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ULEZ LOCALDEVELOPMENTPLAN 2009-2014Author:ULEZ Commune , Under the support ofthe “Training Unit”

The process was directed by:Pal QOKU,Naim GAZIDEDE.

Contributors :Commune Administration:Cultural and Educational Departments;Primary Health and Hospital;Commune Council; civil society, etc.

And as well:The facilitators of the process:R. Hoxha, P. Pernezha (Training Unit)

For more information:

Ulez CommuneTel&Fax 0217email:

Diber Regional CouncilTel&Fax: 021822324pajtim71@yahoo.com

Training UnitTel:021822170njesiatrajnuese@yahoo.com

Design & Press“M&B” - Botime & Studio Grafike(04) 2 233 283, mbbotime@gmail.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUTTHE COMMUNE OF ULEZ 4

GENERAL VIEW OF THE COMMUNEPopulation 7Geographical position 8Education and human resources 8Culture and religious belief 8Organika e Komunës Ulëz 9

I. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 9Employment 10Businesses 10Agriculture 10Livestock 11

II. PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE 12

Potable Water 12Sewage Canals 12Canals for Potable Water and Irrigation 13Urban waste 13Other services 13

III. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 14Problems and development of education 14Problems and development of cultureand sports 14Problems and developement of healthservices 15

Natural resources 15

IV. GOOD GOVERNANCE 16Center for public information 16

V. TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 16

PRIORITIES BY FIELDEconomic Development 18Infrastructure / Public Services 19Social Development 20Good Governance 21Tourism Development 22

PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNEOF ULEZA 23,24

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O n behalf of the Ulez Commune Mayor, I would like to thank the supporters of the process for mappingout the development plan of Ulez Commune:The Regional Council of Dibra and SNV - Peshkopi

(Netherlands Development Organization), which throughits "Training Unit" powerfully contributed to the compilationof the main document for the future of the city.

The Local Development Plan, at the right moment in ouroverall economic and social development, comprises in itselfa management system that is universal, all-inclusive, andguides us towards progress with sure steps toward the Ulezof tomorrow.

The local development plan would have been curtailed if itwere carried out within the walls of the commune adminis-tration. This is why we have intentionally tried to involve asmany stakeholders and interested groups as possible, inorder to view the future from different points of view, whichhas resulted in full objectivity.

We thank the interest groups, the representatives of edu-cation, health, the water supply system, the tax board, andcivil society, which with their support made possible thecreation of a real profile of the new Ulza.

We would also like to acknowledge the scholars for theiropinions, which served as a guide towards the Ulza of to-morrow.

The vision inscribed in the pages of this plan ("Ulezawill be a town with contemporary infrastucture, healthyand educated people, a developed economy and qualityservices, an employed community, and the opportunity forentertainment and tourism") in itself summarizes the aim ofour efforts, the aim of creating a common future.

This vision it in itself is an obligation to follow andutilize every opportunity and capacity to build a town whereour children can feel safe.

In conclusion, we wish you all a successful completion ofthis development plan.

With respect, the Commune MayorWith respect, the Commune MayorWith respect, the Commune MayorWith respect, the Commune MayorWith respect, the Commune Mayor

PPPPPal QOKUal QOKUal QOKUal QOKUal QOKU

GREETINGS

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WHERE ARE WE?

The administration of the Ulez commune,supported by the Regional Council ofDibra and SNV Peshkopi, have since the firstphase of the process succeeded in makingpossible the identification of the entire cur-rent situation of this unit. At this stage, underthe appropriate directions and groups, all thenecessary data which will be the objective offurther analysis to rank the weaknesses of thisunit were collected in a six week period.

The overarching goal of the entire staffconsists of a SWOT analysis of all relevantparameters, so we are concentrating on in-formation about the groups that were part ofthe process.

Current economic development of the com-mune includes some of the main directionsand aspects.

Family and religious tourism.Agricultural and livestockdevelopment.Organization and marketingtowards the collection ofmedicinal plants.Establishment and strengtheningof the local market.Establishment of small processingbusinesses.Improvement of the environment.

The commune staff, its council and the lead-ers of the neighborhoods and villages, throughtheir increased capacities, are strengtheningand raising the development capacities of thewhole unit. These groups are not only makingtheir commune part of the development strat-egy of the Dibra region, but also compiledthe local commune development plan, in thisway opening a new development perspective.

1. WHY SHOULD THE COMMUNEPLAN BE MAPPED OUT?

The local development plan is a prospective document, drawn up by all local stake-holders, which creates the possibility of plan-ning, implementing and monitoring economic

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THECOMMUNE OF ULEZ1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

OF THE COMMUNE

Uleza lies in the northwestern part of thedistrict of Mat and is bordered by: Bazcommune to the east, Baz commune andMilot district to the south, Mirdite district tothe north, and to the west by the administra-tive borders of the Lezhe district. It has a ur-ban area of 2.2 km2 and an administrativearea of 200 km2 which constitutes 6.26% ofthe whole area of the Mat district (728 km2)where 2156 inhabitants live, spread through-out five villages (Bushkash, Stojan, Kerdhak,Madhesh and Lunder) and one urban center(the town of Ulez). Of these, 67.72% live inthe rural area and 32.28 % in the urban area.

The considerable human and natural re-sources of the commune mentioned onlypartly in the section above fully allow a sus-tainable development of this unit. Today, thecommune of Ulez is naturally and willingly in-volved in the process of the general democ-ratization of national life and also in the roadtowards the development of the market

economy and in the increase of well-being.

