#don’ttouchvalbona
It’s the last call. It is a hashtag, said in the language of social networks, an appeal that is echoing more and more among Albanians and foreigners, who really love nature. Tomorrow, on June 25 at 9:00 a.m. in front of the Ministry of Energy in Tirana, supporters of the preservation of the treasure of the Valbona Valley will gather to say ‘stop’ the construction of 11 hydropower plants that are planned along this amazing river. hoping for a response from the Albanian Government.
This protest is really the final big step to demand attention. After that, we will focus on the legal procedures and we will ask for the support of the international community” – one of the main activists, Catherine Bohne, told AgroWeb. According to the organizers; Toka-Organization for the protection of the Albanian Alps, EcoAlbania and the World Wide Fund for Nature, are the three main reasons for the protest.
Environmentally, HPPs will destroy the area, placing most of the river and its tributaries in 2.5-3m wide pipes. The destruction of the river will not only bring long-term great and irreparable damage, but the construction of HPPs and giant voltage towers will also destroy most of the area around it. The construction of even one of these projects (Dragobi Cascade) would totally destroy the eastern slope of the Kallata Mountain by building a 3 meter wide tunnel. Kallata is part of the highest peaks, one of the most coveted destinations for lovers of heights. This would also destroy the Cerem Valley, damaging the entire circulation of the river. It would destroy the southern slope of Snake Mountain, as well as the residents’ farms, lands and houses. It would be the end of eco-tourism, which is entirely based on the generous offering of virgin nature. On the economic level, the transformation of one of the most untouched areas of Europe into an industrial zone will destroy the development of the tourism industry.
You can find the full article published on Agroweb.org
Tirana- Many civil society activists and community residents in Tropoja protested in front of the Ministry of Energy and the Prime Minister against the construction of several hydropower plants in the Valbona river valley.
With the motto “Keep your hands off Valbona”, the protestors denounced the concessions, as according to them nature is violated, the economy and the development of tourism are damaged.
“The community is against these hydropower plants because they destroy nature, affect the economy and the development of tourism. Today, we demand the cancellation of these projects, to preserve the identity of the National Park and to invest in the development of ecotourism”, say the activists.
This is not the first protest against the construction of hydropower plants on the Valbona River. Other protests took place months ago and according to the activists, they will continue until cooperation with the government begins to cancel the concessionary contracts.
Chronicle prepared by BalkanWeb.com
Residents of the Valbona Valley, civil society representatives, environmental experts, etc. protested today in front of the Ministry of Energy and Industry and the Prime Minister, opposing the construction of a network of hydropower plants in the Valbona National Park.
The motto of this protest was “Keep your hands off Valbona” and this protest lasted for about two hours, where the institutions were asked that the projects approved by the Berisha government should not be implemented, as this would be a destruction for the Valbona Valley.
It is the most visited tourist area in the district of Tropoja, even one of the most visited in the Albanian Alps after the valley of Theth. This area of rare beauty is preferred not only by local tourists but also by foreign tourists, who prefer to get to know the customs and traditions of the northernmost villages of the country.
You can find the article published on Shqiptarja.com/ while the chronicle is on Reportet.tv
