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Kuçovë Kuçova
Kuçovë
Coordinates: 40°48′14″N 19°54′52″E / 40.80389°N 19.91444°E / 40.80389; 19.91444Coordinates: 40°48′14″N 19°54′52″E / 40.80389°N 19.91444°E / 40.80389; 19.91444
Country	Albania
County	Berat County
District	Kuçovë District
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Artur Kurti
Population (2001)
• Total	18,100
• Urban density	567/km2 (1,470/sq mi)
Time zone	Central European Time (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	5301-5304
Area code(s)	0311
Car Plates	KV

Kuçovë (Kuçova) is an Albanian city, capital of the Kuçovë District, with many parks and museums.

History[link]

Ancient[link]

Archaeologists found in the village of Katundas near Kuçovë six phases of inhabitation dating to the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, urban Illyrian and the Late Antiquity era.^[1]

Modern[link]

Kuçova has been an industrial city since the Italian influence in the early 1920s. In 1928 in “Dikater” was drilled the first oil hole in Albania. From this moment onwards the city has been on oil drilling maps. Since 1928 until 1943, the Italian company AIPA had an agreement with the Zog I government that if the oil extraction would surpass 50 000 tonnes per year, this company would build a refinery in Albania. Even though the oil extracted wss more than 170 000 tonnes, The refinery was never built and the oil was transported to Italy.^[2]

During Communist Albania the city was renamed to Stalin City (Albanian: Qyteti Stalin) and was a closed military district. The city was extensively developed in the 1950s and is of interest to students of communist architecture, although following the collapse of communism there has been much unauthorised building and modification to the original buildings. It is home of one of Albania's Military Aeronautical Base, although since 2005 the country's air force has ceased flying the aged Mig fighters provided by the Soviet Union and China and has been reduced to rotary wing aircraft only.

Economy[link]

Kuçova is one of Albania's cities known for its oil industry along with Patos and Ballsh. The Oil industry was originally developed by the Italians during the Zogist period, and much of the infrastructure is dated. Following the end of the communist period the town suffered a severe industrial decline, with the closure of many factories and the destruction of the towns power plan in the riots following the failure of the pyramid banks. Today there is some evidence of a recovery with a large number of micro-businesses operating from former state run factories, although unemployment remains high. There are also a number of foreign owned banks and a small number of ATMs. Like many towns in Albania many young people leave for Italy and Greece.

Population[link]

Currently the Kuçova district has a population of around 50,000. Of this population around 31,000 live in the city of Kuçova, classifying it as 12th of 65 municipalities on a national scale. Population density is 567 inhabitants/km², which ranks the Kuçova district as the most heavily populated on a national scale. Another feature of this district compared with others in Albania is that citizens comprise 63% of the general population, the remainder living in villages nearby.

The city of Kuçova has 5 neighborhoods (Albanian: lagje), Lgj. "11 Janari", Lgj. "Llukan Prifti", Lgj."11 Shkurti", Lgj. "Tafil Skendo", and "1 Maji". One of the largest parks in Kuçovë is called "Pishat". Like many other Albanian cities, Kuçova has a lot of coffee bars, restaurants and some hotels.

Education[link]

There are two public high schools in the city, General High School (Shkolla e Mesme e Pergjithshme) "Myrteza Kepi" and General High School Kuçove(Shkolla e Mesme e Pergjithshme Kucove) and one non public high school. There are also five 1st to 9th grade schools; "18 Tetori", "28 Nentori", "Gaqi Karakashi", "23 Nentori" and "Deshmoret e Kombit". Many high school graduates who want to pursue a higher education go to other Albanian cities or even outside the country.

Sports[link]

The football club is KF Naftëtari Kuçovë.

Notable people[link]

• Ilir Bozhiqi, retired soccer player (goalkeeper)
• Laureta Meci, model and actress

External links[link]

• Kuçovë Municipality
• Kucova Community
• Kucova WebPage
• Hotel Horizont Kuçovë Hotel in Kuçovë

