Beyond the Promise: The Vision for Vlora’s Blue Highway and Regional Development

Author's Note (June 2026): Rereading this article today, more than a decade after it was originally written and published in May 2013, brings a special intellectual satisfaction. What was viewed with skepticism by analysts at the time and seen merely as an electoral promise has today become a tangible reality for our region. The "Blue Highway", the "Labëria Road", and the radical transformations in Vlora's infrastructure and tourism prove that projects based on European standards and the simple needs of daily life are the only ones that bring sustainable development. This text remains a living testament that when vision is grounded in knowledge and social capital, the future can be accurately foreseen. Below is the full, unchanged English version of the 2013 analysis.

I thought of sharing these few lines regarding an electoral promise, beautiful and useful in my view, which I believe will not remain simply a dream. Movement is a primary human need. However, people simultaneously need peace and a healthy environment. Finding the right balance is not always simple. Precisely in an area like Vlora, with its transit function given by its geographical position, movement and traffic constitute a theme of great importance, which will remain so in the future. Our duty is to find solutions capable of creating sustainable movement. One such option is the “Blue Highway.”

Secondly, I wrote these lines also for the simple fact that this issue has caught the attention of some respected analysts, who are somewhat skeptical about this promise. The Blue Highway, or the highway of the sea, as we Vlora citizens would like to call it, presented and promised by the leader of the PS, Mr. Edi Rama, during the introduction meeting of socialist candidates in Vlora—specifically his presentation as a candidate for MP of this district, included as one of the priorities of the "Rilindja" (Renaissance) program, and attacked by the leader of the PD, Mr. Sali Berisha—is not a utopia, but a realistic promise.

This highway is in full coherence with European projects to build the Mediterranean Sea Highway. This major pan-European project is designed to evaluate, confront, and optimize transport across Europe. The objective of this project is to rationalize, improve, and optimize work methods as well as movement procedures for people and goods, each in the respective segment of interest (goods from ports toward the inland highway, tourist flows from ports toward the sea highway).

The realization of this project will greatly serve one of the priority sectors for the development of the country and the Vlora district in particular, as a priority region for tourism of all kinds: coastal, sports, mountain, cultural, archaeological, including elite tourism. This was explained very well during the presentation of the Rilindja program. It will simply be one of the indicators that Albania will keep pace with the times. Its pulse of development must be at the same frequency as developments according to the most advanced standards of the time. The strength of these promises, in my opinion, lies precisely in the simple things of our daily lives.

The second strong point offered in Rama’s presentation in Vlora was the promise that agrobusiness and tourism, accompanied by appropriate infrastructure (meaning connections with national axes of local roads, including the Labëria road—a long-standing dream that would revitalize this area—and internet access) will build the future of the Vlora district. The development of entrepreneurship in Vlora, according to him (and I share the same opinion), has a beating heart: agrobusiness and tourism, which must be encouraged and promoted by creating the necessary networks of cooperation. In this way, Vlora will be promoted.

This is a pragmatic vision based on the advantages brought by the adoption of a strategic and organizational model, offering important opportunities to strengthen these key sectors, charting together the birth of an evolution—a development that is not based on pharaonic works. I am convinced that in cooperation lies the strength to face great challenges, such as the development of agriculture and tourism.

This conviction is based on the tradition of our district, its values, and the ideas generated in our daily lives. History shows us that these sectors operate in close cooperation with each other and must be valued as such—as engines of our economic and social development and as a source of well-being. Excellent initiatives already exist in the Vlora district. I am very confident that by leaving and creating the necessary space and individual freedom for new concepts, good ideas will be born in the region. Good ideas are often the beginning of a success story. But good ideas alone are not enough. Partners are also needed for their realization. In this case, it is the Socialist Party with its program that offers itself as a partner to the citizen, for the realization of the best ideas and for the development of our district in particular and the country in general. Alone you can produce, but only together can you realize added value: development.

Another point that has left a good portion of opinion-makers skeptical is that the port was not given due attention. On the contrary, I would say. The port was one of the targets regarding the unfulfilled promises of the current majority. Restoring public attention to the past importance that the Port of Vlora had five centuries ago is accompanied by the promise that it will return Vlora's brilliance to the map of maritime ports. The “sea highway” serves this idea. But this is not necessarily achieved by embracing the current port project, which is incompatible with the main development priorities of the Vlora district. Certainly, this requires something much better than that project.

