After the tour of the meetings with the affected community by the Poçem HPP in the Mallakastër and Selenicë area, EcoAlbania organized on January 27th a roundtable with the local government units of the Vjosa valley to discuss on the possible joint initiatives and increase the co-operation between the local government units for the future of the valley.
The Local Government representatives in the end of the meeting. © Ola Mitre
The need for this meeting comes as the local community and local government have been not informed and kept away from the consultation phase or planning phase from the central government in regarding the Poçem HPP and other HPPs in the Vjosa valley.
In the meeting there were present the mayors or vice mayors of Përmet, Mallakstër and Selenicë municipality and representatives of the administrative units of Sevaster and Kutë village. They will be more engaged and will collaborate with each-other regarding these hydro-power plans and will take concrete steps to support the movement to save the Vjosa river up to a national referendum initiative.
Earlier the LGU-s from Çarshova to Selenica together with the local people of the Valley have signed a petition addressed to the Prime Minister Edi Rama asking the cancellation of the planned hydropower projects in the Vjosa valley and declare the Vjosa National Park. Meanwhile another petition will be signed by the mayors of the municipalities of all the valley and will be sent to the Prime Minister’s office.
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This activity is organized on the frame of the project ACTIVE: Community Engagement – Indicator of Integration in Decision-making, supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) by the programme run by LevizAlbania “Local democracy in action”.
