BY: ILDA HOXHA
Rehabilitation of building facades in the city of Peshkopi, articulated by the awarding candidate for Mayor, Mr. Rahim Spahiu, on May 14, proves to be a fulfilled promise. Faktoje’s verification in one of the municipalities with the coldest winter showed that residents are saving energy and money for heating with firewood. The cladding of the building facades has provided apartments with a higher protection from the cold. The investment of 151 million ALL has been completed in several neighborhoods, and work is currently underway on ‘Gjok Doçi’ street of the city.
The completion of building facades in the city of Peshkopi was one of the promises made by the candidate for Mayr of Dibër Municipality, Rahim Spahiu, before the local elections on May 14th.
The city facades are being done, and the value of properties is increasing,” stated the Mayor of Dibra, Rahim Spahiu, in an media interview on April 19 of this year.
During the past year, one of the priorities of the Dibra Municipality was rehabilitation of the facades of Peshkopi.
Regarding this commitment of Mr. Spahiu, Faktoje initially approached Dibra Municipality with a request for information. Among others, we asked this institution about the stage of the project for the rehabilitation of the ‘City Facades’.
In the official response dated September 18, 2023, Dibra Municipality officially explains to Faktoje that the work for the requalification of facades has been completed, and the investment amount is 151,861,200 ALL, including VAT.
The requalification of facades along the main “Former NBSH” road to “Former-SMT”, City of Peshkopi, Municipality of Dibër, has a value of 126,551,000 ALL, without VAT and 151,861,200 ALL, including VAT,” announces Dibra Municipality.
Faktoje traveled to Dibër on December 4 to witness up close the process of rehabilitation of facades. The temperatures during this period register several degrees under 0 in the evening and early morning hours. From the on-site verification, we observed that the work had been completed on ‘Nazmi Rushiti’ street, in what is known as the Court Street, and in Dobrova neighborhood.
The residents of these areas told Faktoje that cladding the buildings has saved electricity and money for buying firewood, as the apartments are warmer.
Dibër, buildings after rehabilitation of the cladding of facades.
With this change that has been made, we are saving energy, both first and secondly, on heating; we no longer spend as much firewood as we used to. Here in Dibër, every year, there was no family that did not take 5 or 6 cubic meters of firewood for the winter. Now, we spend less than half because this insulation is very good,” said a resident to Faktoje.
Dobrova residents hope for this investment to be also done for apartment buildings.
They have changed the cityscape with this investment and people have also benefited. With this thermal insulation, the cold is no longer felt as before, and neither are the noises. It would be good if they did it for private houses as well because I have children in private houses living here, but they haven’t said anything about an investment for them,” expresses a resident of Dobrova neighborhood.
Meanwhile, on ‘Gjok Doçi’ street in Peshkopi, the work on the rehabilitation of building facades had not yet been completed. Scaffolds were seen established near the buildings in this neighborhood as the work continued for buildings adjustment.
Dibër, building undergoing the process of cladding facades.
Based on the on-site verification and on the gathered information, we categorize the promise for the rehabilitation of the ‘City Facades‘ as fulfilled.
*Faktoje, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), is monitoring 10 municipalities in the country and verifying whether promises given by Mayors have been fulfilled or not.
