Further opposition to Albanian airport construction

European governments request that the Albanian government suspend the construction of the airport in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area. The main argument: the apparent lack of adherence to national and international laws.

construction site airport

Construction work in the Narta lagoon has been going on since last summer. The Albanian government wants to create facts, although the construction of the airport is highly controversial.

© Gabriel Schwaderer
Birds in the Narta Lagoon

The Narta Lagoon is an important breeding and resting area for several bird species, including flamingos and Caspian terns. They are threatened by the airport construction.

© Zydjon Vorpsi/PPNEA

Strasbourg, Tirana, Radolfzell. During the annual meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention held last week in Strasbourg, the Albanian authorities were urged to suspend construction work on the planned Vlora airport. Within its recommendations, the Committee also urged the Albanian Government to start a comprehensive Wildlife Monitoring Programme and integrate the data in a revised Environmental Impact Assessment. This requests comes after the Bern convention, jointly with the Convention on Migratory Species and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement, carried out an on-the-spot appraisal of the situation in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape. Furthermore, European governments also frowned upon the recent revision of the borders of the Narta-Vjosa Protected Landscape which resulted in cutting out a section of the protected area to build the airport. With its recommendations, the Bern Convention supports the demands of the two Albanian nature conservation organisations AOS and PPNEA as well as EuroNatur.

On the 23rd of November, PPNEA and AOS, with the support of EuroNatur, filed a lawsuit with the Albanian Administrative Court against the construction of the airport within boundaries of the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape. The construction works lie within one of the most important wetlands and biodiversity areas in Albania and along the Adriatic flyway, an important flyway for many migratory birds. By continuing with the development plans, the Albanian authorities are violating national laws and international conventions.

„The Albanian authorities must immediately stop these nature destructive activities“, says Annette Spangenberg, Head of Conservation at EuroNatur. „Albania‘s planned accession to the European Union is difficult to imagine when it is is deliberately destoying important European protected areas.“

“The last decision of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention is a clear and strong stand that the majority of European countries and the EU have against the construction of the Vlora airport within a candidate Emerald site and protected area in Albania. The stubbornness of the Albanian government to continue with the plans for constructing the airport inside a protected area, in complete contradiction with the national legislation on nature conservation and the international conventions that Albania has ratified, is a worrying indicator that the country is actually regressing on its path towards European integration. By building an airport in a main bird migratory route and internationally recognized protected area, the Albanian government is not only destroying the nature of its own country, but also damaging the natural heritage of the entire European continent” says Aleksandër Trajçe, Executive Director of PPNEA.

„Any problem gives rise to an opportunity! As it is the case, I call the Albanian Government to abide to the decision of the Standing Committee of Bern Convention, to halt the construction of the airport and engage with NGOs and academic instituions to restore the damaged habitats within the protected area. We ask the government to reverse the recent decisions for the reduction of the surface and habitats of Vjose-Narta and other coastal protected areas of Albania. Act now and do not leave that environmental burden to future generations!“ says Taulant Bino, Head of the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS).


Background information:

  • Vjosa-Narta Protected Area is one of the most important ecological ecosystems in Albania, the second most important wetland in Albania, and home of important fauna and flora species. The Narta Lagoon is an Emerald site and is part of several ecological networks, located along the Adriatic migration flyway, which hosts more than 220 bird species.
  • National and international NGOs have opposed the plans for the construction of an airport within the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area since the genesis of these plans. Open letters to authorities, manifestations, and revision of the EIA report are some of the actions taken to oppose the illegal construction of the airport within the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area.

Contact:

Christian Stielow, EuroNatur - christian.stielow(at)euronatur.org, Tel: +49 (0)7732 – 92 72 15

Xhemal Xherri, PPNEA; xh.xherri(at)ppnea.org;  Tel: +355 695531187

Erald Xeka, AOS; erald.xeka(at)aos-alb.org; Tel: +355 (0) 69 24 45 037

How you can help

Press Subscription Service

Select on which of your areas of interest you would like to receive our press releases.

Select press subscription service

RSS feeds

You can subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive all the news on the topics of your choice.

Choose your RSS feed here

News

Major success: River Vjosa becomes National Park

++ Today the Vjosa River in Albania has been proclaimed Europe’s first Wild River National Park ++ EuroNatur, Riverwatch and many other partners have…

Romania's primary forests are disappearing - the EU Commission must intervene

++ Investigative research uncovers scandalous machinations in the forestry industry ++ EuroNatur demands strict protection for primary forests in…

Flamingos or planes: Protests against Airport in Albania

++ World Wetlands Day focuses attention on global destruction of rivers, lakes, marshes and coasts ++ Major demonstration in Albania against…

Spotlight on nature’s diversity

++ Start of EuroNatur photography competition 2023 ++ Anniversary for the “European Treasures of Nature”++

Further opposition to Albanian airport construction

European governments request that the Albanian government suspend the construction of the airport in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area. The main…

Environmental groups suing the Albanian authorities for the illegal construction of the Vlora Airport

Environmental groups challenge the contract for the construction of Vlora International Airport as null due to the irregularities and the violation of…

Polish expansion plans could finish the Oder off

++ Government in Warsaw plans to narrow and deepen the German-Polish border river ++ Nature conservation organisations file complaint with EU ++…

EuroNatur Award 2022: A signal of support for primary forest conservation and a show of solidarity with Ukraine

++ Forest conservationists receive the EuroNatur Award 2022 ++ Europe's last primary forests under massive pressure ++ War against Ukraine hampers…

Rejection of hydropower plants in the National Park - North Macedonia revokes concessions

++ A milestone that puts wind into the sails of NGOs’ fight for free-flowing rivers ++ A vital first step to continue the protection of rivers in all…

EuroNatur Award focuses attention on destruction of forests and war in Ukraine

++ Forest conservationists receive the 2022 EuroNatur Award ++ War against Ukraine and its consequences hamper the work of conservationists and…

Last vultures released into the wild in Bulgaria

++ Two female Cinereous Vultures have been released into the wild in Bulgaria ++ Seven-year project has been completed successfully ++ 3rd September…

Environmental Organisations Present Key Requirements for an Oder River Action Programme

Turn the Oder disaster into an opportunity for ecological revitalisation

Oder catastrophe: Completely clarify causes and ensure restoration of the Oder

The environmental disaster in the Oder River is man-made, that much is certain. Decisive steps are needed now.

High risks for hydropower investments in the Balkans

Greenfield large hydropower investments across southeast Europe (1) face major risks and low realisation rates, according to a new report by CEE…

Award for forest conservationists from Germany and Ukraine

++ EuroNatur Award 2022 goes to Antje Grothus, Fedir Hamor and the Free Svydovets organisation ++ Europe's last virgin forests are under enormous…