The urgent need for a "deregulation" reform in Albanian villages

The Albanian parliament was embroiled in a heated debate today over the government’s proposal to forgive fines imposed on individuals who built illegally in rural areas. It’s unclear why Democratic MPs protested so vehemently; all that stood out were vulgar insults from one of their members.

Ironically, the opposition’s outrage seems misdirected. Instead of opposing the forgiveness of fines, both the opposition and the government—equally responsible for the neglect and decline of Albania’s villages—should focus on collaborating to create a comprehensive deregulation reform for rural areas.

A recent example highlights the need for such reform. In a southern Albanian village, two inspectors fined T.K. a staggering 35 million lek and ordered the demolition of a structure he built on his father’s land. This happened despite T.K. having a contract with the Tepelena municipality to construct a temporary building. True, he violated the contract by constructing a sturdier structure, but his goal was simply to leave Tirana and relocate permanently to his childhood village.

The disproportionate fine, the demolition order, and the criminal charges are tantamount to a death sentence for a 70-year-old man who simply wanted to return to his village and build a modest house, an investment totaling no more than 10,000 euros.

Why was he compelled to break the law? Because obtaining a construction permit is virtually impossible. The paperwork and associated costs are so burdensome that they rival the total cost of building a small village house. Essentially, constructing a modest home in a rural area requires the same bureaucratic effort as building a high-rise in Tirana.

To make matters worse, he was also forced to lease the land that rightfully belongs to his family. Incomplete reforms regarding property ownership in villages make it nearly impossible to claim land through proper channels. Currently, village residents can only develop 300 square meters of their family’s land. This legal chaos and lack of reform have driven many to abandon their villages entirely.

The solution is clear: villages urgently need a deregulation reform.

What needs to be done?

Municipalities, in collaboration with the central government, must create comprehensive urban plans for every village. At the very least, the regulatory plans from the communist era should remain in effect until new ones are established. These plans should guide municipalities in drafting laws on standardized construction models for villages. To simplify the process, ready-made project templates should be provided to anyone seeking to build a house in a village. These templates would enable residents to quickly apply for construction permits without unnecessary bureaucracy.

This streamlined approach would address the root causes of illegal construction and give people the means to return to their villages legally and sustainably.

Villages must be treated with the same level of care and attention as cities and towns. Municipalities should handle social and infrastructure issues uniformly across urban and rural areas. In cities, for instance, those who disrupt public peace or obstruct roads face consequences, yet in villages, such issues are often ignored. This neglect is evident in so-called tourist villages, where visitors sometimes face herding dogs or stray animals because there are no rules regulating how close livestock can be to residential areas.

Encouraging a return to villages
The government must introduce a robust package of incentives to encourage people—especially senior citizens—to return to their villages. These measures could include social assistance and other financial facilitations. Greece, despite having far more resources than Albania, has successfully repopulated its northern villages by offering financial stimuli to retirees willing to return. In contrast, Albania’s approach seems punitive, as returning villagers are met with inspectors eager to impose fines instead of offering support.

Financial Support for Farmers
The government must prioritize financial stimulus packages for farmers, ensuring equitable distribution. For example, a sheep farmer should receive a Business Identification Number and be compensated for each liter of milk they sell directly from their farm. This process must bypass corrupt institutions that currently favor certain farmers over others.

Subsidies should be distributed equally among all productive farmers, avoiding competitive processes that foster inequality and market discrimination. A fair and transparent system is critical to sustaining rural livelihoods and addressing the abandonment of villages.

By implementing these measures, Albania can begin to reverse the neglect of its villages and create a sustainable future for rural communities.

Addressing financial aid inequities
The same principles of fairness must apply to financial aid for farmers. The current "race" to secure funding is riddled with corruption, fostering an unequal market that benefits some while disadvantaging others. To prevent villages from turning into ghost towns, farmers must be given the tools to develop their lands, live with dignity, and access fair financial aid for their products.

Forgiving fines: A band-aid solution
While forgiving fines for illegal construction offers temporary relief, it fails to tackle the underlying issue: the absence of a comprehensive strategy for developing Albanian villages. Without substantial deregulation and reform, the cycle of illegal construction and fines will persist indefinitely.

Simplifying village laws is crucial. Residents need clear, accessible regulations to guide their return and reintegration into village life.

The disconnection of villages from public institutions
Albanian villages are currently cut off from public institutions. They are neither taxed nor supported by the government, which only intervenes to impose or forgive fines. This neglect has turned the few remaining villagers—those rare individuals who keep these communities alive—into de facto slaves of an uncaring system.

Tourism, a key potential driver for many villages, is being severely undermined by this lack of attention. The ripple effects extend beyond the villages, negatively impacting seaside tourism as well. Villages should be the agricultural backbone supplying the tourism industry, yet their neglect forces Albania to import food, redirecting the revenue generated by millions of tourists to foreign markets.

A Flawed Mindset
This state of affairs reflects the flawed mindset of Albania's political leaders, who seem to believe that milk simply appears on supermarket shelves, oblivious to its origin or the systems required to sustain local production. Whether that milk is sourced from Greece, Serbia, or Albania appears to make no difference to them—a perspective that must change if the country’s villages are to thrive.

Albania's villages need immediate attention and a comprehensive strategy to address their long-standing issues. Only by reforming the laws, providing equal access to financial aid, and prioritizing agricultural and tourism synergies can these communities become viable and sustainable again.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Reforma e 'derregullimit' për fshatin është një nevojë urgjente"