Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja called for stronger municipalities and improved local governance, stressing that effective local administration is essential for tourism development.
In a television interview, Gonxhja said tourism depends heavily on how well municipalities manage public services and local infrastructure.
“Tourism is directly affected by the performance of municipalities. Strong municipalities support tourism, while weak ones create challenges,” he said.
Gonxhja noted that some municipalities still struggle to provide basic services, including waste collection.
“Some municipalities are unable to cope. We work every day with local authorities, contractors and additional service agreements to ensure waste collection continues during the tourism season,” he said.
Speaking about Albania’s planned territorial reform, Gonxhja said the country should strengthen municipalities while clearly defining which services should be managed jointly and which should remain under local authority.
“We should manage together the services that deliver better results through cooperation. At the same time, municipalities should retain responsibilities that add value to their local communities,” he said.
The minister also said Albania’s path toward European Union membership requires more than aligning legislation. It also demands a culture of respecting common rules and standards.
According to Gonxhja, EU membership will create new opportunities through access to the European market, funding programmes and broader development opportunities.
“Joining the European Union is not only the success of one government or one period. It marks the beginning of a completely new era of opportunities for Albania,” he said.
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