References[link]

v t e Municipalities of Berat County Capital: Berat Berat District Berat Cukalat Kutalli Lumas Otllak Poshnjë Roshnik Sinjë Tërpan Urë Vajgurore Velabisht Vërtop Kuçovë District Kozarë Kuçovë Perondi Skrapar District Bogovë Çepan Çorovodë Gjerbës Leshnjë Poliçan Potom Qendër Vendreshë Zhepë

v t e Cities in Albania Bajram Curri Bajzë Ballsh Berat Bilisht Bulqizë Burrel Cërrik Çorovodë Delvinë Divjakë Durrës Elbasan Ersekë Fier Fushë-Arrëz Fushë-Krujë Gjirokastër Gramsh Himarë Kamëz Kavajë Këlcyrë Klos Konispol Koplik Korçë Krasta Krrabë Krujë Krumë Kuçovë Kukës Kurbnesh Laç Leskovik Lezhë Libohovë Librazhd Lushnjë Maliq Mamurras Manëz Memaliaj Orikum Patos Peqin Përmet Peshkopi Pogradec Poliçan Prrenjas Pukë Reps Roskovec Rrëshen Rrogozhinë Rubik Sarandë Selenicë Shëngjin Shijak Shkodër Sukth Tepelenë Tirana Ulëz Urë Vajgurore Vau i Dejës Vlorë Vorë

Jozefina Topalli
Chairperson of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 September 2005
Preceded by	Servet Pëllumbi
Personal details
Born	(1963-10-15) 15 October 1963 (age 48) Shkodër, Albania
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Tony Topalli[1]
Alma mater	Luigj Gurakuqi University University of Tirana
Signature	Jozefina Topalli's signature
Website	Official website

Jozefina Çoba Topalli (Shkodër, 15 October 1963) is an Albanian politician and is the Chairwoman of the Parliament of Albania, since September 3, 2005, and vice-president of the Democratic Party of Albania.

She is married and has two children.

Studies and early jobs[link]

Jozefina Çoba Topalli graduated from Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodra with a double major in mathematics and law. She subsequently studied international relations at the University of Padua in Italy and acquired a master's degree from the University of Tirana in public administration and in European Studies ; in 2010, she obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Tirana, with a dissertation on the topic of “The Role of the National Parliament in the process of European integration of the country”^{[citation needed]}. She is fluent in English, Russian, French and Italian.^[2]

From 1992 to 1995 she worked at the Chamber of Commerce in the city of Shkodër, and in 1995-1996 she was chancellor and lecturer at the Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodra.

Topalli has been a member of the national legislature since 1997.

In 2005, Topalli was elected President of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, and retained her position in 2009.

Political career[link]

At the 1996 Albanian parliamentary election Topalli was elected as member of parliament for the Democratic Party of Albania; she was subsequently re-elected four times. She has been member of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Family, and also as Deputy President of the Children’s Committee.

Since 1996, Topalli is Deputy Chair of the Democratic Party of Albania.

Parliament Speaker[link]

Jozefina Topalli Çoba is the first woman Speaker of the Albanian Parliament in all the parliamentary history of the country, and the sixth Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania in the pluralistic parliamentary history since 1991. She assumed her duty in September 2005, and was re-elected as Speaker of Parliament for a second four-year mandate in September 2009. In two previous consecutive legislatures (1997–2001; 2001–2005), Topalli served as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.

In September 2005, in her speech at the oath-taking ceremony as Speaker of the Albanian Assembly, Jozefina Çoba Topalli, underlined her steady determination to be an advocate of the opposition, too.^{[citation needed]}

In the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, a novelty the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament brought into Albanian political life, Jozefina Topalli was engaged in the acceleration of the ratification by the EU states parliaments of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Albania and EU, as well as the NATO protocols for the accession of Albania into the North Atlantic alliance. She continues her lobbying for the recognition of the independent Republic of Kosovo.^{[citation needed]}

Honours[link]

For her successful career and political and parliamentary engagements, Jozefina Topalli was awarded in 2010 with the prize “Mediterranean Award” by the International Mediterranean Forum for Peace, consigned by Sergio De Gregorio, president of the Italian parliamentary delegation to the NATO Assembly.^[3][4]

Jozefina Topalli was declared the First Ambassador of UNICEF for the protection of children’s rights in the country, by the UNICEF Office in Albania, as well as representatives of NGO-s and institutions dealing with children’s rights.^{[citation needed]}

For her valuable contribution in politics, Topalli was awarded the “Medal of Honour” by the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, Vadim Tulapanov.^{[citation needed]}

Also, the Speaker of Parliament, Topalli was honoured with the international title “Millennium Peace Award: Cavaliere per la Pace” by the International Peace Union, at the Catholic University of Milan.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2012, the Çari Municipality accorded the title "Honorary Citizen" for Ms. Topalli.^[5]

References[link]

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