Belinda Balluku, Deputy Prime Minister, and Ervin Hoxha, Minister of the Interior, met in Fier with prefects from 12 regions of the country for a roundtable discussion. The discussion focused on the tourist season, emergency management, public order and security, and territorial control.

In her remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Balluku stressed the importance of prefects in coordinating government organizations and agencies in their respective districts. Minister Balluku urged them to be more involved in order to promote better management of all situations, especially those involving emergencies.

“We need a clearly defined action plan and a review of existing civil emergency procedures. Climate change is leaving no one untouched. All units and prefectures need to review their action plans. Civil emergencies require the highest level of commitment and coordination. I understand that the Ministry of Defense has also initiated a series of meetings to discuss the 2025 budget. In addition to identifying and inventorying all requirements, apart from the machinery or additional forces that will be needed, there will be a need for a well-organized plan to solve any challenges that may arise from autumn rains or frost in winter,” emphasized Balluku.

With winter approaching, Balluku emphasized the importance of even better collaboration to address any crisis that may arise from inclement weather.

“We will stay in touch because we are now entering a phase that can be called ‘late fall’ because we are on the verge of winter, although this fall has been extended due to changing meteorological conditions. I expect that in the next few weeks, based on information from civil aviation meteorologists, we will begin to experience rains, so all structures will need to be activated,” Balluku said.

In the event of a civil emergency, Minister of the Interior Ervin Hoxha called for immediate action in all areas.

“The Civil Protection Commission in the region has been reorganized, civil emergency plans have been updated to reflect the changes, contacts and communication networks have been updated, early warning systems have been made operational, public awareness has been raised to prepare for the challenges of the winter season, and all regional directorates, municipalities in the region, and private entities have cooperated to fulfill tasks in accordance with the instructions of the National Civil Protection Agency,” Hoxha stressed.
The prefects reported on the situation and difficulties in their respective areas.

VIDEO – Speech of the Minister of the Interior, Ervin Hoxha:

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

Dear Prefects,

This is my first meeting with all of you as a minister, although I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with some of you before. I also appreciate that Deputy Prime Minister Balluku has taken the time to come to this meeting.

As your efforts and results are respected, I have special admiration and respect for your work.

As the Deputy Prime Minister said, Mr. Arben Çuko, who has experience in the legislature and has held important positions in the state government, is taking advantage of this meeting. Well done, Mr. Çuko!

It takes an intelligent mind, moral strength, and civic awareness to take responsibility and provide workable answers.

I am pleased to see that you have fulfilled your duties as a representative of the regional government this year. Efforts during the tourist season, civil emergencies, and the fight against drug cultivation are important issues.
But just as human existence is an irreversible journey, so are the difficulties that come with it, regardless of the achievements and efforts made in the service of citizens and the protection of the law.

First of all, it’s important to briefly discuss the problems that arose during the summer because we are in an area that is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country (because of its coastline and archaeological monuments). I emphasize “summer” because, according to my data, the flow of tourists has continued throughout this beautiful autumn season, which fortunately has been accompanied by wonderful weather in many aspects, not only for tourism.

Due to the size of our country, we enjoy a very pleasant Mediterranean climate, which, together with the varied landscape, allows for year-round travel. Of course, our economy is most affected and profitable during the summer, which requires more consideration and in-depth research.

Coastal safety is one of the recurring issues. Unfortunately, even during this season, there have been fatal incidents related to the use of boats. This problem must be solved.
Municipalities also need to take action on beach monitoring stations and make sure the right people are hired for the job. For the upcoming season, this issue needs to be resolved once and for all.

Secondly, there have been abusive beach stations or operators who have not followed the guidelines but have continued to operate. As you know, there will be new requirements for beach service businesses seeking a license for the upcoming season. The ruling simplifies the concept of sandy beach areas by stating that only hotels and licensed operators will be allowed to use coastal areas for business purposes. In addition, citizens will have more open space. Tourists will benefit from these measures, as they have often complained about mistreatment of services.

Thirdly, the creation of the most advantageous conditions for access to tourist destinations is a problem that needs to be solved. This includes building or rehabilitating roads to acceptable standards, providing appropriate and directional signage, and developing the infrastructure necessary to ensure that these locations are also accessible for business purposes.

Emergency response, particularly to wildfires, was another issue observed during the summer. Not surprisingly, these issues are closely tied to the weather, whether it is sudden downpours that can cause flooding or intense heat waves. To remind you of the potential damage that heavy rain can cause, let’s recall the problems that occurred in Vlora a few weeks ago.

As mentioned before, the weather has been excellent for agriculture, tourism, and even the coastal environment. However, the second spring of this season cannot last forever. The prefects must be at the forefront to take immediate action because the expected fall rains are coming. This is especially true in places with mountains or where winter snowfall is problematic.

So, we need to take immediate action:

– Restructure the local disaster management commission to improve coordination and cooperation among agencies;
– Revise civil protection plans to reflect recent developments, including structural adaptations and increased hazards;
– Keeping communications networks and contacts up to date for effective early warning;

Educating the public on how to prepare for winter challenges;

Cooperating with all regional directorates, local governments, and private organizations to carry out tasks in accordance with the National Civil Protection Agency’s directives.
Fourth, in the area of public security, especially in the fight against the cultivation of narcotic plants or the complete and effective territorial control, the State Police, with the support of the representatives of the local governments and the Prefect through task forces, have done an admirable job with observable results that show how hard each of us has worked. Because of the long-term effects that drug production has on society, more attention has been paid to it. Schools have also been a focus of our efforts to improve public safety, especially with the School Safety Package.

Finally, the electoral process that will take place next spring will be planned and supervised by the Ministry of the Interior, which is also the responsibility of the Prefect. I hereby ask for your full cooperation in order to comply with all legal requirements! Thank you very much!