
The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, clarified in an interview for 'Top News' that "Ibrahim Rugova" street has not been shortened, as has been said by the opposition in the media in recent days, but on the contrary, it has been extended by 300 meters and goes up to Lake Dam.
Veliaj emphasized that the segment from 'Shallvaret' to 'Banka e Albania', which for several years was called "4 Shkurti" street, has been named "Martyrs of 4 February". "The 'Ibrahim Rugova' street has not only been shortened, but has been extended and I am explaining why. It starts at the Ura e Lana Bridge, continues to the Presidency, then to the 'Shopen' square, but it does not end there, because with the opening of the former Guard of the Republic, it continues across it, extending another 300 meters. The rest of the road, the segment from 'Shallvaret' to 'Bank of Albania' was called '4 Shkurti' road. It has been called that for 7-8 years. Veterans' organizations asked us to clarify its name in 'February 4 Martyrs'", he said.
Veliaj added that he has communicated with the family of the former President of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, with whom he is planning to place a statue in Tirana.
"Yesterday I had a long and extremely friendly conversation with Ukë Rugova, the son of the honorable President, Ibrahim Rugova. I explained the situation to him and he was extremely understanding. I am friends with that family. In my office, the Rugova family received Albanian citizenship. It was a great honor for me! Ms. Rugova came to Albania for the first time, so I have the obligation to explain to the Rugova family and they are not only clear, but also kind, even together we are planning to place a statue of Ibrahim Rugova in one of the squares of the road that has now been extended. So, it also passes the former Guard of the Republic and goes to the Artificial Lake Dam because it is a continuation of that road, between the former Guard. It will be a very beautiful pedestrian area and maybe there is also the ideal place for a statue of Ibrahim Rugova".
The mayor said that the smoke created in Tirana and in Kosovo was organized by politicians and analysts who aim for division. "I am sorry that the Municipality of Tirana is attacked by those people who, while they were in the municipality, wanted to turn the "Kosova" school into a palace, while they were in the government they supplied oil to Milosevic, even for them the KLA was a terrorist organization and while they were when these leaders were alive, Sali Berisha did not speak to you - just like with Azem Hajdari's model. But, I believe that the real problem we have in Albania and Kosovo has to do with some people who still have sympathy for fascism. If Ibrahim Rugova were alive, as the greatest anti-fascist to Milosevic's fascism, he would have the honor to be in a segment, which is separated by a river, with the name of an anti-fascist movement. such as the Anti-Fascist Movement in Albania. So, here the problem is not the road! Who will know the truth, discovers the truth. Those who live in Tirana know what the truth is like. The problem we have there and across the border, is that we have politicians who can't wait to find the prey of the day, just like that hyena that catches its prey and tears it apart, and tear our nation apart. Our duty as serious people is not to be divided, neither by these politicians, nor by the analysts, who are on the border of these politicians both over there and across the border", said Veliaj. just like that hyena that catches its prey to tear it apart, and tear our nation apart. Our duty as serious people is not to be divided, neither by these politicians, nor by the analysts, who are on the border of these politicians both over there and across the border", said Veliaj. just like that hyena that catches its prey to tear it apart, and tear our nation apart. Our duty as serious people is not to be divided, neither by these politicians, nor by the analysts, who are on the border of these politicians both over there and across the border", said Veliaj.