The dialogue with the leaders of the local government of Gjirokastra is an indicator of cooperation for transparent governance

At the end of the round of open meetings with citizens and representatives of civil society, business and local government representatives and leaders, ALTAX experts had an effective communication in Gjirokastër.

In addition to the evaluations, we received for our work reflected in findings and approaches that aim to influence and help for issues of nature and that require expertise, the deliberative dialogue was the best product after all these meetings that are now in their second year in the 5 municipalities of the country.

A necessary and indispensable emphasis for Gjirokastra is the form of preventing the escape of citizens, even temporarily according to findings, to find what everyone is looking for outside of Gjirokastra and provide it in the future precisely by strengthening its economy, based on many different resources that are used little or no coordinated with market demands and regional and border competition.

As difficult as the current economic crisis is, it is important not to lose focus on the importance of education and begin addressing some of the problems that have long plagued the nation’s cultural and educational system. The reforms carried out in the past years should be rigorously evaluated by the public inside and outside the country.

Some results have started to appear, but the educational system still suffers from the lack of consolidation of the education chain and its quality. Success cannot depend only on continued reforms but on full implementation. This is true and essential for educational reforms.

In the treatment that ALTAX experts presented according to the Report, it results that the most recent data suggest that public investments have not brought high returns of benefits to the economy, since the size of the initial stock of public capital is lower and the basic quality, quantity and interconnection of infrastructure are still insufficient to be considered effective according to the planned expectation. The impact of inflation on infrastructure is one more reason for the smart and comprehensive Anti-Inflation Plan.

Anti-crisis measures and efforts to recover the economy have not succeeded in creating a climate of confidence in consumption stronger than two years ago. But even the level of incoming investments in the economy has not changed in terms of growth, as the causes that created this situation have not been cured and addressed for solutions.

Based on this situation, we recommended and will continue to communicate with the central institutions of government and policy-making that the redistribution of social funds should begin to receive increased funds from the budget in relation to capital investments, even though it seems like a paradox in the conditions of infrastructure emergency in the country.

A rather large discussion and lobbying by the government should be the promotion of the second and third columns of pension funds, which are in the public interest to be strengthened today to minimize the insolvency crisis of the current scheme tomorrow.

Redistributive policies that can further help correct inequalities, for example, through progressive income tax and social assistance to help people cope with life events should be complemented with all the necessary instruments.

From citizens directly, but also based on the survey that ALTAX carried out, there is a need that, in addition to being heard, the most important thing is to coordinate citizen demands with government offers, since the most urgent need is the formulation of new policies in function of current concerns and not reactions according to a routine pattern.

The project leaders, after thanking the Embassy of the Netherlands for the trust and help in carrying out all this busy work and activities, but with tangible products after continuous communications, expect that the effect of the common goal for the sustainable development of Gjirokastra will be achieved. in those directions that make it feasible.