By Lorik Idrizi
The next mayor of Skopje—and of all other urban municipalities—must prioritize reviving the pulse of urban life, both in terms of infrastructure and culture, to reignite the dream of a major transformation. Only then can we restore hope for real and sustainable development of our cities, which, over time, will become the collective narrative of that city.
For two decades now, on the eve of every local election, beyond the usual battles between political parties and polarizing narratives, the dream of major urban transformation has faded. While in many rural municipalities, existential issues like sewage and access to drinking water are still on the agenda, in urban areas the very concept of development has been relativized. It has morphed into a mindset—even among citizens—often reduced to the phrase: “We just need a good manager.”
But urban municipalities need far more than just a good manager. A manager might be the optimal choice for a municipality that’s already developed, but in a country still transitioning like ours, what’s truly needed are innovative, creative, and visionary solutions. What’s needed is a dream for a great transformation—a new urban narrative—one that should be at the heart of the vision and program of every candidate aspiring to lead a municipality.
In Albania, although the concept of “Urban Renaissance” promoted by the Socialist Party has been politicized and degraded over time, at its core it carried an idea that should have been experienced across the entire country. However, it seems only Tirana truly lived that vision. Even though citizens of Tirana often complain about urban suffocation and excessive construction, it cannot be denied that Tirana, compared to its earlier post-communist version—when it resembled the abandoned Detroit of Eminem’s verses—has now transformed into a Balkan hub with an urban narrative that even tourists can feel.
Despite corruption scandals and the overuse of concrete, Tirana has, over the years, built its own urban story—and with it, a grand dream of transformation.
The next mayor of Skopje, and the mayors of all other urban centers, must spark life back into the city—physically and culturally—to revive that dream of meaningful transformation. Only in doing so can hope return for true and lasting development, one that will, along its path, evolve into the city’s collective narrative.