TIRANA, Sept. 21 – Albania’s Office of People’s Advocate said the authorities move to demolish 150 homes in Shkoza as part of an urban development project violates the government’s own rules, and it is mulling a lawsuit to stop them.
The demolitions have been met with protests from residents who say they are not being compensated by the government for their losses.
The government says the homes are illegal constructions, even-though many were built before the fall of communism and had permits for construction by communist authorities.
The National Territory Protection Inspectorate is leading the demolitions aided by State Police.
Several people have been detained for disobeying police orders to leave.
The Shkoza residents rallied on Sunday in front of the U.S. Embassy and the head offices of the EU Delegation to Albania in an effort to secure international help because they say they have been failed by their own state.
