Tirana, May 8th 2026
EcoAlbania expresses deep concern regarding the ongoing environmental destruction taking place inside the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape, one of Albania’s most ecologically important protected areas and part of the wider Vjosa River delta ecosystem.
Over the past days, heavy machinery has been documented operating within the protected area, including bulldozers, excavators, and transport vehicles engaged in large-scale land clearing activities. Field evidence shows the destruction of coastal pine forests, sand dunes, and other sensitive habitats, alongside the opening of new roads in previously undisturbed areas.
These interventions are taking place in a protected landscape of exceptional ecological value, home to hundreds of bird species and important habitats for endangered wildlife, including migratory birds, sea turtles, and the critically endangered Mediterranean monk seal. The area represents one of the most important coastal ecosystems in Albania and the Adriatic region.
For more than a decade, EcoAlbania has worked alongside local communities, scientists, international partners, and civil society organizations to protect the Vjosa River and its surrounding ecosystems from destructive development. This long-term effort culminated in the historic declaration of the Vjosa Wild River National Park the first wild river national park in Europe in 2023. The protection of the Vjosa and its delta ecosystems has become an internationally recognized example of environmental conservation and sustainable development.
The ongoing destruction inside the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape directly undermines these achievements and threatens years of work dedicated to safeguarding Albania’s natural heritage for future generations.
EcoAlbania is particularly concerned by the apparent lack of transparency surrounding these works. To date, there has been no public disclosure of environmental permits, Environmental Impact Assessments, or detailed planning documents explaining the legal basis, scope, or environmental consequences of the intervention.
The situation raises serious concerns regarding the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation in Albania, especially in the context of the country’s European Union accession process and obligations related to nature protection, environmental governance, and public participation.
The destruction of habitats inside protected areas directly undermines efforts to align Albania with EU environmental standards and threatens the credibility of commitments made under Chapter 27 on Environment and Climate Change.
It is unacceptable for interventions involving bulldozers and excavators to take place in the heart of a protected area while the responsible institutions remain silent. The lack of reaction from the Ministry of Environment can only be interpreted as deliberate tolerance toward the damage being inflicted on one of Albania’s most important ecosystems. Every minute of institutional inaction causes irreversible losses to the nature and biodiversity of Vjosa-Narta. We call on law enforcement authorities and the prosecution to immediately secure evidence on the ground and investigate this case as an environmental crime, because protected areas cannot be safeguarded through political statements alone, but through the proper enforcement of the law. – Olsi Nika, Executive Director of EcoAlbania
EcoAlbania calls for:
- The immediate suspension of all works within the protected area;
- Full public transparency regarding permits, environmental assessments, and development plans;
- An independent investigation into the legality of the ongoing interventions;
- Stronger institutional oversight and accountability to prevent further environmental damage.
Protected areas cannot exist only on paper. Their value depends on effective protection, transparent governance, and the political will to uphold environmental law in practice.et nga mbrojtja efektive, transparenca dhe vullneti institucional për të zbatuar ligjin në praktikë.
Photo copywrite: Taulant Bino
