Why unauthorized constructions are not merely an urban issue but a symbol of the lack of a social contract. The state as regulator, the citizen as co-responsible.
By: Luiza Hoxhaj
Date: 13
July 2025
I have
often called unauthorized constructions the "post-'97 pyramids." They
were built on institutional gaps, lack of regulations, and hopes for quick
profit or survival. Like financial pyramids, they sparked hope and left behind
crises. Their demolition causes social and economic damage, but indiscriminate
legalization also destroys the environment, identity, and trust in the state.
Today,
thousands of unauthorized buildings are an irreversible reality on the ground.
In many cases, they have been built by citizens themselves on their land,
without guidance or standards, as an emergency solution but also as a means of
income. In tourist areas, this phenomenon has peaked. From a technical
perspective, they may be considered violations; but from a socio-economic
viewpoint, they are established facts intertwined with community life.
This
makes the role of the state as a regulator even more essential. Not just as a
punisher, but as an institution leading the transition from chaos to order. The
state can no longer behave like a stranger on its own territory, appearing only
when demolition operations take place. It must create conditions for integrated
regulation: set standards, provide deadlines for compliance, and support citizens
in the lawful transformation of their investments.
But there
can be no state without citizens. To build strong communities and regulated
environments, citizens must feel responsibility. It's not enough to ask for
legalization after the fact. Respect for the law must start the moment the idea
of construction arises. If we coexist with violation, we cannot demand
security, public investments, or a healthy environment.
The
solution is neither mass punishment nor full amnesty. The solution lies in a strategy
of gradualism: a process that acknowledges reality but disciplines it. That
requalifies instead of demolishing. That educates rather than just punishes.
That sets conditions for legalization with clear environmental, aesthetic, and
technical standards. And that creates sincere cooperation between the state and
communities.
For
example, in Theth and other protected areas, constructions with bricks and
concrete that do not respect local tradition represent a distortion of cultural
and environmental identity. But the solution cannot be immediate,
indiscriminate demolition, especially when these investments have been made by
residents who have spent savings or taken loans, in a climate where the state
has been passive, even benefiting from them through taxes and fees. These
constructions should be seen as part of a requalification process...
Moreover,
these residents should be given the opportunity to benefit from national
programs like the "mountain package," which have long been promised
but remain inactive in developing the territory. This package should serve to
support mountain communities, empower their economic capacities, and preserve
natural and cultural heritage.
A
Necessary Reflection: The Legend of Rozafa Castle in Modern Times
There is
something deeply troubling in this cycle where citizens invest their savings,
build with hope, register their activity for taxes, contribute to national
wealth, and then – due to lack of rules or sudden policy changes – face insecurity,
demolition, and impoverishment. It’s as if we are trapped in a modern legend
of Rozafa Castle, where we build by day and demolish by night. But unlike
the legend, which spoke of sacrifice to build the common good, today we witness
a pointless sacrifice that brings neither stability nor sustainable
development.
Isn’t it
time to leave this sad metaphor behind, to leave Rozafa in her antiquity, and
truly build on solid foundations – with clear rules, respect for the law,
community support, and a long-term vision for the territory?
Sustainable
development cannot be built on ignoring reality, nor on unconditional
acceptance of it. It emerges when order is established and mutual sensitivity
grows: the state sees the citizen as a partner, and the citizen sees the
territory as shared wealth.
Only in
this way, instead of “new pyramids,” will we have sustainable communities and
dignified tourism.
This
article is part of the editorial cycle “Citizen in the Spotlight.”
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