{"id":31090,"date":"2022-02-07T18:22:19","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T17:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=31090"},"modified":"2022-02-07T22:37:13","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T21:37:13","slug":"5-maji-residents-we-are-losing-our-entire-life-savings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/5-maji-residents-we-are-losing-our-entire-life-savings\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Maji residents in despair: We are losing our entire life savings!"},"content":{"rendered":"

5 Maji residents told Euronews Albania that they\u2019re living in fear of having their homes taken and destroyed due to state-ordered redevelopment projects.<\/p>\n

They say that their homes are all they have and where they\u2019ve invested all their life savings.<\/p>\n

These will be the last 48 hours that Alti Hoxha, his wife and two children spend at home.<\/p>\n

The building they\u2019ve been living in for the past 30 years, will be demolished after the municipality decided to make it part of the Earthquake Reconstruction Project \u2013 which includes the reconstruction of buildings that have been presumably damaged by the 2019 earthquake.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve put 200 thousand euros into this home. Let them come and destroy the whole thing. I\u2019m not taking down a single door or window,\u201d \u2013 said a distressed Alti.<\/p>\n

Another resident says that each dime he made as an immigrant was invested in his home.<\/p>\n

Izvi Koci has come from Italy \u2013 where he currently works \u2013 only so that he can protect his home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are forcing us to become thugs and criminals. They should know though that I\u2019m not giving in so easily, I will protect [my home] with my own life,\u201d \u2013 he said.<\/p>\n

Other residents look desperate and it seems like they\u2019ve lost all hope as they’ve already started to move out and transfer their things.<\/p>\n

Serian Alikaj is another 5 Maji resident, who says that even though he didn\u2019t agree with the demolition, he has nonetheless begun moving his things.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will show my power somehow on election day. That\u2019ll be the day I say what I have to say through my vote,\u201d \u2013 he warned.<\/p>\n

On January 19, the City Hall began a demolition project that is expected to take down around 500 homes located at the 5 Maji neighborhood in Tirana.<\/p>\n

Residents have asked for transparency and clarity about what will happen to their properties and their homeownership rights.<\/p>\n

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