Support for people who want to invest in their homeland, easing procedures, and creating new jobs were the focus of the meeting that Minister of Interior Ervin Demo held with residents, entrepreneurs and beneficiaries of the “Mountain Package” in Gjinar, Elbasan. The discussion was also attended by Elbasan Municipality Mayor Gledjan Llatja, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Evis Kushi, and MP Arbjan Mazniku. During the conversation, the minister learned about residents’ projects for building and expanding guesthouses and family businesses, as well as the difficulties they face due to property issues, administrative procedures and infrastructure.
Demo stressed that the Mountain Package aims to create concrete opportunities for people who want to invest their work and savings where they have their roots, boosting local economic development and opening new jobs. “The Mountain Package was created as an initiative focused precisely on residents of areas like yours, who face all these problems, long ordeals with ownership histories, and because of these difficulties, they are unable to invest where their roots are”, he said.
The minister cited the development of Gjinar as an example, which has grown from just 3 guesthouses about ten years ago to around 30 accommodation structures today, demonstrating the opportunities that mountain tourism creates for local entrepreneurship and employment. “The Mountain Package is essentially an incentive to create local economic development, so that we give residents of the area more opportunities to create local economies, to have reasons to stay where they are and, above all, to build an economic chain that then connects the entire municipality”, Demo said.
One of the minister’s main commitments was to expand the priority zones in Gjinar within November, based on the proposal of Elbasan Municipality. This decision will also open the way for other residents who are currently not included in the approved zones to begin application procedures. “I promise you that within November, the Council of Ministers will pass a decision so that the way is opened for other residents who want to apply but were not included in the priority zones that have already been approved to continue the application process with the Municipal Council”, the minister said.
Currently, at the national level, around 400 priority zones have been approved in 52 municipalities, while Gjinar alone has 21 applicants for the Mountain Package. Another issue discussed was speeding up procedures after applications are approved. Demo announced that a special mechanism has been established at the Territory Development Agency to prioritize the processing of Mountain Package projects, with the aim of moving investments from documentation to implementation as quickly as possible.
“We have already set up a ‘fast lane’ at AZHT for projects related to the Mountain Package. As we speak, AZHT has begun approving the first projects, and construction is starting in certain areas, from north to south”, Demo explained. The minister also presented financing opportunities through the “Double Your Business” program, encouraging entrepreneurs with existing businesses who plan to expand to apply for financial support. According to the minister, the program offers loans with interest rates of 2–3% and state guarantee mechanisms for collateral, subject to financing conditions.
“For those who have an existing guesthouse today, but want to expand through the Mountain Package, look into the ‘Double Your Business’ option as well, because you can apply there for financing too. It’s a very good opportunity, with very low interest rates, 2-3%, which you won’t find at second-tier banks”, he said. In conclusion, Demo stressed that institutions will continue coordinating with Elbasan Municipality and AZHT to follow up on residents’ requests and ease the procedures that hinder the implementation of investments.