Guzda Growth Plan Fuels Jobs and Controversy

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Danâ Ličeli

Guzda - In a move that underscores both ambition and contention, Mayor Marlon Galdaže and the Guzda City Council have joined forces with the Saboloo Regional Council to green-light a sweeping residential development plan in advance of the Guzda Deep-Sea Port’s anticipated spring 2026 opening. Pending a final vote in the National Parliament this June, the project will transform swaths of Saboloo’s coastline, under Guzda’s municipal jurisdiction, into three new neighborhoods with childcare, vocational training facilities, retail space, and public plazas.

Mayor Galdaže presented the plan as a forward-looking strategy to house the expected influx of direct port workers, and additional support-industry employees forecasted by the Ministry of Infrastructure. “This is an investment in our people and our future,” he said, emphasizing that coordinated approvals from city, regional, and national bodies are essential to meet standards and secure infrastructure funding. The Regional Council of Saboloo, which controls land-use in the affected area, voted unanimously this week; the city council followed suit with an 8–2 margin.

Yet not everyone welcomes the influx of foreign laborers that port expansion promises. Across Agausia’s parliament and in local media, a vocal bloc of opposition politicians argues that scarce resources should first bolster training programs for Agausian citizens. Opposition MP Ani Mežlumân (AL) charged, “Why import workers when our own young people need skilled-trade opportunities? We should invest in vocational schools, not fast-track visas.” Similar sentiments echo in the Saboloo town hall, where residents have voiced concerns that rapid neighborhood construction may strain schools, clinics, and public services unless balanced by a commitment to upskilling local labor.

Acknowledging these fears, the development proposal includes earmarked funds for on-site training and plans for government-subsidized language courses to help foreign hires integrate. Labour Minister Âgënḱa T́arṕini (PMK) noted ongoing exploratory talks with Türkiye and Georgia to establish bilateral labor agreements, while insisting that any treaty will include quotas and provisions for robust training of Agausians.

Now, as the debate moves to the National Parliament’s upcoming session, legislators will weigh environmental assessments, budget allocations, and the social impacts of opening Agausia’s southwest coast to a new wave of economic growth. The decision comes at a time when the region remains steeped in conflict, and leaders in Tamara increasingly view international diplomacy and economic diversification as crucial to strengthening domestic support.

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