Democratic Party MP, Bujar Leskaj, has reacted against former President Sali Berisha's decision to boycott the works of the Territorial Reform Review Commission.
In a Facebook post, Leskaj emphasizes that the 2014 reform has failed to improve local governance and has had negative consequences for citizens and administrative units. He considers its review a “necessity” and warns that attempts to leave the Democratic Party out of the discussions are harmful.
"The review of the Administrative-Territorial Reform must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Charter of Local Autonomy, with political and social consensus, as well as with realistic planning that guarantees financial autonomy and increased quality of services for citizens," writes Leskaj.
The Democrat MP underlines that the reform has failed in four main directions: it did not increase the economic efficiency of local units, it concentrated power in the hands of mayors, it weakened the mechanisms of local democracy and it failed to promote economic and social development.
He also emphasizes that the Democratic Party has drafted concrete proposals for administrative-territorial reconfiguration and that participation in the commission is necessary to defend them.
Leskaj adds that the DP boycott gives the majority a chance to further distort this reform.
"If we, as the Democratic Party, do not complete the review of the Administrative-Territorial Reform, we give the government a second opportunity to further distort this reform, with effects completely outside the interest of citizens," Leskaj writes, among other things.
We recall that the Democrats continued the boycott today by not showing up at the Commission meeting. Thus, the opposition has given the Socialists reason to take further steps regarding this Commission, which they intend to close even without the presence of the Democrats.