In the due time, within the right ranking of priorities, I believe the future governance will provide the best option. The development project of Vlora, with its resources, the variety of priorities, the diversity of climate, and its historical, cultural, and archaeological values, requires a better-thought-out project that will harmonize all these priorities. In Vlora and beyond, simple, daily things were presented—things that those who do not carry them on their backs every day fail to recognize, but which improve the quality of life for the citizens of this country from the very first moment. These are priorities that primarily require will, accompanied by the necessary knowledge and social capital. These are matters that simply require you to love this country and to invest in its prosperity. If we love this country, the only “great work” it needs is securing its territory and restarting high-quality agriculture.

Luiza Hoxhaj

Original text written in Tirana, May 21, 2013

Republicated with updates in June 2026

Gjëmimi i dheut amanet lënë

 

 

Shënim: Kjo poezi është një reflektim artistik mbi vlerat historike dhe dhimbjen njerëzore për fatet e atdheut, e shkruar si pjesë e ciklit tim të krijimeve letrare.

Nga mjegulla e kohës vijnë burrat e motit,
Që shkrinë pasurinë, floririn dhe jetën,
Kala ngritën mbi gjakun e lotin,
Për këtë truall që shtrat u është bërë.

Dhanë gjithçka e s’kërkuan asgjë,
E lanë atdheun si nuse në dritë...
Kurse sot, o Zot, tinëzisht, pa zë,
Çakejtë brinjët po ia nxjerrin!

Si nuk iu ndanë këtij vendi, padrejtësisht të mpakur,
Ata që pasuri plaçkitin dhe ndrydhin fate,
E mandej në plaçkashitës shndërrohen,
Duke ia shterur burimet kësaj vatre.

Shesin përditë që të mbrojnë çka vodhën,
Plaçkën e parë e kthejnë mburojë,
Mbi gjakun tonë pushtetin thonizojnë,
Që krimin e tyre askush mos ta tregojë.

Mbi dheun dhe nëndheun e shenjtë,
Ku prehen eshtrat e të parëve, kthetrat zgjatin,
Dhe gjumin ua trazojnë ndër varre,
Tregtarë të mjerë shpirtrash për fitim.

E pabesueshme!
Edhe dhenë këtij dheu duan t'ia zhvatin,
Të mbytin dhe shpresën që ua mblatoi i primi,
Por, më kot! Dridhuni!
Nën puhizën që lehtësisht vibron,
Fshihet vullkani dhe zjarri i shqiptarit.

Luiza Hoxhaj
(18 Maj, 2026)

From Observed Poverty to Territorial Exclusion:

Rethinking Poverty in Middle-Income Contexts: A Territorial Perspective from Albania

Abstract

This article examines the persistence and transformation of poverty in contexts classified as “middle-income,” using Albania as an illustrative case. Drawing on longitudinal field observations (since 2003), analytical reflections, and recent European policy frameworks, it argues that poverty is often mischaracterised as an income-based issue, while in practice it reflects deeper territorial and institutional inequalities. The paper contributes to development policy debates by proposing a shift toward community-led, place-based approaches that strengthen local capacity and address multidimensional exclusion. These findings are relevant for policymakers seeking more effective and territorially grounded strategies to reduce poverty and inequality.

Keywords:  Multidimensional poverty, Territorial inequality, Social exclusion, Community-led development, Middle-income countries lbania,,Local development

1. Introduction

Despite sustained economic growth in many transition and developing economies, poverty remains a persistent structural condition. Conventional development frameworks often rely on aggregate macroeconomic indicators—such as GDP per capita or World Bank income classification—which tend to obscure deep spatial and social inequalities.

Albania, officially classified as an upper-middle-income country, provides a paradigmatic case in which macroeconomic progress coexists with visible rural decline, territorial fragmentation, and persistent social vulnerability.

This article is grounded in a longitudinal observation process beginning in 2003 in the Berat region, where field-level engagement revealed a substantial discrepancy between official poverty statistics and lived territorial realities. These empirical observations were later developed into analytical reflections in 2012, questioning the paradox of deprivation within contexts of apparent economic progress.

While grounded in the Albanian case, the argument developed in this paper speaks more broadly to middle-income and transition contexts where economic growth has not translated into territorially balanced and socially inclusive development outcomes.

