Six years after the devastating earthquake of November 26, 2019 and after repeated promises to complete the reconstruction, the process in the Kombinat area continues to be accompanied by delays, uncertainties and functional problems. The latest verification by “Faktoje” on the ground shows that, although several new buildings have been built and the process of distributing housing has begun, many residents continue to live amidst waiting, confusion and lack of basic management.
Promises after the earthquake
The Kombinat area was one of the hardest hit by the 2019 earthquake, with around 1,500 families left homeless. The Government and Municipality of Tirana presented in 2020 the project for the reconstruction of the Kombinat as a new residential area, with new buildings, associated infrastructure and public services.
In the following years, the deadlines for completing the reconstruction were postponed several times. Repeated promises from government and Tirana Municipality representatives created new expectations, but the process on the ground continued to move more slowly than public statements.
What has "Faktoje" verified over the years?
"Faktoje" has been following the reconstruction in Kombinat since 2020. Previous verifications found that buildings declared for demolition were still standing, that the construction of new buildings was delayed, and that families affected by the earthquake continued to live in rent, often with uncertain bonuses and without clear information about the lottery.
In September 2020, former Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj declared that the foundations of the buildings in Kombinat would be laid by October of that year. In the spring of 2022, he promised that “there would be no more signs of the 2019 earthquake,” a pledge that proved unfulfilled, as many damaged buildings continued to stand. Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj also promised several times during 2022-2024 that the first families would move in “within the year,” then “at the beginning of next year,” but without giving a specific deadline.
Even in 2024, "Faktoje" reported that some buildings, although they appeared completed from the outside, were not yet functional for residence.
Field verification, December 2025
On December 29, 2025, “Faktoje” returned to the field in the Kombinat area, on “Shaban Bardhoshi” Street, where four new U-shaped residential buildings have been built. One of them was still under construction, while the other three were partially populated.
In the courtyard between the palaces, a man in his fifties, who was moving uncertainly from one entrance to another, stopped us and asked:
"Where is entrance 7B? That's where I think I'll get the draw... I haven't gotten it yet, we'll wait until the second week of January"
He explained that, although residents have started moving into these buildings for less than a year, many families still do not know when and where they will settle.
According to residents, each building is expected to house around 150 families, nearly 600 families in total, but one of the buildings was not yet completed, while the other three were not fully occupied.
Reception
A resident in her eighties, who had received the keys to the apartment, complained about the lack of minimum conditions:
"They let us into the building, but the elevator doesn't work. It's very difficult for us elderly people."
According to her, all buildings are equipped with elevators, but in some cases they are not operational, due to the absence of the administrator or the latter's agreement.
The lady also added that cleaning the buildings from the inside, but also around them, is also a problem.
As she spoke, a friend, also elderly, approached her, who had not yet drawn her lot:
"I'm still out. I've been waiting for years. Some of the deportees have received 4-5 entries at once, while the rest of us are waiting. They even reduced our rent bonus last month."
She described the situation as unfair and unclear, adding that the lack of information has left residents in constant uncertainty.
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Another resident of the area indicated that other buildings are expected to be built at the Combine, but currently there is no concrete sign of the start of work:
"They told us that other buildings will be built, but there is no work here. We are just waiting for the sidewalks to be finished, the area to be cleaned and, hopefully, the road to be paved."
Meanwhile, the area around the buildings was littered with construction debris, concrete blocks, cardboard boxes and other rubbish. Residents said the rapid pace of population growth, combined with a lack of management, had created chaos in the common areas.
Ongoing works
In front of the four newly reconstructed buildings in the Kombinat area, "Faktoje" noted the presence of official information boards placed by the Municipality of Tirana. According to the data reflected in them, the investor of the projects was the Municipality of Tirana.
In one of these tables, the object was “construction of public infrastructure within the new ring road of the area”. The construction period of the object was 12 months but the start or completion date of the works was not reflected. The value of the object was 285,000,000 lek excluding VAT.
In the second table in the area, the object was “design and implementation of works for the construction of building 7 in the 'Kombinat' development area”. The construction period of the object was 17 months, but again the start or completion date of the works was not reflected. The value of the object was 541,400,000 lek excluding VAT.
The reconstruction process at the Combine, although advanced compared to previous years, continues to remain unfinished in practice.
conclusion
The latest verification by "Faktoje" shows that the reconstruction in Kombinat has entered a phase where some of the apartments have been built and the distribution process has begun, but the main problems remain unresolved. The wait for the lottery, the partial functioning of the elevators, the lack of administration and the unfinished infrastructure prove that the process is still far from complete.
Six years after the earthquake, for many residents of Kombinat, reconstruction continues to be more of a story of waiting than a closed solution./Faktoje.al/
