FLASH NEWS
Who is "turning" Dredha? The 830-hectare photovoltaic plant of Kanina, which put the Municipality of Vlora under curfew!
2025-07-18 22:06:53 / POLITIKË
In November of last year, Ermal Dredha was placed with a time mine in his hands.
A so-called expression of interest to build a large solar power plant in Kanina had arrived at the Municipality's protocol.
The project was expected to extend over an area of 830 hectares, practically covering the entire face of Mount Kanina, otherwise known as the Shashicë-Gumenicë economy, where hundreds of residents of the area had built their livestock economy.
Faced with great pressure coming from Tirana, Ermal Dredha began the procedures. Initially, he scheduled a hearing with the residents of Kanina.
"There are almost 800 hectares that we want to put into a study phase. So it's about the strategy that the Albanian government has regarding the part of promoting renewable energy. The idea is that we have a legal obligation, that anyone who has an expression of interest, to continue the legal procedures," the mayor of Vlora tried to justify himself to the residents of Kanina.
But residents were unanimously strongly against the project, which they said would ultimately destroy the economies of hundreds of families who live mainly on livestock.
"In that area, where you want to build the solar power plant, there are more than 7,500 mayors and dozens of farms. Where will these people go?", some of the residents asked.
At the same time, they said that a large part of the lands part of the project are private property or in legal proceedings for recognition of ownership title, even though the mayor claims that according to the Cadastre, that area is state land.
Faced with strong opposition from residents, Ermal Dredha tried to delay the project's progress as much as possible. But the pressure coming from Tirana was too great.
As the Socialist Party gathered to celebrate its 34th anniversary, the media released footage of a tense debate between Edi Rama and Ermal Dredha.
In the footage, the head of government was clearly seen addressing the mayor of Vlora in very harsh tones.
Although the motive for the clash was linked to the fires in the Vlora waste field, the reasons apparently went deeper than that.
But this was only the first signal, which would later be followed by an unprecedented fortune, which put the municipality of Vlora under a government curfew.
Two weeks after the SP anniversary, Edi Rama himself landed in Vlora. During a tense meeting with Ermal Dredha, he ordered the dismissal of all the directors of the municipality. This was the first time in the history of the Albanian state, when the prime minister dismissed the entire management team of a municipality, which was later followed by several other municipalities, but not with the intensity of Vlora.
And as the directors of Vlora all left the Municipality with their heads bowed and their tails in the saddle, where they had just resigned, many were trying to understand what was really behind the bombing that Edi Rama carried out on the Municipality of Vlora. But there was no answer.
However, the puzzle would appear more complete only two weeks later.
"Kanina" in the City Council
The ploys to drag out the land grab project in Kanina as long as possible were no longer holding water.
After Edi Rama's assault on the Vlora Municipality, it seems the message was clearly conveyed.
Two days ago, Ermal Dredha signed the draft decision to launch the procedure for the 10-year lease with the right to renew of 834 hectares in Kanina. A very strong coincidence.
The signed draft decision has been scheduled for voting at the next meeting of the Vlora Municipal Council, which will take place on July 21.
"The purpose of this draft decision is the approval by the Vlora Municipal Council of the granting for use for a period of 10 years with the right to renew the Shashicë Gumenicë pasture area, with a total area of 834 hectares, which meet the favorable climatic conditions for photovoltaic activities for the purpose of energy production," the draft decision states.
Although the Municipality of Vlora is keeping secret the name of the company behind the expression of interest in building the solar park, there is talk that behind the project is a powerful media oligarch from Tirana, who owns everything in the South.
And apparently he will now also become the owner of Kanina, as the government is thus exterminating the few livestock that still remain in Albania and is expelling the few people who have not yet fled into emigration./ Kapitali.al
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