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and social development in the future. A localdevelopment plan that is the concern of onlythe administration is very unlikely to be all-in-clusive, whereas through community partici-pation this process is more productive andrequires the commitment of the whole com-munity and their leaders.

All local units have a general goal - Thedevelopment of the economy and the im-provement of services. Treating these asconcrete objectives documented in the LSP(Local Strategic Plan) of the commune, theseobjectives constitute indisputable prioritiesand offer different alternatives for successfulachievements.

2. FOR A COMMON VISION

In anyone's worldview, there is a fictionalidea of the future commune, a Europeancommune with contemporary infrastructureand great opportunities for the community tolive in comfort. Our obligation is to bring to-gether the imagination of everyone into acommon vision that will help to correctly de-fine the way towards future success.

3. A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Our future will certainly change throughoutthe coming years. We should be mem-bers and players of this change, we shouldaccelerate this change and we must engravea great change in the history of this town andof the five villages surrounding it. We shouldtry with our thoughts to document a strategicplan to ensure a safe future.

4. THE FIVE MAIN PILLARSA- Economic DevelopmentB- Development of Infrastructure and

SevicesC- Social Development,D- Good governance andE- Tourism Development

5. ONE COMMUNITY, MANY VOICES

It would have been very easy to prepare adevelopment document within the com-mune office, a document that a very fewpeople would have heard about and wherethe opinion of the community would not havehad a place in future development processes.In the methodology of the process for the com-

pilation of the local development plan of Ulezcommune the term "all inclusive" means theinclusion of all stakeholders in giving theiropinions for the future of their unit. Businessand civil society groups, youth, women, intel-lectuals, various administrations, and typicallyexcluded groups were included and easilyfound themselves involved in this process.Many opinions of the community were repre-sented during the process of the developmentplan of their unit.

6. COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC

Communication with the public has beencarried out through various methods.Questionnaires have been the classic methodfor obtaining independent opinions and evalu-ation of services offered up to the present.Meetings in each neighbourhood to introducethe program and to absorb community opin-ions were another methodology used for bet-ter and wider community communication.

7. WHO WAS INVOLVED IN DRAFTING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (THE DIAGRAM OF THE PROCESS)

To provide an open and transparent process, we adopted as a methodology thewidest possible inclusion of local stakehold-ers through an all-inclusive process. Maingroups: The development plan group of thecommune was composed of the mayor, thevice mayor, representatives of the adminis-tration of the commune, representatives of thecommune council and representatives of civilsociety. The general diagram of the process

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8. HOW DID WE CARRY OUT THEPROCESS? THE TEN STEPSTO DRAFT THE PLAN

1. Ensuring local involvementThis step, as one of the main steps, ensures

that the elected representatives of the commune,after familiarizing themselves with the programand its methodology, express their willingnessto follow and carry out all the relevant steps ofthe program.

2. Providing AssistanceBased on the methodology of the process,

the regional council of Dibra, through the "Train-ing Unit" and trainings of group members, of-fered assistance to the main group and the sub-groups of the main development directions inorder to make possible the realization and suc-cessful fulfillment of the whole process of thisprogram.

3. Starting workAccording to the plan of action approved by

the chairman of the Dibra Regional Council andthe mayor of Ulez Commune, all the steps ofthe process have been specified into concretemonthly activities with deadlines, and tasks havebeen assigned to every substructure which willbe involved in the program.

4. Gathering informationThis step enables the assessment of the situ-

ation "where we are", in such a way as to createa general opinion and an accurate view in orderto enable further analysis. This stage turns out

to be one of the most intensive stages of theprocess, where the involvement of many stake-holders and "key" informant individuals in gath-ering the necessary data turned out to be posi-tive. It is worth mentioning the fact that copiouswork has been done in the carrying out of thequestionnaire, with an intensity of around 15%,which testifies to a wide inclusion in the provid-ing of opinions on the current situation.

The absorption of the community membersopinion of the priorities was made possible withthe support of the "Training Unit". This step wasrealized through the implementation of manysurveys in every village, neighbourhood and in-terest group.

A draft project of the general profile of thecommune has been designed, referring to theinformation gathered.

5. Community MeetingsThe work group has used a series of options

to get the opinion of the community about theirfuture. The main workshop that included about100 participants, representatives of all director-ates, interest groups and members of the com-munity was organized in the commune, wherethe participants expressed their opinions andstrategic orientations for the Ulza of tomorrow.

6. Data synthesisAfter gathering general information and citi-

zens' opinions, according to the plan of actionthe working group defined the vision and theaction steps toward the orientations of strategicdevelopment. Then the development prioritieswere ranked in a general way according to thedirections and the main pillars of the compila-tion of this plan, which would be used as anevaluation subject at the next community meet-ing.

7. Eliciting the community's opinionThe community members, as well the repre-

sentatives of the institutions that have their ownactivities in Ulez commune, gave their assis-tance throughout the prioritization process indetermining the implementation order of thisstrategy. The results of this process are pub-lished in the tables of the strategic objectives atthe end of this document.

8. Integration in the budget process.It remains the duty of the commune staff to

integrate this document into the process of in-ternal budgeting. The objectives and prioritiesof this plan in themselves constitute an obliga-tion for the staff of this unit to execute the objec-tives in their internal budget, as well as to lookfor ways and possibilities of carrying them outwithin the five-year deadline of 2008-2015.

The Commune Mayor

LSP Staff

Institutions

Community

Q. Ulëz Bushkash

Kokërdhak Stojan

The CommuneCouncil

EconomicDevelompent

Group

InfrastructureDevelompent

Group

SocialDevelompent

Group

Good GovernanceGroup

Administration

Training Unit

Madhesh Lundër

Tourisem Devel-opment Group

is shown below:

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9. Continued monitoring and evaluation.The process of monitoring the implementa-

tion and execution of the Strategic DevelopmentPlan of the Uleza Commune will be a continuingwork objective for the commune staff, the Com-munal Council, and for the community as awhole. For effective monitoring, it would be bestto pursue this process through associations ororganizations which carry out activities in Ulezaand which have the proper experience in this field.

Deadlines for completion of the processThe entire process, referring to the work pro-

gram for execution of the "Local DevelopmentPlan of the Commune of Uleza", is expected tobe completed by the working group within a five-month period, and at the end of this period, whichfalls in the month of May of this year, the publi-cation and distribution of this document will be-come possible.

Deadlines for implementation of the planWith the goal of completing an ambitious and

achievable plan, the working group is expectedto satisfy its 7-year implementation deadline.From time to time the working group, startingfrom experience already gained, will improve itsdocumentation with new objectives and concretegoals in order to make possible the creation ofspaces for sustainable economic and socialdevelopment.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE COMMUNE

Female Male Total 2003 2008

1 Q.Ulez 343 353 696 195 178 98 7

2 Bushkash 325 299 624 168 155 75 27

3 Stojan 263 228 464 151 121 50 28

4 Kokërdhak 65 66 131 41 38 17 5

5 Madhesh 69 62 131 46 36 50 6

6 Lundër 55 55 110 43 30 10 7

TOTALI 1093 1063 2156 644 558 300 80

POPULATION

The Commune ofUleza has a popu-lation of 2156 inhabit-ants, of which 50.69%are female, accordingto statistics obtainedfrom the office of civilstatus. In reference to

No VillageNumber of inhabitatns

No. of familiesper year

No. ofretirees

Familieson econ.

assistance

nature and the employment that the unit of-fers, the population is heterogeneous, and thisis a result of the increasing population in thetime of the former dictatorship. There hasbeen a considerable inflow from the surround-ing districts and villages in the direction of thiscenter because of the construction of the hy-droelectric plant of Uleza and Shkopet.

The execution of multiple-year projects, aswell as the use of, clearly testify to a degreeof intellectual culture and constant civilizationin this area. The majority of the populationare Catholic or Bektashi, and a very small

minority belong to other faiths. A high degreeof respect between faiths can be noticed, andthe area is distinguished on its own as a zonewhere everyone respects the famous religiousobjects of this commune.

Since 1990-1992, as a result of thechanges brought by the transition that per-vaded all of Albania, Uleza has been facedwith a series of problems which have affectedthis community for 14-17 years.

In the above table, a crystallization of thepopulation can be noticed, and from one yearto another there is a slowing of movements

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GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

The Commune of Uleza, in the northeastof Albania, at coordinates of 20017"/ 14008", lies in the northwestern part of the Matdistrict and is bordered by: To the east, theCommune of Baz, to the south by Baz andthe Milot district, to the north by the District ofMirdita, and to the west by the administrative

towards the lower zones. The decrease ofthe population has been affected by migra-tions towards Tirana and Durrës, because ofstructural changes of the transition, inad-equate development of the private sector, fewregional economic exchanges, the absenceof stimulating measures in almost every di-rection. Emigration, as in all units of localgovernance in Albania, as well as in this unit,is high. Today, according to information ob-tained from the Office of Labor, it appears thataround 350 emigrants work and reside out-side the country, mainly in Greece, Italy, andEngland. Yearly income from emigrants totheir families totals approximately 700,000euro, income which goes in the direction ofhousehold needs and very seldom to createthe possibility of opening new businesses.This creates a vacuum with regard to privateinvestments in the country, which would en-courage development and strengthen infra-structure.

boundary of the Lezha dis-trict. Geographically, it is situ-ated around the lake of Ulezaand Shkopet, at an altitude of35-1100m above sea level.Uleza Commune is an impor-tant administrative center inthe region of Diber, contain-ing the administration of theKESH institution, in whicharound 135 employees fromUleza and the areas aroundit are employed.

Uleza is positioned in thecentral part of Northern Alba-nia, at a distance of 76 kmfrom Tirana, 22 km from theMat district, and 110 km fromthe administrative center ofthe Diber region, Peshkopi.

EDUCATION AND HUMANRESOURCES

- Population density is 10, 78 inhabitants/km².- Population distribution between the townand villages is: 67.72% in villages and32.28% in the town.- The educational level of the population re-port is as follows: 64 persons or 2.9% havehigher education, and 800 persons or 37.1%have a secondary-school education.

CULTURE AND RELIGIOUSBELIEF

Religious and cult objects: Uleza isone of the most important communeswhich throughout the years has shown a de-termination and desire to preserve religiousand cult objects, which today testify to cul-ture and respect for the past. Even if therehave not been clear policies and continualinvestments in the maintenance of theseobjects by local authorities, the communityis conscious of these high historical and re-ligious values, and has been attentive andin many cases even offered to help with theirmaintenance.

It has a general area of 200 km².

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MAYOR

CommuneCouncil

Finance

ORGANIGRAMStaff of the Commune of Uleza

The staff of the municipal administration ofUleza numbers 00 employees, of which 00%are female. They are illustrated below anddivided by sector:

Tax office

The Communepolic station

Services

Civil Status Office

Services / CityPlaning

Pastrim -Gjelbërimi

Archives/Protocol

The makeup of the Municipal Council isdivided by existing commissions: the Com-mission for Verification of Mandates, Com-mission for Economy and Finance, Commis-sion for Services and Emergencies, Commis-sion for Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports.

I. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Income of the unit for fiscal year 2007 and projected for 2008

Item Total income 07 % for commune Projection2008

I. TAX INCOME 1.Fixed property tax 40003 38003 5520142. Small business tax 4200 3990 4660 A) Local small business tax 414175 393466 4201153. 3. Local automobile registration tax 177006 168157 180453Taxes for signs 5500 5225 6300

AMOUNT I 640884 608840 1509141I1. FEESa) Public service fees 45800 44460 47535b) Granting of licenses, ermits, 84600 80370 93543 authorizations, and other docs.2. Other income 3920 3724 4200

AMOUNT II 135320 128854 145278TOTAL 776204 737393 1654419

Referring to the above table, and comparing income in the year 2007 to fiscal year2008, it appears that the projection for 2008

is much higher.This is partly due to an expectation of collect-ing land taxes, which total 345560 lekë.

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EMPLOYMENT

Of the current population, approximately60% represent a group of working age,in the age range of 18-60. In the Uleza com-mune, in comparison with figures from otherlocal units of the other administrative units ofthe Diber region, the rate of unemployment isat a minimal level. 391 persons are em-ployed by 33 registered entities, includingthose in both the public and private sectors.Labor-ready population inthe commune: 1290Employed in the public sector: 121Emploeyd in the private sector: 360Employed abroad: 350Employed in agriculture, livestock,forestry: 350Unemployed: 91.%

BUSINESSES.

In the town of Uleza there are 29 registeredbusinesses. These businesses carry out theiractivities in the urban zone of the city of Uleza,and small proportion of them in villages in thearea. Their activities are chiefly of a servicenature, the most concentrated of which are bars,cafes, restaurants, low-quantity sales points, andother services.

Income and expenses of the City

No Year State budget Grant Income Donors Total

1 2004 9896 12560 347 22503

2 2005 10056 12900 345 23301

3 2006 10725 13560 797 25082

4 2007 10400 12300 800 23500

INCOME

Investments:

No Year State budg.+Income Grant Investment

1 2004 0 23479 Water system

2 2005 973 School, road, canal 8260 Canals

3 2006 1450 Road 15740 Canals

4 2007 0 57 Canals

Total investments: 49.959.000 lekë

AGRICULTURE

Geographically, Uleza has a terrain structure dominated by mountains and hills,which occupy around 58.08% of its territorialarea. The remaining part is flat. Around 22.5km² consists of the surface of the lakes ofUleza and Shkopet. 90% of the area is madeup of forests, which lie within the territorialboundaries of the commune. They are prin-cipally pine, spruce, and oak. Around them,often between them, and especially in the formof alpine pastures, natural pastures are found.The natural flora of this area is fairly rich andhas numerous uses. We mention particularlymedicinal plants, aromatic plants, and thosewith industrial uses.

Agr. land (ha) Forest(ha)

Meadow/pasture (ha)

LakesAra Orchards Vineyards

4300 233 22.5km2315 13 8

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Agriculture in the Commune of Ulezais focused in the villages of the area,Kokerdhak, Bushkash and Stojan. As inthe entire country, it has undergone greatchanges during the period of transition.The socialist agriculture system (coopera-tives) was dismantled and this was accom-panied by serious damage to water anddrainage networks, buildings which servedagricultural production, etc. The use ofagricultural resources fell drastically, whichbrought reductions in agricultural produc-tion.

The main products are corn, veg-etables, beans and fodder, which are in themajority of cases for the needs of the re-spective families, and very seldom for themarket.

The possibilities demonstrated duringthe process of data-gathering with special-ists in the field are: Creation of the possibil-ity of adding to planted areas, construction ofa watering system, construction of a marketfor agricultural products, granting of technicaland professional assistance to farmers, sub-sidies for chemical pesticides, developmentand strengthening of marketing of agriculturalproducts, low-interest loans for farmers aimedat development of this area, etc.

LIVESTOCK

During the reform, together with land, livestock animals and other assets such astractors and stalls were distributed. Livestockas well as agriculture may be considered asa sector that did not develop rapidly duringthe transition, because of the specific natureof the land and the harsh climate of the zone.The number of animals has generally risen,but this does not mean that families in thisarea can depend on them for economic de-velopment and development of their busi-nesses.

Commune Small livestock Cattle Poultry

Sheep Goats

1970 580 6410ULËZ 760

Pigs

710

Analyzing the figures above, it appears thatthe total number of small livestock and cattlefulfills the demands of the market of the com-

Meat Wool Eggs

Sheep

Goats

Cattle

Poultry

Pigs

Dairy

8.2 t

19.7 t

29 t

12.8 t

42 t

90 t

198 t

231 t

11 t

157900

Total income from livestock per year:20 million lekë.

In the future as well, the livestock sector willcomprise the most important activity in theproductive agricultural activity of the Com-mune. Out of the main problems in develop-ment of livestock, and those which demandattention, we may mention: improvement ofbreeds, improvement of feeding struc-tures, creation of appropriate hygienicand sanitary conditions, increasing thenumber of animals on each farm, im-provement of infrastructure for process-ing and trading of livestock products,adaptation of small farms in order to in-crease livestock, increase the areasused for fodder, low investment for de-velopment of livestock sector, the pos-sibility of ensuring the survival of fami-lies, the possibility of ensuring incomethroughout the year, etc.

mune for livestock production. According tothe data obtained from the sector of ____ ofMat, livestock production is as follows:

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II.PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The community in urban and rural zoneshas a particular model of principal needs:roads, sewage canals, canals for potablewater, a water supply system, electricity, tele-phones, medical services, schools, shops,hygienic and sanitary conditions, etc.

The road and transportation network isone of the instruments which people needfor exchange of goods and services. Froman administrative perspective, the road net-work has two owners: the national director-ate of roads and the Commune. The terri-tory of this unit covers around 10 km of na-tional roads, part of the Peshkopi-Tiranaroad, and 27 km of roads under the admin-istration of the Commune. Starting from thestructure of these road axes, they are dividedinto asphalt/cement roads and dirt roads.Considering the road network to be an im-portant factor, significant investments havebeen made in recent years in the domesticroad network, using funds from the state bud-get, various donors, and from the Communeitself.

POTABLE WATER

Providing the community with potable water is currently a priority for central andlocal governance. This is seen not merely as

a matter of quantity but also of quality, andboth are directly connected to the improve-ment of the quality of life of the community. Toprovide potable water in the Commune, thefollowing are used: Supply to the urban zone(centered on Uleza), the city, is realized by awater system with a length of 10 km in its mainnetwork and 2 distribution networks and acapacity of 518 m³ per year. This service isoffered through public faucets. In rural zones,water supply through a water system occursonly in the village of Stojan with the water sys-tem of this village, from which around 70 fami-lies benefit. This water system, because ofdeterioration, does not perform acceptably inproviding water to these families, and thusmeasures need to be taken to improve its net-works.

SEWAGE CANALS

The construction of canals for sewage andpotable water is one element of infrastruc-ture that has begun to be valued particularlyin recent years, since as a result of the con-centration of the population in the center ofUleza and of the slowing of migration move-ments, thinking has become clearer regard-ing proper functioning of this service in orderto create a tourist-friendly climate, as Uleza

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indeed is. Starting from the moment of con-struction of the urban center of this commune,a network of sewage canals has beenplanned and built. The only problem for thisservice is drainage and discharge, since forthe moment these are negatively impactingthe environment.

Meanwhile, in the villages of this com-mune the most common way of dealing withsewage is that of individual septic tanks,the breakdown of which often causes leak-age onto the road and constitutes a prob-lem in itself from an environmental perspec-tive.

CANALS FOR POTABLE WATERAND IRRIGATION

Uleza Commune is faced with a problem:the lack of possibility of ensuring suffi-cient water for irrigation of farmland. Thevillage of Bushkash has an irrigation canal,but because of deterioration, it does not en-sure a sufficient quantity of water to irrigatethe agricultural areas. For the villages ofStojan and Kokerdhok, which lack the pos-sibility of securing irrigation water, the build-ing of stations to pump water from the lakeof Uleza is seen as an alternative, since thehigh areas where farmland is located aresmall.

URBAN WASTE

Uleza Commune in itself constitutes agood example of an urban environmentcompared with other units of the Diber region.Waste removal in Uleza functions by meansof a cleaning crew, which is part of the ad-ministration of the commune.

Urban waste, lacking any alternative, isdumped far from inhabited centers andburned, a process which, apart from thehigh risk, is not environmentally friendly. Amore systematic way of dealing with thisproblem, and the acquisition of a geologi-cally studied landfill area would constitutean advantage for this unit, in order to en-sure an appropriate environment for devel-opment and strengthening of tourism in thecommune.

OTHER SERVICES

Postal and telephone services, as in theentire country, are present. Postal ser-vices are organized and carried out by a na-tional company, Posta Shqiptare, as well asby a private company, Albania Ekspres. Thisservice is not at a high level, and this is be-cause of the ongoing lack of precise ad-dresses for families. Good work is beingdone in this direction with the support of localauthorities. Placement of mailboxes and cre-ation of an address database would beadviseable and would be a complete im-provement of this service.

Telephone service is provided by AMC-Mobil and Vodafone-Mobil, which operate inthe entire Albanian market. Landline servicedoes not cover this commune and the provi-sion of a landline signal to families would bea financial support for the economies of thiszone, since the cost of Albtelecom service isseveral times lower than the services that areoffered at the moment.

The other two companies operate mobile(cellular) networks, and their services are of-fered in the entire territory of this unit. Accord-ing to official statistics, this service is offeredin more than one case in each family.

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III. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTPROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENT

OF EDUCATION

In the commune of Uleza, education is carried out through preschool, primary school,elementary school, and secondary profes-sional school. The placement of the networkof primary and elementary schools in the ru-ral zone in conditions of a not-very-pro-nounced migration does not constitute anyrisk for the future of sustainable developmentof this service to the community.

Today a population with satisfactory edu-cation lives in this commune, mainly with sec-ondary education. It is worth emphasizing thatthere is a considerable number of personswith higher education, in which electrical spe-cialists predominate, since the presence oftwo hydroelectric dams within the administra-tive territory of the commune affects thecommunity's inclination to educate their chil-dren in this field.

In the commune there are one kindergar-ten with a total of 25 children, 2 elementaryschools which are attended by 160 students,14 teachers, and one professional electri-cians' secondary school with 140 studentsand 7 teachers. A problem for these studentsis the distance of their home from the schoolwhere they study, a problem which should bemoved towards a solution in the near future,especially for the primary grade level.

Based on statistics obtained, it appearsthat in each year, the number of students inthe entire educational system within the terri-tory of the commune is rising, and this for the

following reasons:i) Migratory movements, up to a

point, have generally stabilized.ii) Because of the level of teaching,

one notices a movement of stu-dents from the communes in thedirection of the professionalschool.

iii) The secondary school is being at-tended by students from the com-munes of the Mat district.

PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENTOF CULTURE AND SPORTS

Sports facilities: The Uleza Commune offers very few opportunities for sports andentertainment of youth in the dirction of sportsactivities. The summer period, which corre-sponds with an addition to the number of in-habitants by vacationers from other zones, isan opportunity which should be taken intoconsideration. Organization of sports activi-ties and invigoration of the life of youth in thisdirection will be a step towards the future oflocal governance. The lack of sports facili-ties is a result of the impossibility of large-scale intervention by the commune, as wellas of the lack of interest from private entitiesin this district.

Cultural facilities: The transition period,as in the whole of Albania, included eventhe few cultural centers in the country, de-grading them to the point of total dysfunc-tion. Uleza, a territory with history and an

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opportunity for cultural develop-ment, was faced with these dif-ficulties, and the present stateof affairs offers no prospects inthis direction. 50.3% of thecommunity of the commune ofUleza state that they are dissat-isfied with facilities and oppor-tunities for entertainment. Thebuilding of a cultural centerwould constitute an advantagefor this unit, which center wouldhave a positive effect on theunit's income, as well as creat-ing an entertainment opportu-nity for the community and thenumerous vacationers in thesummer months.

PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPEMENT OFHEALTH SERVICES

Distance from the urban center, the levelof nutrition, overall living conditions, thedifficulties of labor in hydroelectric plants andagriculture, different climatic conditions withrelatively low temperatures, etc., make nec-essary the existence of a health service asappropriate and serviceable to the commu-nity as possible. The commune's health sys-tem consists of the Uleza hospital located inthe urban part of the city, two health centers,one ambulance in the village of Bushkash, andanother in the village of Stojan. The other threevillages, Lunder, Kokerdhak, and Madhesh,lack appropriate facilities for providing medi-cal services. The health service is confrontedwith problems such as the lack of specialistphysicians, lack of medical equipment, lackof medicines, reduced work time for doctors,etc. Supplies in the Uleza hospital are lim-ited, and essential specialized services forthe community are unavailable.

Another problem is the culture of healthcare. People seek the assistance of a physi-cian only in cases of emergency and do notcome in for regular checkups.

The health sector is faced with a series ofother problems which in themselves also con-stitute the weakest points of this service. Theyare:

i) Lack of medical equipment,

ii) Inappropriate conditions of hospi-tal facilities,

iii) Lack of health centers in threevillages of this unit,

iv) Lack of professional capacities,including doctors and nurses.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Uleza has a considerable expanse of forest, including beech, pine, spruce, andmeadowlands as well, which possess a strik-ing natural beauty. These aids in the protec-tion of the land from erosion, and at the sametime provide timber for fuel, construction, etc.Many medicinal plants grow in these forests,such as juniper, wild roses, mountain teaplants, lime trees, hollyhock, basani flowers,elder trees, etc. The higher-altitude forestsare in relatively good condition, as well as thegroves and shrubbery that have been pre-served from uncontrolled cutting, which hasreduced the scale of erosion and other envi-ronmental problems.

The Commune of Uleza has rich and di-verse natural resources. Offering a beautiful,primarily mountainous landscape with numer-ous forests and broad pastures, with plentifuland high-quality surface and subterraneansprings, with massive rocks which give varia-tion in form and color to this landscape, thisflourishing wilderness is inviting and makesone optimistic about the opportunities fordevelopment of tourism in this area.

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CENTER FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION

One of the problems demonstrated in thiscommune, as a concern of the entireworking group, is the lack of a civic informa-tion system.

Based on the results of the survey carried

IV. GOOD GOVERNANCEout in this commune, a lack of interest hasbeen noticed on the part of the communityregarding decision-making by the council ofthe commune. Although the community issatisfied with the transparency offered by theadministration of this unit, around 86% ofthem do not take part in the various processesled by the commune or by the communal coun-cil. Although the community is conscious ofthe movement towards collaboration and ap-pears ready to take part in events and otherprocesses having to do with overall economicand social development, around 91% of themhave not had opportunities to work togetherin this direction. An analysis of the figuresabove shows a pronounced weakness in theadministration of the commune and its deci-sion-makers; thus an increase of collabora-tion with the community and their participa-tion in the vital processes of this unit is cer-tainly called for well into the future.

V. TOURISM DEVELOPMENTTRADITIONAL COSTUME. The zone of

Rranxa, of which Uleza is also a part, has along and rich history in time and space. Thesettlement of this zone dates back centuries,with traces evident even today. Uleza is char-acterized by a desire to preserve old things,and this is demonstrated by the traditionalcostumes of the zone, which are used in theiroriginal form even today. Although there isno museum to display them, the communityhas long desired a large and secure museumin order to preserve these treasures. Thezone of Uleza is characterized by a Mirditorstyle of dress which isclosely connected withCatholic religious belief.Folk costume and the gar-ments typical of the zonedeserve great attention inthe future and constitute apoint of interest for attract-ing visitors to the commune.Acquisition of facilities andpremises for display of thisliving culture remains thelargest problem; thus, in ourview, the proposal to set up

a museum in Uleza would constitute an ad-vantage in ensuring the development of sus-tainable tourism.

CULTURAL OBJECTS. From the view-point and perspective of a tourist in Albania,the past remains in its original form, the oldand ancient, nature and its resources. Ulezahas the good fortune to possess every pos-sible means of offering development of tour-ism. There are numerous old civic and reli-gious buildings which offer astonishing views,but it is nature in its original state that offersthe most stunning views in Albania. The old

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residences which are located in almost theentire territorial area of the commune andwhich demonstrate past styles of building andof living, with magnificent architecture, inthemselves constitute a treasure of this zone,for which special concern should be shown.The churches and famous religious objectsof Uleza offer a broad view of the religiousculture of the zone. In addition to offering anopportunity to observe the rites of the Catho-lic faith, they also serve as special and im-portant objects for tourism development in thezone.

In itself, the administrative territory ofUleza offfers an opportunity for leisure andaccommodation for family tourism. In itsentire area, initiatives for creation of condi-tions of leisure and tourism developmentmight be developed and supported. TheShkopet lake basin, the Uleza lake basin,forests, green spaces, villages, the land in-tegrated with fields, hills and mountains, willhave a positive impact on the economic andsocial development of households in thiszone; thus from a civic perspective, tourismdevelopment remains one of the strongestpoints for the future of this unit.

BUSINESSES. Over the last ten years,set off by the development of tourism in thezone, an interest in family tourism has arisenamong businesses. There are around 16businesses which offer conditions and ser-vices for hospitality and escorted tourism toaround 10,000 vacations and visitors peryear, which are a satisfactory source of in-come for the zone under discussion. Theincrease of capacity for accommodation andof the quality of services will in the future con-stitute an opportunity for tremendous devel-opment of tourism.

In this direction, there is a pronounced im-provement in fishing in the lake of Uleza andShkopet, and the "Uleza carp" is the mostsought-after culinary speciality in local restau-rants.

THE LAKE. The artificial lakes of Ulezaand of Shkopet are sufficient sources for theaccommodation of around 2,000 vacationersper year. Currently, the beach is useablealong a short area of lakefront, which doesnot provide high capacity for hosting vacation-ers. Increasing the capacity of the beach in

the area known as the Uleza center, as wellas in the northern part of the lake, would helpto increase the number of vacationers. Thesystemization of the approximately 1500meters of lakefront would ensure a comfort-able vacation for over 10,000 vacationers peryear.

ACCOMMODATION: Current accommo-dation capacity in Uleza is around 500-1000vacationers in the summer season. The in-crease of accommodation capacity and ofavailable space is a necessity for businesses.The commune must therefore lay out a fullmaster plan in the future in order to ensuredeveloped and sustainable tourism.

ENTERTAINMENT: Conditions for enter-tainment are a necessity in order to attractvacationers and tourists. Currently these ser-vices are lacking. Initial steps to ensure suffi-cient activities and locations must thereforebe undertaken. The construction and opera-tion of a summer sports complex would con-stitute an assurance that such activities willbe encouraged.

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PRIORITIES BY FIELDECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Construction of a pump station in BushkashConstruction of a reservoir in StojanConstruction of a tourism complex next to the Uleza lakes(suggestion for the master plan)Construction of a processing chain for livestock productsConstruction of a modern slaughterhouse in the Uleza centerAugmentation of fodder areas in the villages of the communeConstruction of a pump station in Kokerdhok

ACTIVITIES

Increase of the number of animals and of the structure of livestock, to theextent handle able by the drainage capacity of natural pastures and of theamount of agricultural land planted with fodderGeneral vaccination of animals in the entire Commune.Improvement of breeds and preservation of local strains.Development of marketing for agriculture products of the zone.

VISION

ULEZAwill be a tourist-friendly communewith contemporary infrastructure,educated and healthy people,a developed economy, high-quality services,an employed community, and opportunitiesfor entertainment.

VISION

ULEZAwill be a tourist-friendly communewith contemporary infrastructure,educated and healthy people,a developed economy, high-quality services,an employed community, and opportunitiesfor entertainment.

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Improvement of overall hygienic andsanitary conditions, while restaurantsin Uleza create their own culinarystyles using dishes typical of our zone.Compilation of brochures and tour-ism materials for the commune, inwhich the most salient features of ourculture, traditions, and beautiful, richnatural environment are displayed.Creation of a botanical corner wherethe rich plant life of the zone will bereflected.Market studies and encouragement ofprivate investors towards the open-ing of a workshop for handcrafted products. Contracts with private domestic andforeign garment companies, and identification of appropriate markets for handcraftedproducts.Support for existing wood-processing businesses by creating easier conditions fortheir development.Identification of and support for individual or commercial initiatives for develop-ment of businesses involved in gathering, processing, and trade of medicinal, aro-matic, and industrial-use plants.Organization of and support for fishing activity in the artificial lakes.

INFRASTRUCTURE / PUBLIC SERVICESMapping out of (urban) regulatory plans for the Commune of UlezaRepair of building fronts in the city of UlezaRenovation of the water network in the Uleza centerConstruction of a water system in BushkashAcquisition of vehicles for cleaning services in the CommuneRenovation and repair of the Sewage System in the Ulezacenter and in the village of BushkashRenovation of the road to BushkashOrganization of cleaning services by means of wastecollection and removal and placement of binsConstruction of drop-off locations for household and organicwaste in villagesConstruction of a road between Ules and UjeshtrezeCreation of repair points for electrical appliancesRepair and pavement of roads in the Uleza centerConstruction of a road between the Uleza Bridge and thehydroelectric dam (around the lake)Renovation of the water system in StojanMaintenance of public cemeteries in the commune of UlezaRenovation of the road to Stojan

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ACTIVITIES

Repair of the engineering network (network of sewage canals, water system,electrical system)Additions to forested areasProtection of other natural resources, such as water sources, plants, andrare animalsImprovement of telecommunications and postal servicesCovering of the entire territory of the Commune with television repeatersfor national television station

Construction of an urban landfill for the Commune of Uleza,and possibly for surrounding communes

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTPurchase of an ambulanceConstruction of a dormitory for students at the professionalschoolRenovation of educational, school, and preschool institutionsRenovation of cultural and historic assets in each zone of theCommune (churches) and preservation of such assetsConstruction of game and sports areas for adults and the elderlySetting up of recreational and entertainment facilities foryouth, children, and the elderlyConstruction of sports facilities and gymnasiums in the schoolsof the Uleza centerConstruction of a cultural center in the Commune of UlezaSetting up of laboratories for natural sciences in the schools ofthe commune, and acquisition of necessary materialsFurnishing ambulances with essential emergency equipment, aswell as medicines and medical materials

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ACTIVITIES

Improvement of hygienic and sanitary practices in villagesIncrease of the level of hygiene and sanitation in local institutions (schools,health centers, kindergartens, administrative offices)Increase of technical and professional expertise of medical personnel throughshort training coursesStrengthening of measures to prevent contagious disease through the pro-cess of immunizationPromotion of cultural assets and traditions inside and outside the countryEducation of the community regarding maintenance of these cultural assetsPromotion of cultural heritage.

