The Association of Local Elected Officials has sent a letter to the Council of Europe and the Congress of Local Authorities, denouncing the violation of constitutional procedures and the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the process of changing the boundaries of local government units.
In the letter, the association raises concerns that the territorial reorganization process is being carried out unilaterally, without respecting consultation with citizens and without taking into account the positions of local councilors.
According to her, 15 municipalities are at risk of merging or changing borders, while residents and local elected representatives have been sidelined in a process that directly affects the organization of local government and the interests of communities.
The association urges the Council of Europe and the Congress of Local Authorities to react and intervene before the changes are approved in the Assembly, arguing that after parliamentary approval it will be more difficult to prevent the damage that could be caused to communities.
In the letter addressed to European institutions, the association also presents evidence that, according to it, proves the neglect of citizens and local councilors in the 15 municipalities affected by the reorganization.
The association warns that the issue is not only related to the interests of the residents of these municipalities, but also to respecting European standards and principles of local democracy.
Changing the boundaries of local units, she argues, cannot be done without real consultation with the affected communities and without respecting Albania's constitutional framework and international commitments.
In this context, the call to the institutions of the Council of Europe comes as a request for intervention before the final decision-making in the Assembly, in order to prevent the process from becoming a fait accompli.
According to the association, approving such a reorganization without proper consultation would harm not only the interests of local communities, but also Albania's credibility in implementing European principles of local self-government.
