last three decades, ever since internal passport requirements were lifted in 1991, when the the Communist regime that imposed them collapsed.

Almost one-third of the population moved, usually from rural mountainous areas to the western lowlands, settling in...

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