Two deadly earthquakes and then, the coronavirus pandemic. Tirana has been strongly affected by the first ones and, as if it was not enough, is carrying the heaviest burden on the ongoing pandemic which, of course, becomes far more dangerous among populous communities such as the Albanian capital and its suburbs.

We had a conversation with Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj on the accumulated challenges that these events are posing to the local government, as well as on several current projects.

While Mr. Veliaj is aware that a big and expanding city such as Tirana will always need building projects, he is determined to combine them to the principles of a green urban area, favoring a healthier way of living for the common citizen.

“This pandemic, too, is pushing us towards rethinking life in community. I intend taking this opportunity to work towards building the infrastructure for a better and healthier life for the people of this great city,” says Erion Veliaj. 

-Mr. Mayor, thank you for taking the time to have this conversation with Albanian Daily News. Let’s start by acknowledging that Albania and Tirana in particular, are experiencing a very tough couple of years: Two strong earthquakes were followed by the coronavirus pandemic. How is the Tirana municipality coping with this almost uninterrupted challenge? How has this ongoing pressure affected the municipality finances?
 

-Thank you Alqi. It is my pleasure to have this conversation with you and your distinguished readers. I believe that, just like in a decent family, you do not pick problems to solve over other problems. You work hard to deal with each of them. It is true, there have been a tough couple of years. What is also true, is that I could not be prouder of my team. Together with the people of Tirana we have made sure to be as careful as we possibly can under the pandemic, while not forgetting to take care of those who lost their houses to the earthquakes. Within a year from the September 21st, 2019 quake, the first one that hit Albania, we had already rebuilt all the individual houses. We are working on finishing more than 850 individual houses for people that lost them to the November 26th earthquake, by the end of the year. In the meanwhile, there will be two new modern neighborhoods in Tirana. The biggest of them, Stefano Boeri's Tirana Riverside, is already a working-site. Some 11.000 people, whose apartments were irreparably damaged, will live there. The second big project is Marco Casamonti's KombinArt. We chose the name because of particular attention to arts, museums and the creative industries in this new home for thousands of people who will see this challenge turn into an opportunity for a better life. 

-Could you detail some of the municipality initiatives as far as the measures to ease the pandemic consequences are concerned?
 

-This global invisible enemy was taken very seriously early on, not only in Tirana, but in the entire country. This is why we kept pace with local and WHO’s guidelines, working hard to ensure safe environments in public buildings and streets. In terms of financial consequences, we decided to cancel taxes regarding social housing and public space use. We also delayed any payments towards us of loans or time penalties. We will continue with these measures as the city is still grappling with the pandemic. We will do so while not canceling any public projects. We will try to amortize only by delaying what we believe are works that definitively have to be done, but can wait as a sacrifice for the city’s greater good.  

-Mr. Mayor, you have visited - and received – several European counterparts. And of course, on a light note: You have delivered so many keys to the city! Could you tell us how have these increased contacts been translated into concrete collaboration and joint projects to the benefit of Tirana?
 

-I believe that politics and diplomacy are carried better through good personal relations between leaders - we often call it 'city diplomacy'. This is why I am always honored to show respect to Tirana’s and Albania’s friends, allies and partners. When Prime Minister Edi Rama needed to put together the Donors Conference after the earthquakes, which turned out to be a great success that showed our allies' stunning generosity, he worked on a diplomatic, but also, as he has said, on a personal level. Leaders are people. This is why I honor people. Tirana is welcoming at heart. Moreover, many of these events and good relationships have turned into great projects for the City. We were awarded European Youth Capital for 2022 and have had many joint projects financed in partnership with several European municipalities.

-Mr. Veliaj, it’s somewhat unfair to mention the Tirana municipality as if we are speaking just about the city and urban areas. What could you tell us about projects and accomplishments regarding the wider rural area and its population?
 

-I agree. It would be not only unfair, but also wrong. I believe that Edi Rama did an incredibly good job at transforming Tirana in the first decade of 2000. Though, before the administrative reform, Tirana was limited within the dense city perimeter. Now, many rural areas, which used to be independent, are neighborhoods of Tirana. This is why I look at these areas the same I look at Skanderbeg Square. We are investing in these rural, beautiful parts of our city, in ways that would have required them dozens of years of taxes under the previous system. You will also see that the quality of works we do in Zall Bastar, St. George, Krrabe, Peze and Dajt is the same as that of works done downtown. The City Hall is playing an equalizer role, but using funds from the inner wealth, to finance projects in the periphery. We've already seen great results in boosting agritourism, farmer markets and visitors to those areas.

-I have a question about the heavy traffic caused by the intensification of works at the Tirana New Ring axis and other points of the big ring, although this is a central government project. Could these interventions have taken place in a more disciplined fashion?
 

-This would have taken place in a more disciplined fashion, had we not been sabotaged by old politics to do so. But I don't want to look back at the tire-burnings and right-wing militant road-blocks. Let bygones be bygones. The works regarding the 5th Ring Road of the city would have started three years ago. We would have finished by now. The city will still have what it deserved to have three years earlier. We are working extra hard and are pushing to finish before the deadlines. 

-Even your adversaries agree on the nice work you have done with the Artificial Lake Park, the Orbital Forest project and (to some extent, because of parking complaints) with the priority you have given to bicycles. But accusations are abundant regarding the construction permits. Could you elaborate on your already voiced concept of combining urban growth to a greener capital?
 

-I understand the need for our adversaries to do politics. What it is not said by them is that half of construction permits are for public works. Yes, we are, like in any other democracy, obligated to give ourselves permission to work, anywhere around the city. Moreover, in my first term, we put in place a general urban plan that makes Tirana a city that knows how, where, and what to build. Before that, there were only scattered interests. Now, you will not be able to build in the city center, unless you are able to give to the area a five-star hotel, which adds value and needed services. Of course, as you said, my favorite field of investments is green areas. My favorite projects are bike lanes. This pandemic, too, is pushing us towards rethinking life in community. I intend taking this opportunity to work towards building the infrastructure for a better and healthier life for the people of this great city. Many cities in Europe are doing the same - everyone is pushing for the 15-minute city - in which basic services are within walking reach of one's residence. This is already true for most of the city, but the best is yet to come. I'm very optimistic.