Vlora Inspector Never Came

SUMMER 2021

- What were your days filled with? - asked a friend.
- Mostly I was waiting for Jurgen - I replied.
  “Waiting for Jurgen” was my main activity in summer 2021. At the same summer many important things I valued before became pure theoretical. For people around it was as I talked foreign language and they had no idea what that was about
In spite of having that wild scam performed by Alvaro and Vitalik , I still was living in my na;ve reality, thinking that things should and could be right. In particular, the municipality or Bashkia should pay money for the private land, they chopped off from our private properties for their project of "road reconstruction". After finished mourning for the death of the Projects for special children I bought that place for, I went there to find out the details of the process. Also I had 2 more issues (privacy issue and house reconstruction),
I hoped to solve my issues in Bashkia  as everybody pointed to that place and it made a perfect sense anyway.

URBANISTIC DEPARTMENT

Month before the Project started I talked to a man behind a table across the door with excellent English, who said ‘Soon Inspector will come and you’ll discuss everything”. But instead of the Inspector workers with bulldozer came and without any explanations started to destroy property.
Once some engineer from Construction Company came to see my house. He said that workers should not destroy anything, till legal papers would be done first. I asked the neighbors –nobody made any  papers. Everybody just said those magic words: “Its Albania!”, which should explain everything. Later I also started to use those words, accompanying with some gesture of hopelessness.
This time I discussed my problems with a pleasant English-speaking woman sitting on the right side of the room. Suddenly Jurgen, a young man with caring voice, arose from somewhere.
- What has happened? I am a Project Director!
I shared my problems with him. He talked on the phone to somebody and then to somebody else and told me to go home to wait for Inspector and workers. Inspector will explain everything about expropriation and workers would take care of privacy issue.
WAITING for AVASH-AVASH
Although the Project Director himself said to wait for Inspector, just in case, I took Inspector's phone number and hurried home to meet Inspector and workers. At that time I did not know yet how famous “avash-avash “ works in situations with people, who need to solve their problems. Now I know. People should quickly run home to meet a person , who would  wait there to solve their issue… Water Company functioned  exactly the same way. A person comes home and wait …"avash-avash"-two weeks after never…but waiting should be at home...probably in order the waiting process should be comfortable…
Of course no one came. I called "inspector". A man said "in an hour" - nobody came in an hour. The next day again "in an hour", then the phone was blocked off...

BELIIVE and not BELIEVE

The next day I went to Bashkia. The staff in an urbanistic department looked kind of sympathetic, although it probably was my fantasy. Project destroyed many things, including water. I wanted to get the needed important information from the them  and moved away from Vlora for summer time or  stay at home if issues with water and privacy could be solved. I got neither…
I tried to explain that to Jurgen, but Jurgen did not listen to my issues. He had no patience for that. He understands everything by telepathy, he does not need to listen to people. He knows what their eternal complains about. He likes to talk, not to listen to. He likes when others listen to him.
So, Jurgen cheerfully and enthusiastically assured me, that he would come to my place with Inspector at 2 o'clock afternoon and that I should go home and wait for them there. I did not believe him, I resisted to "go home", but he said that he would definitely come and he sounded so sure ... that I again believed Jurgen.
I really believed!!! (feel ashamed for such silliness even now) Probably I again was inspired  by Jurgen caring attitude...tone of voice and body language told me he will come at 2 pm. I flew home, having a head filled with positive thoughts and plans for summer. We will get answers to all my 3 issues and I’ll go to Ohrid, where I had my tiny, but comfortable place with all things for comfort
At 3 o'clock I sent Jurgen a text message. He replied that he would definitely come later. At 10 pm I sent a text: "You have deprived me of the only joy in life.  People go to the beach I wait for municipality people day after day. Why don't you care about people at all?"
First I wanted to write "why do you dislike people so much?" but decided not to use this concept. Months later I already publicly was saying that to everywhere “Bashkia does not like its residents. It's important", while answering the question "Do you like Albania!" Albania did not like me. If only me! All neighbors felt the same way about the way they were treated. Bashkia did not like its people, it liked different things

MONDAY WAITING

Jurgen responded the next day, on Saturday. He wrote that he was sorry and that on Monday, of course, he would definitely come. On Monday I had some serious meetings. So, I asked if I should stay at home all day waiting again. He replied, “in no case” He will call me half an hour before. And how that half an hour could help me? I don’t drive. It could be during meeting time.  I wrote about that. There was no answer
On Monday I texted "I'll be home after 10 am" to remind about promise - nothing in return. Then I sent another text "Are you coming? I did cancel an important meetings” (it was true-I cancelled them-I still had hope…!!!) .Nothing in response.  I called at 2p.m I received an SMS "I have a meeting"
I thought, if there would be nothing from him, next morning I would go to the municipality and would not leave, no matter what promises he would make.. He would hate me. I'll be the laughing stock there. But what else is there left to do?

FANTASIES about PRIVACY

I came to municipality with 3 issues (compensation for the land, privacy, house reconstruction). Problem #2 was the destruction of "privacy". I had a new high fence just recently made. Project workers broke it. They made a concrete fence one meter high for everyone, looking like a cattle paddock. I asked engineer to make some sticks, so I could do some privacy from the street using some material. Engineer said not to worry. They will make another meter high from the wood. I did not ask about “when”, but if I would, it would not change anything. People easily answer that question to make you feel good. But that is usually the end of it.
By that time I was sure in residential area the work should consider people, living there. It was a very long assumption. They could start in one place, finished there, so people could continue with their lives and then move to another place.  It was mistake to think that way, because Project people do not think in that direction at all. For those two summers I’ve learned many hidden tricks in constructions which I tried to get answers and never did. The answer was obvious. People and their lives are not considered at all in reconstruction projects
A couple of weeks later I met that engineer on the street and asked that "When?" question about second meter in wood...He said "no money". “No Money” was the most popular answer to most of the questions from the very beginning.
People began to make their own privacy in all sorts of ways. The neighbor who always helped me with those things got in a huge trouble himself, so I was on my own. I tried to ask neighbor working with a drill to help, but did not succeed. They promised to come, I waited them with my sticks prepared, but they didn’t come.
Project engineer from Jurgen came to say they couldn't do it. All I asked was attaching a few wooden planks, which I prepared, to betony fence, so I could stretch the net, like everyone else. Somebody who made some work in my house wanted to do that for 200 euros, which did not make sense to pay those money for temporary thing, as would be destroy anyway. But as life shows the temporary things are usually the most permanent one
- We cannot do that”- the project engineer said, -because they don't pay us. We are a private company!.
I objected, believing in Jurgen power, a power of his position, that a project director Jurgen said “no problem”. I should ask worker instead “how much”, but did not do that.  Once I already asked them to do a thing for me and they said: “No way could we do that. We are private company; we don’t want to end up in court”

HOW MUCH?

        The next day the engineer came again with a supervisor Ulvy. Again they began talking about problem with attaching sticks, again they complained about money. Then I asked the hard question "How much?" People here rarely answer that question straight. They like to say “small money or big money or…something else”, but they have a problem to name an amount itself. It is not easy to get the real number. I had an explanation of that thing from some master. Workers do not want to sell the work cheap and do not want to miss the work. That is why that process should be together with coffee drinking, where Masters is studying the customer. I don’t have patience for those games around the price.  I like straight answers, then I can decide if I want to do it for that money or not. But it does not work that way here.
Instead of an answer, the supervisor Ulvy asked the worst; if I wanted coffee, which meant it would be “money game”. I refused everything. They advised me to ask a help from neighbors. Circle 22!
But Supervisor Ulvy did not let me in hopeless mood. He tried to cheer me up!  He said the Next Week they will start to do a second (wooden) part for everyone and I will be the first one they will start that work with. What a fantasizer! Almost as Jurgen!
 Considering, that they did not even start to work on a second part of the fence such promised sounded great!  I called Jurgen, he promised to call back. He didn't call.
        The next day I reported to Jurgen my conversation with Ulvy . He rejected my assumption "it's all about money" and said that in 2-3 weeks!!!... Workers will start doing the second wooden part for everybody, and... I will be The First!!! Fantasy is Cooperation!
         I said t I would not be alive to see that moment. I was right. The 2 years passed since...Wooden part maybe in next reincarnation…
         But as usual Jurgen did not  have a need to listen to  my arguments. My needs were in another universe. In his universe he easily solved all the issues with his left little finger. Usually municipality officials have such empty, expressionless faces, but not Jurgen. He is very emotional person. Has a caring voice and always gives his attention! Although in his own way!
TUESDAY BIG DAY!
In spite of real upsetting events, I thought only good thoughts and tried to believe that Jurgen would suddenly appear on Monday as he promises. He did not.
Next morning, in a depressive mood, in terrible July heat I dragged myself to the Bashkia  and with a stone face  stood motionless in the corner of the urban department, waiting for Jurgen to tell me something unpleasant
But Instead…
We got into his car, drove off to my place; he saw the house and studied territory. The engineer came. They discussed something and my mood rose up. Jurgen was inside the house; he said the house should be demolished. Specialists said it’s cheaper to make a new one than fix the old one, consider Kume land specific. Jurgen said I didn’t have to pay 2000 euros to anybody. He will make a project for a new house himself and for free. He wanted me to live comfortable. By the fall they will finish the project and water will be going in new pipes and I’d have no problems at all

PROBLEM # 3

It was my problem # 3 with the house reconstruction. I asked different people and had some ideas, but seemed needed permission from Bashkia about reconstruction. I can function only according to the law, so it was naturally for me to apply that issue to Bashkia. Project Company, I applied before , said I needed to pay 2000 euros to municipality for permission and after that they will work on the project. Then surprisingly enough!!!  I’ve learned that I have to go to Construction Company for permission.  Circle 22 again!
 Jurgen saying I didn’t need to pay anything and he will make a project for my new house himself and for free solved all the problems easily as usual! What a fantasizer!
 
We returned back to municipality. Jurgen wrote a request for compensation, including the garage, I signed it and we left it by receptionist. Then he talked to some woman and Jurgen told me: "She will count everything and call you in a couple of days." If instead of listening to Jurgen’s fantasy I would turn my brain on, then maybe I’d think better about his "counting" and his words. Nobody did any measurements and Inspector never came. What was there to count? But I was in a good positive and hopeful mood again.  Jurgen sounded very convincing.
What a naivety! Believe the words of the people who already lied a lot. I hoped for the better. Did I have any alternatives on that situation? Not at all. By that time I thought the ussies had to be solved sooner or later. It was a mistake to think that way. People here are ok, living with unsolved problems for years and years, because everybody around also live like that. I’ve heard so many stories like that from so many people…

GREAT SKILLS

 Jurgen lying was great, similar to Alvaro- spontaneously; easily and naturally. Alvaro gave me 3 different versions why the seller wanted to sell the house, and none was true, still I did not pay attention to it as it sounded natural.  I'm jealous a little and would like to learn from them. It’s a special very useful skills-spontaneous lying. The most important there is the tone of voice, not the words. Tone should be caring. If I need lying I prepare my lie beforehand, thinking over all the details. If even at that day in Bashkia I would be insisting on counting right away, I’m sure, Jurgen would find a way out. It’s Jurgen’s strong ability. I already met many people with those abilities. One was a girl in Mister Rama’s office. Useful stills. Fantasizers like that present themselves as a nice caring people and make a person feel happy on the Moment . On the Moment it works great! And that is what psychologists teach people –life in a present moment. And I followed that as no alternatives were available
 I said nothing about Jurgen promises. Everything was so beautiful and so human and I went home to wait for the call from municipality woman.
At the end of the second week, silly I sent Jurgen polite SMS with a question. No answer. The next day I send another SMS...
 
BASHKIA AGAIN

Next morning I dragged myself to the municipality. It became my second home that summer. The July heat was wild. Jurgen was talking to somebody by the municipality entrance. He obviously did not show a joy from seeing me. I put myself close enough to them, so Jurgen could not escape and I stood still looking at their direction with steel face. There was no way to avoid unpleasant meeting.
 This time an inventive Jurgen “sang another song”…He pointed to the needs of others. A lot of us there with problems and kind of I could not be egoistic “pulling a blanket of Jurgen’s attention all to myself”. In my turn I tried to point on some human empathy, reminding him my horrific living conditions he saw. But this time Jurgen sounded tough. How could I asked for his attention to myself as he had to solve so many more important issues
He gave me a speech that many people are in the same situation as me. It was similar to ideology of socialism “Before think about the Motherland, and then about yourself” I heard so many people's words lately and came to conclusion ; people’s words mean nothing if there would be no any deeds. They can contradict even to themselves during 10 minutes talk. Their only goal was to get rid from the person like me at the moment- "write your request and go home. We need to do our job! We are busy!”
 Jurgen also said to go home and wait there. I should not walk around in such a heat! His tone of voice and face expression were caring again!!! He thought it’d be better for me to go home and wait there for good news
 I was tough also and refused, directly reminding him about his empty promise 10 days ago. Counting girl was not there. He started calling her. She didn't answer. He said she would come later. I said I would wait for her. Jurgen left.
WAITING not AT HOME
I was waiting in the hallway near the urban department room, pacing back and forth. They could offer a chair, but they did not. Back starts to hurt. Mentally I was “turning pages” from Kafka novels ‘Trail” and ‘Castle”, with wooden faces officials behind their tables …
Once a person from urban department, who was sitting across the door told me: “we don't want people here - people should write their petitions or complains or request and leave”. He was the one, who told me even before the Project started: “Soon Inspector will come to your house and arrange everything.” Inspector did not come either then or later…but I did not tell him that. Words mean nothing anyway!
Finally, the girl I was waiting for came and told me to go home. I didn't agree. Then she pointed to my absence of  the local language. That is their weapon against me and they use it skillfully and a little strange.

GAMES with LANGUAGE

 A lot of people in municipality speak English, but …in some situations. And in different situations the same people suddenly do not understand English and demand a translator. Sometimes they say municipality has no one speaking English. Even the same secretary in reception could be politely English-speaking and suddenly after some of my questions for clarification they stop understanding English as if an automatic switch turns off and they look at me with that blank expression and do not respond...Some people who pretend from the beginning not knowing English from time to time say English sentences s during our hot conversations...on clarification.
Those games were popular in Vlora if a foreigner wanted something, more than tourists usually wanted. I just wanted to return, what was belonged to me by any existing laws of human existence.
The best was that pleasant woman from urbanistic department, sitting on the right side of the room, who talked to me so nicely in the beginning and  suddenly forgot English and made the whole speech in Albanian, looking straight into my eyes , being suddenly very angry.
 I found a lot of welcoming nice expressions in people eyes, but much more fear and hostility and petrification in between as well.

HOSTILITY

 The counting girl and all other members of urbanistic department expressed opened hostile. Mentioning Jurgen name only brought more hostility and even the information that he was not a project director. Actually the next year Jurgen himself told me he was not a Project Director. He had different responsibilities!!!
 O Boy!  That Bashkia is a very funny place indeed! I got myself inside of Kafka’s novels. I started to feel guilty, when so many people displayed opened hostility
With words "The project is not finished. Nothing can be done" conversation was over, so Jurgen lied again as with everything else.
I never did anything bad to him. I tried to be nice and positive. I tried to cooperate with him. I left urban department with the words "Why do you lie to people!?" leaving a stream of hostility behind.
One day in Kume I had a conversation with a young girl, who was born in Korce and moved to Vlora to live in Kume. She told me, that people called Kume “ a  Devil Place”. I asked why it that and she said because of the people living there. I was surprised as my neighbors were nice people, saying ‘Hi!” as I lost my privacy and was living openly to everyone. They tried to talk even with my limited Albanian. But again I did not know much. Mostly my real communications was with city officials. I thought maybe I got that hostile attitude from them being  a resident of that  “devil place” ….maybe

COMMUNICATION with MAYOR

At the very beginning of that story people advised me to apply for help to Mayor.  Even Alvaro told me to go to Bashkia for solving my situation. People said Mayor was a nice person and would be sympathetic to the hard situation I got into and would suggest a solution. Both solutions which regular people pointed to were unproductive-selling a house (what was there to sell in the middle of the project) and go to a lawyer (I had that unproductive experience)
So, I did. I wrote to Mayor with a suggestion to turn my place for special kids, as I was told by many people there was a big need for that. I wrote it in a special culture/educational department in Bashkia. The result was the same as with everything –go home and wait for avash-avash
Mayor responded to my writing 2 or 3 months later with words in local language “What do you want from me?  What do you want from Municipality of Vlora?”
Although Mayor has a degree in English, he refused to discuss with me issues in English…So, I did my best and made in local language very clear my 3 questions about my property Municipality invaded
I'd never come to them, if they would not come to me first! But this idea brings a lot of negativity in municipality people. Complainers should behave differently. I know that now. They have to write down their issues and go home. But I’m a foreigner and know other ways to deal with issues.  Still I think I was a good complainer and supplicant for 3 weeks peacefully and patiently accepting tons of Lies. It made a lot of sense to try different ways.
"Good behavior" rarely  brings me anything good. You come politely and they sent you away also politely. With “bad behavior” there is a chance to get something. So I like it more, even if it feels bad after all, but the choice is too limited-choosing the lesser from two evils.
 There is only one way here to avoid that choice. That is having a good friend in municipality. Alvaro used to say he had a lot. I did not have such a friend. I tried hard to get one, but did not succeed. Besides I was said, that a woman could get nothing in Albania. It should be a man. But probably not just a man, but a special man with some power, similar to Alvaro, for whom all doors got open as in  a fairy-tale about Aladdin-“sim-sim, open the a door”
Mayor ignored my clear questions about the project affecting badly my property.  But  some people came to me from his name. They informed me that garage was illegal, so they would not pay for it. All other important questions I asked Mayor in local language  my real life depended on had the same answer “nuk edi”(we don’t know).
Unfortunately Bashkia  and me had different interests-nothing in common.

NO APOLOGY!!!

Of course, I wrote Jurgen SMS that I believed to his words in vain, none of my 3 problems, he promised to solve so enthusiastically, were solved. I could have leave city 3 weeks ago and lived comfortable, if he would tell me the Truth "nothing I could do for you" . I hoped on some apology… just a little bit
Well, in response Jurgen described his own problems with the ministry (not related to me in any way) and promised they would notify me when any news would come up. Very polite answer, but in the essence…well…he did nothing wrong. No apology or anything closer to that
I did not go to Ohrid because of that. I spent summer without good water supply in a very hot place without human living conditions. I realized that nobody cares about people wellbeing in that place and learned many negative stuff from talking to people
It was very sad summer. Only the Sea was nice, friendly and encouraging. But the next summer I’ve learned from Jurgen, that it was not his responsibility to take care of my needs. He did that as an Act of Kindness

MEETING MAYOR’s BACK

The summer 2022 I was not a complainer in Municipality. I tried to get my rights, demanded to return my money. Of course events of last summer came up. And Jurgen said that it was not his duty at all to solve my issues. He was not a Project Director. He had different duties. His involvement in my case was.... an Act of Kindness
"O, Boy!-I thought - If that was Act of Kindness, then how his Unkindness then would look like!”

 Since a police girl pointed me the direction to legal laws I attacked poor Jurgen, demanding the laws of expropriation they used with us.  First time I came peacefully, trying (again!) to be heard. I really badly needed that money, but Jurgen, asking politely for one minute, managed to escape. Then I was waiting to meet a mayor in front of his office, but he just left in front of my face. I hoped to talk face to face, but he also managed to escape.
 His secretary, a y nice girl, helped me a lot going through the whole mandatory procedure in order to see the Mayor; talking to different unfriendly Bashkia workers, people who did not care about my situation at all. Then I waited in front of his office more than an hour with back pain (no chairs for visitors) and my foot damaged from the project work.
Suddenly Mayor left the office, leaving bewildered visitors behind. The secretary honesty told me there is almost zero chance to talk to Mayor, as he comes to his office according to his own schedule and leaves the same way. It was my lucky chance that day, but my luck was only to see Mayor’s back.

WE DID NOT TOUCH YOUR HOUSE

Next time I approached Jurgen demanding the law about compensation. He took me to a room with the counting girl there. Later I was said that she was the one dealing with laws. Jurgen was not a Project Director and Counting Girl also was not a counting girl any more !!!
They had argument with Jurgen in a local language, but I kept I insisting on giving me the law of expropriation and compensation and I got it. The rest was as usual. Jurgen wanted to talk himself, interrupting me, I tried to stop him and be heard. He called security. Their answer was “When Project will be over…” and according to Jurgen it would be soon. And me, watching that project every day in reality for the second year and talking to workers was obvious that that was avash-avash project and this year I reacted differently to Jurgen’s usual  fantasies.

When I tried to explain my homeless condition as a reason money was needed for, Jurgen replied to that with “we did not touch your house” and overall my situation the same as everybody else. When Jurgen talk, he just says something, without any attention to what he says and without a slightest responsibility for his words.
For me it was the hardest thing to handle. Let alone, that myself I have a very responsible character, but working with clients for more than 20 years, responsibility and consistency was  one of my main tool, which always gave a great results. And here I had to learn how to deal with total lack of any responsibility for anything as well as any consistency, besides sending a person away
It was for me a disastrous situation as fighting my own important parts
 So, the last summer, Jurgen saw a condition of my place –not fitting for living nor for selling and promised to make me the project for a new home for free as an Act of Kindness, and year later everything changed to the opposite.

HIGH GOALS

He said at the Present Moment Municipality did not have any money for those small and unimportant things as compensation to people. It was a lot of current projects taking place around municipality and in different part of the city to make Vlora looked great…And here was me wanting something, thinking only about my tiny egoistic needs, my miserable property. It’s understandable that Municipality workers, people trying to make city beautiful, so residents and tourists could enjoy it, got angry from being destructed from their high goals.
Since I refused to compliance with Bashkia’s high goals, as usual Jurgen found solution. I should come tomorrow and the counting girl will take me to financial department…Of course I did not believe it and tried to insist on the same day, but of course the financial department was not there…according to Jurgen
I came next day. Not because I believe Jurgen, but in a hope maybe they would like to get rid from me once and for all, just giving me that money and never see me again…
Well, my calculation and hope were wrong…probably they did not even consider such an option…because… probably the idea of parting with money does not ever occurs in their thinking

ABOUT THE MONEY THEY TOOK from ME

The Money Vlora (first real estate agency and then government) took from me was earned by a hard way,  taking care of not healthy kids (12 of them) days and nights, sometimes because of weather conditions for 48 hours straight. That Money consisted from low immigrant salary. That Money included to observing heart-breaking stories of kids, abandoned by their parents. Some kids knew and understand those things, in spite of their low mental capacity. That Money included my hope to do something good for those kids as they really deserve it by the bravery, patience, strength and loyalty I saw so often in them.
BUT
Nobody from those, who took That Money, leaving me homeless is able to hear That Part of my story. As if I created a new kind of disability- “mental deafness”, attached to Money issue, where only quantity’s part is heard and discussed, but the quality is not.
Seems as some remedy is needed for creating a balance