FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Public beach blocked by private gate behind the scenes, named after Termet Peçi's brother...
One of the most special and pristine areas of the Albanian coast, the Hidden Bay in Porto Palermo, is experiencing a silent but blatant usurpation of public space. Where for years ordinary citizens and tourists have enjoyed the nature, the sea and the peace of this rare place, today a locked iron gate awaits them, stopping any attempt to enter the beach that belongs to everyone.
Public beach, occupied by private individuals
This blockade was not made with an official announcement, nor with a warning sign, nor with any public decision of the Municipality of Himara. The gate was placed without any explanation, turning a free area into an illegally privatized space. Instead of access for everyone, today only those who manage to obtain the key from the staff of a nearby hotel can enter the forbidden bay.
Sources for Publik.al indicate that this hilltop hotel is owned by Vojo Peçi, the brother of former MP and former mayor of Përmet, Termet Peçi – a well-known figure in the socialist majority and a name embroiled in several local wealth and property scandals. By exploiting political connections and legal loopholes, Vojo Peçi appears to have managed to practically appropriate a segment of the Albanian coast, establishing complete control over its access and use.
The law, a worthless piece of paper in Himara?
According to the Constitution of Albania and the law “On Coastal Zones”, the coast is an inalienable public asset and cannot be privatized, occupied or blocked without a special decision by state authorities and only in cases provided for by law. But in Himara, as in many other areas, the law does not apply to the strong and those connected to power.
In this case, the usurpation of Hidden Bay is not only an environmental scandal, but also a brutal violation of the rights of citizens, who, in addition to paying taxes, are increasingly being excluded from the right to vacation in their own country.
The Municipality of Himara has not given any reaction, although the iron gate has been there for weeks. Institutions such as the National Coastal Agency, the Ministry of Tourism and the Territory Inspectorate are silent. This silence is cooperation. Because it does not take an in-depth investigation to understand that a hotel near the bay has put up the gate, and only its customers enter the beach.
Public reaction and immediate opening of the beach are required
Residents, tourists and outraged citizens have demanded urgent intervention to remove the gate, restore public access and initiate legal proceedings against the perpetrator of this flagrant violation. Hidden Bay is a national treasure, not a private property of a family hotel owned by the brother of a former politician.
If this precedent is not stopped today, tomorrow every coast of Albania could turn into the closed property of local rulers, clients, and oligarchs, excluding ordinary citizens from the right to rest and live in their country.
Lini një Përgjigje