Author: Bardha Nergjoni | Elbasan | Citizens.al
In the first weeks of this year, which were marked by continuous rainfall, in Rrapishte, part of the "5 Maji" neighborhood of the city of Elbasan, the streets were filled with water holes and mud.
Residents tried to cross the ponds in boots, with children in their arms, or on bicycles that barely moved. Disappointed this year again by the unfulfilled promises, they emphasize that this situation is repeated often.
"It's been like this for years," says Paqizja, an old resident of the neighborhood, pointing at the unpaved road.
"We have asked many times, I have spoken everywhere. They tell us we will do it, we will do it... and then silence. Only our area is like this. Why? Because we are Roma."
In this area of "Region 6," since 2005 residents have been hearing that "the road will be made". They have made written requests, gathered during the Participatory Budgeting process (a process that involves citizens in determining the budget), and participated in public meetings.
"We have made the request hundreds of times. We want them to make this our road. Our neighborhood is a disaster," says another resident.
"We have been waiting for 20 years for our roads to be fixed, for Manasderja to be cleaned and for us to have more bins. This situation has been here since 2005 and roads are being paved everywhere, but not here," says Kimete Ademi, who has been present at many meetings with the municipality to request intervention in the arrangement of roads and cleaning of the neighborhood.
In October 2025, a participatory budgeting meeting for “Region 6” was held at the “Qemal Haxhihasani” school.
According to the official minutes, among the priorities voted on by residents of the “5 Maji, Rrapishte” neighborhood were the asphalting of the “Hysen Alikopili” and “Kamber Xherija” streets. The names of the streets were put on paper and the requests were ranked as priorities.
Meanwhile, Doris Madhi, an opposition councilor in the Municipal Council, presented the residents' petition with their signatures, which was sent by e-mail to all councilors, but this was not enough to secure funding for the roads requested by the Roma community.
The Mayor of the Municipality, Gledian Llatja, during the budget approval meeting presented the list of investments in roads and infrastructure. He also mentioned the “Xhaferr Belgu” and “Hysen Alikopili” streets as future investments.
However, according to an official response that residents have received from the municipality, some of these roads do not result in the current investment plan.
"The consultation process, if the priorities of the residents are not taken into account, has no value," says Ervis Çota, leader of the Egyptian Roma Youth Movement, who has followed all institutional steps with the residents to make these investments a reality.
"Our demands are reflected in the list, but when it comes to funds, we are told that there is no investment plan or that there will be financing from other funds and not from the municipality's budget."
He has accompanied the residents in several decision-making processes, but now, together with them, he expresses disappointment at the lack of finalization of the investment.
In Rrapishte, infrastructure is not a luxury, but a basic necessity: paved roads that don't flood every time it rains.
"We are people too," says Nazmi Kallku, an elderly man, watching children playing near a mud puddle. "We shouldn't suffer like this."
While demanding paved roads and functional sewers, residents of the Roma community in the Rrapishte neighborhood also raise concerns about the area's school.
The educational building is in a degraded state, with depreciated infrastructure and conditions that, according to them, do not guarantee a dignified environment for children. So far, there has been no concrete investment for reconstruction.
On the other hand, the municipality states that investments for the Rrapishte neighborhood are expected to be covered by the Albanian Development Fund and that there will soon be a concrete response to the planned interventions. Residents remain waiting, hoping that the promises will be translated into real investments that will improve living and educational conditions.
And every time it rains, Rrapishta reminds us that promises, without asphalt and without sewers, never dry up.
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