Albania shows many signs of an
underdeveloped country, or is it more correct to say developing
country? If the latter term is used it implies that there are things
developing. We didn't notice much of this.
The bar owner in Shkodra already told
us that there are no jobs and that their politicians are no good. The
word corruption was used, public interests came second. Schooling is
bad and parents had difficulty to pay the extra money for the
teachers. Teachers' salaries are so low that, without asking extra
money, they are not high enough to support a family. (Didn't I hear
exactly the same story in Cambodia?) No jobs means no money, so
though people are friendly, he said, they are not happy. There is
little hope for a change for the better, there is no change at all.
In spite of this most people are well
dressed and in this the image is similar to other European countries.
Besides that, the fact that most people are muslims doesn't show in
clothing or other behaviour. Men and women visit bars, together and
on their own, and alcohol is served everywhere.
But, as the barman told us, many guests
in bars sit for hours on one coffee with the glass of water that is
coming with it. Not much money to spend. This does not prevent the
many bars and terraces being crowded in the evening, mostly with
young people. The atmosphere is certainly agreeable.
On our way from Shkodra to Tirana we
saw many men idling and hanging around. We noticed a large informal
economy. Many people have set up very small businesses. As the
motorcar seems to be the status symbol, there are very many 'Lavazh',
car washers. Just a waterhose and some cloth and you're in business.
Hundreds we have seen. Also very many bars, small 'markets'
(groceries), people selling cigarettes and potato chips from a
cardboard box along the street, or gsm's, fruit, sun glasses, shoe
shiners, a man with scales to determine your weight, etc. People try
to earn some money in all possible ways.
Then we also saw deserted factory
buildings, a deserted railway complex, a cement factory in good shape
but with no activity. Roads were sometimes good, but often really bad
and for many kilometers we had to work through roadworks that had
been started but where no road workers were to be seen now. In Tirana
there are big areas in the centre that are broken up, but where there
are no igns of activity. Just in a few places building is going on.
Streets are not clean, side walks are broken and a lot of waste is
just dropped along the roads and in rivers. So public services are
not performing, or not well enough.
I already mentioned the great numbers
of Mercedes Benzes. In the city it's more mixed, but in the
countryside it is mainly this brand, the great majority. Most of them
are old or very old. You can see that for many drivers it is their
way to be someone. They just hang around in and on and near their
cars. The reason why it must be this one brand must be found in
sociological and cultural processes, of course. In more places in the
world you'll find a similar image. F.i.: just watch any photograph of
a Palestinian place, sure to see the same brand of car as here in
Albania. Once again the similarity with Cambodia struck me. Also economically very much deprived, corruption is
tangible and no signs of improvement visible. There the
only car owners are the military, politicians (=the same), the police
and other criminals. There it's not Mercedes, but Lexus.
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