EcoNews No. 5

Dear friends,

This is the periodic newsletter of EcoAlbania (The Center for Protection of Natural Ecosystems in Albania). Here you can find the latest news on our work and activities, as well as publications regarding important environmental issues in Albania.

You're kindly invited to share it with your friends and networks!

The Swiss ambassador and the head of Council of Europe meet the local people of Kutë

During the open meeting with the local community, organized by EcoAlbania in the Kutë, the Swiss Ambassador in Albania, Mr. Christoph Graf, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Albania, Mr. Claus Neukirch and the expert on issues of direct democracy, Mr. Andreas Gross, together with the Mayor, Mr. Agron Kapllanaj, were interested in the initiative taken by the Government regarding the construction of Poçem hydropower plant.

Albania: European Parliament demands national park for Vjosa and stop to hydropower projects

In the current Enlargement Report of the European Parliament, the Parliament explicitly criticizes the Albanian government in regards to its hydropower policies. In the centre of their criticism are the hydropower projects on the Vjosa – Europe’s last big wild river. The EU parliamentarians specifically demand not to go through with these hydropower projects and instead establish a national park along the entire course of the river (see below No. 32).

The local government joined forces against the hydro-power plants on the Vjosa

++The mayors signed a petition against the hydro-powers ++ Tirana 20.02.2017. For the first time the local Government of the Vjosa Valley in a public reaction stayed against the hydro-power plants. After the local community, national and international NGOs, scientists and the European Parliament this time also the mayors have unified their voice to protect the Vjosa. The mayors of …

International Day of Action for Rivers 2017: Save Europe’s rivers campaign with a common statement

Rivers are the veins of the Planet. They are a vital stage of the water cycle, the nutrient transport that fertilizes our meadows and the sediment transportation that nourishes our beaches. Providing corridors of wilderness for those seeking adventure and the life blood of the communities that line their banks. Fee-flowing rivers are as important to mankind as they are to the abundant flora and fauna they support.

Scientists for Vjosa

A very unusual press conference was held at the Vjosa in South Albania on April 26 – an initiative like this is without par in Europe. On a gravel island in midst of Europe’s last big wild river – the Vjosa – about 30 scientists from four countries gathered to draw attention to the detrimental impacts that are to be expected from the projected “Poçem” dam. They called upon the Albanian government, foremost upon Prime Minister Edi Rama, to stop the hydropower project and carry out a sound assessment of the environmental impacts (EIA).

Albanian Court stops dam project on the Vjosa

Big win for the protection of Europe’s last big wild river, the Vjosa in Albania! Yesterday afternoon, the judges of the Albanian Administrative Court in Tirana announced their decision against the construction of the projected hydropower plant “Poçem”: for the time being, the dam must not be constructed. According to the Court ruling, the basis of the construction licence, namely the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as well as the public consultation process, was highly deficient

Habitants against hydro-powers construction in Bënçë

20-05-2017, Bënçë, Tepelena. The “Protecting rivers” group conducted a meeting with the Bënçë village inhabitants to discuss the hydro-powers matter that are under construction in this area. Habitant’s concern was evident, as the dam would leave the village with no water. Bënça is a small village which main activities are farming, agriculture and collection of medicinal plants – the only water resource that this village has is the river.

National and International Organizations for the Protection of “Divjaka – Karavasta” National Park

Divjaka, May 28th 2015. National and international environmental organizations made a public call to the Albanian government not to permit the urbanization of the National Park “Divjaka – Karavasta” and to guarantee its protection according to the Law for Protected Areas and International Conventions ratified from our country.

Hydropower project Kalivaç revisited – Vjosa at risk

++ Albanian government re-opens the concession procedure for the Kalivaç HPP ++ NGOs prepare their opposition ++Tirana, Vienna, Radolfzell May 31, 2017. After 20 years of construction postponements, the Albanian government decided to cancel the contract with the Italian Company Kalivaçi Green Energy in regards to the unfinished hydropower project (HPP) Kalivaç on the Vjosa river in Albania. Shortly after, the Ministry of Energy and Industry opened the procedures for re-issuing the concession. The interested companies can apply for the construction of the HPP according to the defined criteria until July 18th, 2017.

The journey for Vjosa river’s protection and the challenge for the future – brings together experts and civil society.

A big number of actors for the protection of Vjosa came together today in a conference organized by EcoAlbania in Tirana, where they discussed the problematic of hydro-powers construction in Vjosa and the importance of affected communities participation in the decision-making process. Up to now the journey for the protection of Vjosa has been quite long and have included a lot of important supporters which have contributed for Vjosa’s case to be one of the most important environmental cases today in Albania and not only.

For more information on EcoAlbania's work you can visit our webpage:

www.ecoalbania.org and our YouTube channel.