2. Conceptual Framework and Literature Context

Poverty scholarship has progressively shifted from unidimensional income-based definitions toward multidimensional approaches. The Alkire-Foster methodology and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) represent key advances in capturing overlapping deprivations in health, education, and living standards.

Within the European context, the AROPE indicator developed by Eurostat integrates income poverty, material deprivation, and labour market exclusion into a composite measure of social vulnerability.

However, despite methodological advances, much of the literature continues to conceptualise poverty primarily at the individual or household level. This paper argues that such approaches insufficiently capture the territorial and systemic nature of exclusion, particularly in contexts marked by uneven spatial development.

Recent European urban policy debates, including those advanced by Eurocities, increasingly emphasise the role of cities as both engines of growth and loci of concentrated deprivation.

3. Methodology

The study adopts a qualitative longitudinal interpretative methodology combining:

• Field-based observations (Berat region, Albania, 2003)
• Policy-oriented analytical writing (2012)
• Secondary statistical analysis (Eurostat, World Bank, FAO)
• Comparative policy review (EU urban and social policy frameworks, 2020–2024)

This triangulated approach allows for an integrated reading of poverty as both a lived territorial condition and a policy-defined category.

This approach is particularly suitable for capturing complex, context-dependent social phenomena that are not fully observable through quantitative indicators alone.

4. Empirical Evidence: Albania (2003–2012)

Field observations in the Berat region in 2003 indicated significant discrepancies between official poverty estimates and actual living conditions. Rural households exhibited higher levels of deprivation than national statistics suggested, particularly in terms of income stability, access to services, and livelihood resilience.

By 2012, these empirical insights had evolved into a broader analytical critique of development narratives, emphasising that poverty is not primarily a production constraint, but a distributional and governance failure.

The key empirical findings include:

• structural rural vulnerability and depopulation trends
• weak alignment between statistical systems and territorial realities
• fragmented and reactive social policy interventions
• limited institutional capacity at local governance level

5. European Comparative Context (2024)

Recent Eurostat data indicate that approximately 21% of the EU population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE, 2024), confirming that poverty remains structurally embedded even within highly developed economies.

Contemporary European policy discourse increasingly recognises:

• the spatial concentration of poverty
• the rise of urban-based deprivation (housing, energy, cost of living)
• the multidimensional nature of social exclusion

These developments reinforce the argument that poverty is not confined to income scarcity but is deeply embedded in territorial and institutional structures.

6. Analytical Shift: From Income Poverty to Territorial Exclusion

This analytical transition reflects not only a conceptual evolution but also a shift in how policy frameworks interpret and respond to poverty.

The comparative evidence suggests a clear conceptual evolution:

·         From income-based deprivation

·         Toward multidimensional social exclusion

·         And ultimately toward territorially embedded structural inequality

This shift is summarised in Table 1 (Comparative Empirical Framework, 2003–2012–2024), which illustrates the transformation of poverty across time and policy regimes.

Table 1. Evolution of Poverty Conceptualisation (2003–2012–2024)

Period	Dominant Perspective	Key Characteristics	Policy Implications
2003	Income-based poverty	Focus on income thresholds; underestimation of rural deprivation	Targeted social assistance
2012	Multidimensional poverty	Recognition of overlapping deprivations (health, education, living conditions)	Integrated social policies
2024	Territorial exclusion	Spatial inequality, institutional fragmentation, community marginalisation	Place-based, community-led development

 

Poverty is thus increasingly understood as a systemic outcome of uneven territorial development rather than an isolated economic condition.

7. Policy Implications: Community-Led Territorial Development

The findings support a shift toward community-led territorial development (CLTD) as an alternative policy framework.

This model is based on four interrelated principles:

1.     Territorial embeddedness – recognising spatial inequality as a core development dimension

2.     Community agency – repositioning local populations as active development actors

3.     Integrated policy design – linking social, economic, and environmental interventions

4.     Multi-level governance – strengthening coordination between EU, national, and local levels

Such an approach aligns with emerging European policy orientations toward place-based development and social innovation.

8. Conclusion

This article demonstrates that poverty in middle-income contexts cannot be adequately explained through income-based frameworks alone. The Albanian case illustrates how macroeconomic progress may coexist with persistent territorial and institutional exclusion.

