The national media immediately reported the good news for Vjosa. The Administrative Court today announced the decision on the absolute invalidity of the concession contract concluded between the Ministry of Energy and the Turkish company “Kovlu Energy”.
EcoAlbania, EuroNatur and RiverWatch, and 38 residents of the village of Kutë in Mallakastër, a village that was expected to be flooded by the construction of the Hydropower Plant in Poçem, opened in December 2016 the judicial process against the construction of the Poçem Hydropower Plant, claiming that the procedures followed for granting the concession contract, as well as the process of consultations with the public, were based on violations of Albanian legislation and international conventions.
The Administrative Court of First Instance in Tirana accepted the lawsuit, invalidating the Environmental Declaration issued by Minister Lefter Koka for the project, Minister Damian Gjiknuri’s orders for granting the concession as well as the concession contract itself.
According to the court, the residents were not involved in the public hearing for this investment, it was also proved that there was only one session to involve the community of these villages, but the meeting was not held near the area nor with the affected persons.
Vladimir Meçe, the lawyer who represented the 38 residents of Kutë village in Mallakastra, says that “This is very good news because it is the first time that the citizens win against an arbitrary action of the state”.
You can find the news published in the following national media:
