TIRANA, Aug 19 – Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa said residents residing near the March 15 explosion in Gerdec and Marqinet are now free to build new homes.
The only place not allowed for building was in the crater of the explosion, which killed 26 and injured 300 people. It also destroyed or damaged some 5,500 homes in the area.
During a trip to the area Tuesday, the minister said that new explosions from hidden shells were not likely.
Oketa said that the crater was some 800 hectares and remained highly dangerous since unexploded ordnance could still be there.
The minister also handed over the former building and area where the tank unit was housed to be used by the Vora town hall for a school there.
The army was still working to build an infrastructure in the area.
Minister Says Residents Free To Build, But At Gerdec Explosion Crater
Change font size:
Latest from News
Saudi Ambassador Presents Credentials To Albanian President As Ties Gain Momentum
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana Times, June 05, 2026 – Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to Albania, Turki Ibraheem Almadhi, presented his credentials to President Bajram Begaj, marking the formal start
Germany’s New Enlargement Formula and Albania’s European Illusion
Change font size: - + Reset For Albania, the real issue is not which accession model Europe chooses, but whether democracy, rule of law, and state integrity can still be restored. By
Pushing Against Inertia: How Harnex Is Testing the Balkans’ Appetite for Innovation
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana loves a good spectacle. Walk through the capital today and you are greeted by sleek new glass towers, vibrant urban spaces, and a relentless political
Shadow Fleet, Weak Oversight: How Russian Sanctions Evasion Reached Albania’s Ports
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana Times, May 18, 2026 – Albania’s ports have emerged as a potential weak point in the international effort to enforce sanctions against Russia, following revelations
Albania–Italy Migration Deal Continues
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana Times, May 13, 2026 — The Albania–Italy migration agreement remains in force, despite a brief but politically sensitive controversy triggered by comments from Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit