The municipality of Tuzi, about 10 km from Podgorica, has been self-governing detached from the capital of Montenegro for 8 years. Mayor Lindon Gjelaj says that this division has given the municipality more opportunities to manage finances and make investments.
“The first year of our municipality’s independence in 2019, the budget of the municipality was 1.7 million euros. Today we are talking about a budget of 13 million euros. That is, we managed to fix the entire road infrastructure in our municipality as early as 2019, we do not have depopulation of our citizens, that is, they do not leave our municipality, we have opened over 400 jobs. That is, new jobs for our young people only here in the municipality of Tuzi, but also in the municipality of the capital, that is, in the capital of Podgorica“, said Gjelaj, mayor of the Municipality of Tuzi, Montenegro.
However, the process of administrative separation with Podgorica has not yet been fully completed. According to Gjelaj, bureaucratic procedures continue to be one of the main challenges.
Another important direction for Tuzi is cooperation with Albania. The municipality intends to develop joint projects that affect the development of the area.
“Through the Union of Municipalities in Tirana, Skënderbe Square has been financed, that is, we have merged it with Skënderbeu Square. Our diaspora has placed the Skanderbeg bus, worth about €800,000, two years ago. So I am convinced that the cooperation will develop even more with the municipalities of Albania”he said.
With about 13,000 inhabitants, Tuzi intends to continue investments and further strengthen cooperation with Albania.
Journalist: Marjo Gjini
