TIRANA, Nov 10 /ATA/ – The government will increase funding for cultural heritage by 80% under its 2027 state budget, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Tuesday, announcing plans for restoration, conservation and the development of new museum spaces and archaeological sites.
Speaking in a video message marking the 20th annual conference of the UNESCO Network of Experts on Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe, hosted in Tirana, Gonxhja said the event highlighted Albania’s cooperation with international partners in protecting and promoting cultural heritage.
The conference brings together international experts and Albanian institutions to exchange expertise, share best practices and strengthen regional cooperation, he said.
“UNESCO and international experts are here, engaging directly with our institutions and demonstrating the importance of joint efforts to protect cultural heritage,” Gonxhja said, rejecting claims that Albania’s heritage was being neglected or destroyed.
He said the increased 2027 funding would support projects to restore and safeguard cultural assets, promote traditional crafts and knowledge, develop new museum facilities and invest in archaeological sites.
The plans also include strengthening restoration capacity through additional staff, introducing legal reforms and encouraging greater community involvement in cultural tourism, he added.
Addressing criticism over the use of funds allocated to the ancient site of Bylis, Gonxhja said the EU- and Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)-supported project was under way and work at the site was progressing.
At Butrint, meanwhile, international heritage experts from UNESCO were continuing to assess the condition of monuments and conservation work, alongside plans for further projects, he said.
Gonxhja said international experts were working alongside Albanian specialists both in Tirana and at heritage sites, stressing that criticism was welcome but should be based on facts.
“Cultural heritage cannot be protected through alarmist headlines, but through investment, expertise and concrete work,” he said.
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