TIRANA, June 17 – Prime Minister Edi Rama has issued a tough warning that the government will take over the administration of all those municipalities that are heading towards financial collapse.
The Premier made that threat in the meeting with the mayors who were given three definite tasks by him “it is financial opportunity, higher responsibility, and new financial resources”.
Speaking at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana on Friday, Rama said the government will take measures in case of non-fulfillment of financial obligations in relation to financial discipline. He said that when municipalities go into collapse and when the financial situation becomes a pit that can no longer be filled they pass under government administration.
According to him, increasing the performance of municipalities is a priority for all of us together and there is no way this can happen, unless financial discipline is strengthened and municipalities do not intend to increase their financial resources and revenues from the market”.
Further Rama said that it is not possible to justify an irresponsible behavior with the duty and obligations that the municipality has by closing the eyes and not collecting the obligations that people have as consumers of water and any service.
“The property tax is the most important municipal tax in the whole globe. In Albania it is the most neglected tax and then of course there are not enough funds for the things you want. Those funds come out from somewhere. The property of a family living on an average income cannot be taxed in the same way as another family that has one, two or three houses,” Rama said.
/Argumentum.al