The persistence and transformation of poverty over time suggest the need for a paradigmatic shift in development thinking—from redistribution-centred policies toward territorially grounded and community-driven development systems.

Future policy frameworks must prioritise spatial justice, institutional capacity, and local empowerment as central pillars of sustainable development.

For policymakers, this implies the need to move beyond narrowly targeted social assistance schemes and toward integrated, place-based strategies that empower local communities as active agents of development. Such approaches require not only financial resources but also institutional innovation, multi-level governance coordination, and sustained investment in local capacities.

References (APA Style)

Alkire, S., & Foster, J. (2011). Counting and multidimensional poverty measurement. Journal of Public Economics, 95(7–8), 476–487.

Eurostat. (2024). People at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) statistics. European Commission.

FAO. (2012). The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

 World Bank. (2024). World Development Indicators.

Hoxhaj, L. (2012). A mund të bashkëjetojnë uria me bollëkun? Tirana Observer, 20 December 2012.

Hoxhaj, L. (2012). A mundemi ne ta mposhtim urinë? Blog publication.

Eurocities. (2024). Urban poverty and social inclusion in European cities. European Cities Network.

Author:

Luiza Hoxhaj

Center for European Policy Studies on Regional and Local Development (Tirana, Albania)

Ripërcaktimi i Varfërisë në Shqipëri

Nga të ardhurat te territori dhe qeverisja e zhvillimit

Hyrje: një problem që nuk lexohet saktë

Varfëria në Shqipëri vazhdon të trajtohet kryesisht si një fenomen i matshëm përmes treguesve të të ardhurave dhe mesatareve kombëtare. Kjo qasje, megjithëse e dobishme për krahasime makroekonomike, nuk arrin të pasqyrojë realitetin e fragmentuar territorial të vendit.

Në fakt, Shqipëria nuk përballet me një varfëri të vetme, por me forma të ndryshme të saj që lidhen ngushtë me territorin. Në disa zona rurale ajo shfaqet si boshatisje demografike dhe mungesë e shërbimeve bazë. Në zona të tjera si mungesë mundësish ekonomike dhe izolim strukturor. Në qytete, si rritje e kostos së jetesës dhe pasiguri sociale.

Ky realitet e bën gjithnjë e më të pamjaftueshme leximin e varfërisë përmes mesatareve kombëtare.

Kufijtë e statistikës së mesatares

Një nga problemet më të thella në analizën e varfërisë në Shqipëri lidhet me mbështetjen e tepërt në tregues agregatë kombëtarë. Këta tregues krijojnë një “iluzion statistikor homogjeniteti”, ku një realitet shumë i ndryshëm territorial përkthehet në një shifër të vetme.

Kjo qasje ka dy pasoja kryesore:

• fsheh pabarazitë territoriale
• dobëson aftësinë e politikave publike për të ndërhyrë në mënyrë të targetuar

Në këtë mënyrë, varfëria nuk shihet më si fenomen kompleks territorial, por si devijim nga një mesatare kombëtare, çka e redukton ndjeshëm efektivitetin e ndërhyrjeve publike.

Përvoja në terren: rasti i Beratit

Një nga përvojat më domethënëse në këtë drejtim lidhet me periudhën 2003–2004, gjatë ushtrimit të detyrës si Prefekt i Qarkut Berat, kur u ndërmor një studim mbi varfërinë në nivel qarku.

Qëllimi i këtij procesi ishte të kalohej nga statistika në terren, duke e parë varfërinë jo si shifër, por si realitet social dhe territorial.

Rezultatet e studimit evidentuan një mospërputhje të madhe midis statistikave zyrtare dhe realitetit lokal. Ndërsa në nivel kombëtar varfëria raportohej rreth 13%, në terren ajo shfaqej në nivele dukshëm më të larta, në disa zona duke iu afruar 50%, ndërkohë që edhe vlerësimet ndërkombëtare sugjeronin intervale më të gjera.

Ky hendek nuk ishte teknik. Ai ishte strukturor.

Ai tregonte se varfëria në Shqipëri ka një dimension të fortë territorial, i cili nuk kapet nga mesataret kombëtare.

Nga analiza te veprimi: një qasje e hershme place-based

Në vijim të këtij procesi, u tentua ndërtimi i një qasjeje më gjithëpërfshirëse në nivel qarku, duke përfshirë aktorë institucionalë, lokalë dhe socialë.

