FLASH NEWS
The costly failure of Balluk's water reform
2025-07-13 12:18:35 / EDITORIAL
In 2021, the Albanian government launched the so-called water supply reform. The Minister of Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, announced that from 58 water supply companies across the country, it would be reduced to just 15 companies. In addition to the aggregation at the regional level, the government introduced another important change. It took the majority stake in each water supply company, leaving 49 percent of the shares to the municipalities of the respective region.
The reform began to be implemented in 2022. Immediately after the centralization of water supplies, the financial whip began. The government began to rapidly increase water tariffs for all districts of the country. In many cases, the tariff increase reached double. And all this, according to the drafter of the reform, worked.
"If there is something we are proud of, it is the implementation of a reform that we launched in 2021 and started its implementation at the beginning of 2022, and today we can speak with figures and facts about how this reform of the aggregation of Water Supply and Sewerage companies and the acquisition of the majority of shares by the Albanian Government has brought about the financial and technical soundness of these enterprises, resulting, undoubtedly, in better quality services for all our citizens," declared Belinda Balluku in January last year.
But if there is one thing this government should be even more proud of than the results of its reforms, it is its great propaganda ability, which has to sell blatant failures as successes. However, the propaganda quickly ran out of ink to the point that even Belinda Balluku's boss was forced to admit the failure.
"Oh Dhimo, what's wrong Dhimo, you've been making strange gestures since the beginning. There's no water in Dropull? What's wrong with you? ", Edi Rama addressed Dropull's mayor, during a meeting with the mayors of the country's municipalities, which he held a few days ago.
But Dropulli is not an isolated case. Much of Albania is running dry this year. In Vlora, the hotel where Ivanka Trump stayed reportedly had no water. The country's most important tourist areas are now officially in a water crisis. The situation is so dramatic that it has even forced businesses to openly tell the government.
"Information provided by our members, part of this sector, speaks of coastal areas where the lack of drinking water, mismanagement of wastewater, burning of waste in landfills or the continuation of construction activities even during the tourist season continue to be of concern, thus affecting the functioning of accommodation structures, but also the quality of life of citizens and tourists in these communities," the American Chamber of Commerce stated in an official announcement issued just a few days ago.
Faced with the monumental failure of the water supply reform, of which Balluku says he is proud, the government was forced to invent another reform. After the aggregation into 15 enterprises on a national scale failed, now the government says it will aggregate on top of aggregation.
"Coming to water, here too we need a reform, we have started preliminary work. All kinds of experiences lead us to the conclusion that it is time to have a Water Distribution Operator, as we have the one for energy distribution," declared Edi Rama, last week.
The transformation of the water supply service into a national monopoly according to the energy distribution model is the next reform that will be sold to Albanians. Of course, as with any so-called reform, costs will come from behind. Just as it is making aggregation upon aggregation for water supply enterprises, the government will make increase upon increase in tariffs.
And as Albanian citizens pay more and more for water, they must also hold on to their buckets and cans to keep up with the trucks. Because instead of water, they will once again have propaganda, even after the latest reform.
In short, the only result of the Balluku 1 reform was the doubling of the tariffs that citizens pay for water. The results of the Balluk-Rama 2 reform will be announced a little later.
But one thing is certain. Rama and Balluku will once again have reason to be proud of their next reform. Proud, but ……, as the people say with their wisdom./kapitali.al
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