Ms. Mayor, for two years now, in your municipality, as well as in 60 other municipalities of Albania, within the framework of the European Union-funded Municipalities for Europe project, the EU Corner was first set up and further integrated in the structure of the institution’s Integration Unit. Can you tell us more about its applicability?
First of all let me thank the European Delegation that through the "Municipalities for Europe" Project has enabled the establishment of European Union Corners in the country's municipalities, thus enabling the provision and exchange of information on European Union policies and the integration process of Albania in the European family. The role of the EU Corners (and today the structures of integration) in our cities is beginning to be felt more and more, thanks to the dedication of the EU coordinators as part of our staff and the support of the project team.
In cooperation with the ‘Municipalities for Europe’ project team, we have built a structure that has become one of the most visited for our community. We are aware that Albania's integration process will require time and effort, and above all it is a process that will only be successful if it happens not only at the center, but throughout all of our communities. And this is exactly what we have in mind when giving the necessary weight to this Unit in our municipality. It is the gateway where our citizens receive information about EU policies, calls for projects, success examples of projects implemented in other units, etc. But above all, we have put the youth in the spotlight. We are focused on them, as we are aware that their strength and will are indispensable engines in our quest for EU integration. It is above all their desire to have a future just like their peers in the EU, the force that drives us to make our tasks as good as possible. I am proud to say that we are also the Municipality that first launched the initiative to open Youth Information Centers in the two high schools of Roskoveci.
How has the cooperation between the parties been in this important process?
Getting the recommendations for the opening of negotiations puts forward major tasks and challenges, that require not only the engagement of local government but at the same time increased co-operation and interaction between local and central level structures and European Union structures direct collaboration with the local government. A practice already started. During this period we have felt the cooperation of the EU delegation staff, who have, so to speak, "come down to the ground", being closer to us as an institution and as a community, to better understand the reality.
I remember one of our meetings at our municipality with a representative of the EU Delegation, in the framework of the "Youth Knowledge for the EU" activity held on the 19th of April, 2019, who told me the message given by the former ambassador of the European Union in Albania: "Get down on the ground, because Albania is not just Tirana". And this is true. Albania is not Tirana and the involvement of all the municipalities of Albania in this process is very important for the fate of the country. It is pointless to talk about integration if we focus only on the center and the metropolis and forget that true integration only happens when local communities become part of it. Because if we view integration as the process that will significantly improve the future of our people, then we must remember that integration begins where they live and work.
And how is the fulfillment of your duties and meeting the standards going?
Integration is not about words. Integration requires action. Integration requires meeting of the standards. And standards at the local level cannot be achieved unless certain prerequisites are met: First, human capacity building, which will work to meet those standards. Increasing their skills, but also motivating the local administration. Finding the right motivational and financial mechanisms to enable capable people to work in local administration so that outstanding students can return and contribute to their small towns; Second, the development of local infrastructure. Standards cannot be achieved if local infrastructure is not developed, if the citizens, wherever they are, are not provided with the same services, the same facilities for movement, communication and access to services; Third, and most importantly, the necessary fiscal space. Although steps have been taken in this direction, Albania lags far behind other Balkan and Southeast European countries in terms of fiscal decentralization, indicators and financial resources for local government.
While the figures point to a need to deepen the government's push for deeper fiscal decentralization reforms, I think the time has come for the European Union to consider aid mechanisms too, so that local government in Albania to be directly supported by the assistance that should be provided directly to local government units. This should be not only in the form of technical assistance, which is already being provided through STAR2 or Municipalities for Europe projects, but also through financial assistance that goes directly to the support of local government units, of course conditioned by progress in meeting of standards. The recently published call by the European Delegation to support municipalities in implementing grant funding projects is a positive step towards this direct aid approach. I wish more funding of this nature would be provided to municipalities.