Construction of a wall around the Uleza SchoolConstruction of a health center in the village of Kokerdhok (A-2)Collection and systematization of waste in all neighborhoodsConstruction of a museum for the zone

GOOD GOVERNANCEFurnishment of the Commune with essential equipmentsuch as computers.Renovation of commune offices.Setting up of information signboards in the commune.

ACTIVITIES

Preparation of an ethics code for the commune, including the relationshipsbetween the commune, council, and community.

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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVITIES

Finding of partners fortourism developmentCollaboration withtourism agenciesEncouragement forrestaurants to includetraditional items ontheir menus.

Repair of building fronts in the city.Construction of recreational squares.Construction of game facilities and sports activities for vacationers.Installation of lighting on roads and in squares in the Uleza center.Regulation of squares and gardens.Regulation of lakefront areas for beach use.Composition and publication of a tourist guide.Encouragement for businesses to build accommodation facilities.Placement of signs for cultural and cult assets.Publication of pamphlets about features of importancefor tourism, culture, and the environment.Setup of a tourism agency for Uleza.

Holding of meetings/round-tables with the goal of informing the community,the council, and the mayor about work done, investments carried out, thoseplanned, and various other activities.Holding of meetings/round-tables with the goal of obtaining informationfrom the community about neighborhood needs.Invitation of neighborhood representatives to meetings of the communalcouncil and holding of hearings.Assignment of one or two persons from the commune staff to offer informa-tion to the community.Display of important information (structure, the budget, taxes and fees, in-vestments carried out and those planned, etc.) on the commune billboard.Improvement of relations between local and national media, both print andvisual.Collection of the opinions of citizens and the community through neighbor-hood meetings.Use of various means to obtain the opinions of citizens during the planningof the budget and setting of priorities.Organization of open meetings, forums, etc., when important decisions areto be made which will affect the life of the community.Continual training of the administration regarding the duties it covers.Training of councillors regarding their rights and responsibilities, their role andrelationship with the administration, as well as their communication skills.

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PRIORITIES OF THECOMMUNE OF ULEZA1. Preparation of regulatory (urban) plans for the Commune of Uleza2. Regulation of Ulez city (Watersupply, Sewerage Network System, Seweage

Manhole, Storm water network system, Landfill, Eletrical Network System,Facades of buildings, Green enviorements and walksides, Public Lightingsystem and asphalting of the roads)

3. Asphalting of the road Bushkash4. Asphalting of the road Stojan5. Construction of the watersupply Bushkash6. Reconstruction of the watersupply Stojan7. Reconstruction of the Commune Offices8. Construction of a pump station for Bushkash9. Construction of an urban landfill for the Commune of Uleza10. Asphalting of the roads in the Ulez city11. Construction of a cultural center in the Commune of Uleza12. Purchase of an ambulance13. Construction of a water collection for Stojan village14. Renovation of educational, school, and preschool institutions15. Construction of a tourism complex next to the Uleza lakes (suggestion for

the master plan)16. Construction of a dormitory for students at the professional school17. Renovation of the cultural and historical assets of the Commune (churches)18. Construction of a processing chain for livestock products19. Construction of a modern slaughterhouse for the Uleza center20. Renovation and repair of the Seweage Network System in the Uleza center

and in the village of Bushkash21. Acquisition of vehicles for cleaning services in the Commune22. Construction of game and sports facilities for adults and the elderly23. Setting up of recreational and entertainment facilities for youth, children,

and the elderly24. Construction of sports facilities and gymnasiums in the schools of

the Uleza center25. Organization of cleaning services and placement of bins26. Construction of recreational squares27. Construction of game facilities and sports activities for vacationers28. Augmentation of areas used for fodder in the villages of the commune29. Installation of lighting system on roads and in squares in the Uleza center

30. Supplying of the Commune with essential equipment such as computers31. Setting up of laboratories in the schools of the commune and

acquisition of basic materials32. Regulation of lakefront areas for beach use33. Composition and publication of a tourist guide34. Supplying of ambulances with essential emergency equipment35. Construction of drop-off locations for household and organic waste36. Construction of a road between Ules and Ujeshtreze37. Creation of repair points for electrical appliances38. Setting up of an informational notice board in the commune.39. Construction of fence for school of Uleza40. Construction of a health center in the village of Kokerdhok (A-2)41. Construction of a road between the Uleza Bridge and the

hydroelectric dam (around the lake)42. Encouragement for businesses to build accommodation facilities43. Placement of signs for cultural and cult features44. Collection and regulation of waste for all neighborhoods45. Construction of a museum for the zone46. Maintenance of public cemeteries in the commune of Uleza47. Construction of a pump station for Kokerdhok48. Publication of pamphlets about features of importance for tourism,

culture, and the environment in Uleza.49. Setting up of a tourism agency for Uleza