Author: admin 17 October 2015

Today we post the answers from the Mayor of Shkoder, Voltana Ademi. As known, Shkoder is one of the cities most affected by the blood feuds phenomenon. That is the reason why Operazione Colomba has decided to open and maintain a project in this area. For this reason, the answers from the Mayor of Shkoder have been so eagerly awaited by Operazione Colomba volunteers throughout the whole Campaign “A Crowd against Blood Feuds”. Unwilling to passively await for answers that perhaps would have never been sent, we decided to ask for an official meeting with the Mayor of Shkoder. However we didn’t reach our goal, but we managed to meet the City Councillor for Social Services, Mr. Filip Vida, and his assistant, Mrs. Rudina Kruja. The following exhaustive answers are the result of the fruitful meeting.

The answers from the Mayor of Shkoder

The entire letter’s text follows:

On the base of the document nr. 288 Prot. for the compilation of the questionnaire about the blood feuds phenomenon in the municipality of Shkoder, here are the answers.

How much widespread is the blood feuds phenomenon in the area you are the mayor of?

The blood feuds phenomenon is present all over the Country. Unfortunately, such a phenomenon is widely widespread in our municipality and is very negative for the society. The families affected by it are not only in the mountain areas, since in the last years they are also present in urban areas and cities.

How is the phenomenon perceived by the population?

The blood feuds phenomenon is a tragedy for the society. It is a tragic phenomenon for citizen’s lives and is rooted in in the history. It is a worrisome phenomenon for our society, a violation for a fundamental human rights, which is the right to life.

How many cases of blood feuds are there in the municipality/district you are the mayor of?

Regarding the collection of data, the Municipality has contacted public bodies/associations/individuals who/which work on the ground in order to support the families affected by the phenomenon. Notwithstanding, it resulted that statistics about such a phenomenon are not accurate, given that some organizations exaggerate their numbers in order to receive fundings. Moreover, there are no specific data because the families affected by the phenomenon not always declare it, but only in case they ask for assistance for food and clothes. For these reasons, at this moment we can’t provide accurate data about the families that suffer the phenomenon.

Is there any collaboration between the local administration and other institutions in the territory you are the mayor of?

In the Municipality of Shkoder, on the theme of  the blood feuds phenomenon some collaborative bodies have been identified, such as the district of Shkoder’s Prefecture and associations and organizations:

Operazione Colomba,
Ass. Community Pope John XXIII,
Justice and peace,
Ambasadoret e paqes,
Misione Orionit (Catholic Church, Bardhaj),
No feud, yes life Foundation.

Specifically, which concrete steps would you like to take in order to completely eradicate the blood feuds phenomenon? Especially referring to the area you are the mayor of?

The war against the blood feuds phenomenon is a hard, long-lasting and quite delicate effort. This phenomenon is complicated even from a psychological point of view, tied to the magistracy, and it has to do with the individual conscience, which can’t change in a very short period of time. For these reasons, even the war for the eradication of such a phenomenon represent a challenge for the entire state structure, for the municipality, for the state and religious institutions, the educational bodies, and for NGOs.

On the 4th of May 2005, Law no. 9389 was emanated but it has never been applied because the Executive has never issued the implementing acts needed. What do you plan to do in order to ask the Albanian Executive to implement this legal tool?

For our part, we will ask to draft the implementing regulations in order to make effective this law so that it will be respected the fundamental human right, the one to life, a free life as required by law.

Thank you for your cooperation,

The Mayor,

Voltana Ademi

Thanks

We would like to thank the kind Mayor Voltana Ademi for her cooperation. Even though the contribution has been received after the expiring date scheduled by the Campaign, the answers from the Mayor of Shkoder have been exhaustive. Specifically, we do appreciate her will to demand the implementing regulations to make effective the Law n. 9389/05.