Establishment of Regional Development Agencies

From January 11, 2015 the municipalities in Albania have the Agency for Regional Development as a joint platform for projects that go beyond boundaries of single municipalities.  The Agency is designed as a structure of the local governments to ensure the right approach to cooperation among municipalities and with the central government.

The Agency will have 4 local offices, in Tirana, Shkoder, Vlore and Korce and will function under the care of the municipalities, although at first to be supported by the State Budget.  They will focus on finding common areas of interests among municipalities to be used in project applications for EU funds or other opportunities.

The AAM Chairwoman, Mrs. Voltana Ademi, expressed the Association position on these new structures in the launching ceremony.  Mrs. Ademi stated that municipalities will support and contribute to the performance of these agencies, a;though some scepticism remains with such deconcentrated structures.  This scepticism is mostly related to the role and influence of the central government to the agency, as the regional cooperation should derive from the local level itself naturally and not imposed.