The Constitutional Court has overturned a decree of the Council of Ministers transferring the ownership of the theater from the Ministry of Culture to the Municipality of Tirana. The ruling also revokes a law giving the green light to building the new theater.
As a result, the ownership of the land where the theater was before its demolishment, will return to the to the Ministry of Culture, put in other words, the Municipality of Tirana has no longer the right to build the new theater through a public-private partnership.
On the other hand, the Constitutional Court upheld the decision of the municipal council “On approving the demolition of the National Theater”, owned by the Municipality of Tirana, based on an Act-Expertise compiled by the Institute of Construction on the “Assessment of the National Theater building”.
Furthermore, the court has also nullified the decision of the National Council of the Territory dated June 29, which allowed the municipality to build the new National Theater designed by world-renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels.
The National Theater was demolished last year in May, despite several year-long resistances from the theater crew who were against the demolition and arguing that the building in fact is part of the city’s cultural heritage.
A wide public spat on the National Theater began by the end of 2017 when the Albanian government unveiled a plan to build the venue from scratch through a Public-Private Partnership. The design also featured several towers near the theater, something that was widely contested by actors as well as citizens.
After backing away from the plan, the government decided to transfer the property of the theater to the Municipality of Tirana, paving the way to building the new venue with the budget of the municipality. But this decision was also rejected by the Alliance for the Protection of the National Theater, demanding to preserve the old building and continue with the project in another part of the city.
‘The Constitutional Court has spoken, now it is SPAK’s turn’
The leader of the Democratic Party, Lulzim, took it to Twitter to comment on the Constitutional Court’s ruling and urging the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime to act swiftly.
“The Constitutional Court has spoken, now it is SPAK’s turn”, wrote DP’s leader on Twitter. Basha has been a wide supporter of the idea to rebuild the National Theater at the old venue and preserving its old structure.
Gjykata Kushtetuese foli, radhën e ka SPAK!#atykuishteashtusiçishte pic.twitter.com/DoMIvtvjnW
— Lulzim Basha (@lulzimbasha_al) July 2, 2021
What did mayor Erion Veliaj have to say?
The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, tweeted that the court’s ruling is in favor of the Municipality, adding that work is underway for what he described as “the largest and most modern Theater in the Balkans”.
Tani te ecim perpara e te ndertojme shtepine me te madhe e moderne te Teatrit ne Ballkan, boll humbem kohe me histeri, si me cdo projekt te madh!
— Erion Veliaj #EYC2022 🇪🇺🇦🇱 (@erionveliaj) July 2, 2021
Gjykata Kushtetuese i jep të drejtë Bashkisë së Tiranës, lë në fuqi vendimin për prishjen e Teatrit Kombëtar https://t.co/ChSc3uqSft
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
