Three 5 Maji residents have been arrested today after clashing with police during a protest over the demolition of their homes.
Tensions continue to be high at this point as citizens refuse to move out of their homes and let the police carry out the reconstruction project that will include the demolition of hundreds of homes.
One of the main issues in this neighborhood is the fact that the majority of homes here were built without a permit and haven’t been legalized.
Some of the residents have started to stand on top of their roofs or surrounding walls and are begging IMT to not destroy their homes.
“Don’t destroy our homes please, our entire life savings have gone into these homes. Or at least give us an apartment so we can have a roof over our heads,” – said one of the residents, while another said that she was ready to die to defend her home.
Police used teargas in order to disperse protestors this morning.
According to state officials, more than 400 buildings will be demolished in this neighborhood which will become part of a grand reconstruction project that will build a new neighborhood, which amongst others, will be housing families whose homes were damaged by the 2019 earthquake.
PM Edi Rama has promised protestors that everyone will get a home in the new neighborhood regardless of whether or not their old homes were legal or properly registered.
However, citizens claim that they haven’t received any guarantee from the City of Tirana, that they won’t lose their homeownership rights. For days now they’ve been protesting and asking the state to provide them with a contract or an agreement that will guarantee that they won’t remain homeless.
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