Në praktikë, kjo përfaqësonte një formë të hershme të asaj që sot njihet si:

• place-based development
• multilevel governance
• dhe integrim i politikave sociale me ato ekonomike

Qëllimi ishte të kalohej nga identifikimi i problemit te ndërtimi i zgjidhjeve të koordinuara në nivel territori.

Megjithatë, si shpesh ndodh në kontekste me institucione të paqëndrueshme, procesi nuk u vazhdua dhe nuk u institucionalizua më tej.

Problemi i vazhdimësisë institucionale

Një nga sfidat strukturore të qeverisjes publike në Shqipëri është mungesa e vazhdimësisë së politikave.

Iniciativat që ndërtojnë njohuri dhe eksperiencë në terren shpesh nuk trashëgohen nga administratat pasuese, duke krijuar një cikël fragmentimi institucional.

Ky fenomen ka dy pasoja të rëndësishme:

• humbje e kapitalit institucional dhe eksperiencës
• mungesë e politikave afatgjata të qëndrueshme

Në këtë mënyrë, politikat publike nuk zhvillohen si procese, por si ndërhyrje të shkëputura.

Varfëria si fenomen territorial dhe institucional

Nga kjo analizë del qartë se varfëria nuk mund të kuptohet vetëm si problem ekonomik. Ajo është rezultat i ndërveprimit midis:

• strukturës territoriale të zhvillimit
• kapacitetit institucional për qeverisje
• dhe mënyrës se si shpërndahen mundësitë ekonomike dhe sociale

Kjo kërkon një ndryshim paradigme në mënyrën e ndërtimit të politikave publike.

Nevoja për një paradigmë të re zhvillimi

Një qasje e re ndaj varfërisë nënkupton kalimin:

• nga mesatare kombëtare → te analiza territoriale
• nga politika të fragmentuara → te zhvillimi i integruar
• nga qeverisje e centralizuar → te qeverisje shumë-nivelëshe
• nga ndërhyrje sociale të izoluar → te politika zhvillimore territoriale

Në këtë kuadër, territori nuk është vetëm një njësi administrative, por një njësi zhvillimi ekonomik dhe social.

Implikime për reformën territoriale

Debati mbi varfërinë territoriale lidhet drejtpërdrejt me mënyrën se si strukturohet qeverisja territoriale në Shqipëri.

Një reformë territoriale që mbetet vetëm në nivel administrativ rrezikon të mos ndikojë në mënyrë reale mbi pabarazitë ekzistuese.

Sfida nuk është vetëm organizimi institucional i territorit, por aftësia për ta kthyer atë në një platformë aktive zhvillimi, ku politikat publike ndërtohen mbi realitete lokale dhe jo mbi mesatare kombëtare.

Në këtë kuptim, reforma territoriale dhe politikat e zhvillimit duhet të jenë pjesë e të njëjtit model të integruar.

Përfundim

Varfëria në Shqipëri nuk është vetëm mungesë të ardhurash. Ajo është pasojë e një modeli zhvillimi territorial të pabalancuar dhe e kufizimeve institucionale në mënyrën e qeverisjes së këtij zhvillimi.

Përvoja në terren dhe analiza institucionale tregojnë se pa një ndryshim të qasjes — nga ekonomike në territoriale dhe nga fragmentare në të integruar — politikat kundër varfërisë mbeten të pjesshme.

Në thelb, sfida nuk është vetëm reduktimi i varfërisë, por ndërtimi i një modeli zhvillimi ku territori, komuniteti dhe institucionet veprojnë në mënyrë të koordinuar dhe të qëndrueshme.

Burime dhe përvojë empirike

• Hoxhaj, L. (2010), Kundër varfërisë duke investuar në edukim, Tirana Observer
• Hoxhaj, L. (2012), A mund të mposhtim urinë?, Tirana Observer
• Hoxhaj. L  (2012) A mund të bashkëjetojnë uria me bollëkun? Tirana Observer
• Field Assessment, Qarku Berat (2003–2004), author-led territorial poverty study
• INSTAT (2008), LSMS
• World Bank (2012), Poverty Assessment Report
• FAO (2012), Food Insecurity Report
• OECD (2009), Place-based Development Framework 

Nga Luiza Hoxhaj

7/05/2026