17 June 2026
MEPs vote to call on Albania to repeal legislation allowing destruction of protected areas and to suspend all new developments within protected areas until it is done.
Today, the European Parliament adopted its resolution on the 2025 Commission Report on Albania, expressing serious concerns about the ongoing developments within the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area and saying that the rule of law and EU environmental standards are non-negotiable conditions of accession. The resolution calls for the repeal of Albania’s 2024 amendments to the Law on Protected Areas, legislation that has enabled the destruction of one of the Mediterranean’s most exceptional natural sites, and triggered the largest street protests Albania has seen in a generation.
It also calls for an “immediate moratorium on new permitting procedures, construction works and development interventions within protected areas until incompatible provisions of Albania’s amended Law on Protected Areas are repealed and full compliance with EU nature protection standards is ensured”.
More than 100,000 Albanians have taken to the streets over the past 18 days in what has become known globally as the ‘Flamingo Revolution’ – a popular uprising against the illegal clearing of forest, ancient dunes, and protected habitat in the Vjosa–Narta Protected Landscape.
The adopted resolution specifically calls for the repeal of the 2024 amendments to the Law on Protected Areas, which allow large-scale tourism infrastructure inside protected zones and strip away key environmental oversight mechanisms. MEPs also expressed deep concern over Albania’s Law on Strategic Investments, whose accelerated permitting procedures risk bypassing environmental scrutiny in sensitive areas.
The result of today’s vote stands in stark contrast to the European Commission’s reaction to the illegalities. On 15 June, Commissioner Kos stated that the Commission had received assurances from the Albanian government that an environmental impact assessment would be carried out, ignoring the fact that illegal works have already taken place, without permits, without transparency, and without an environmental impact assessment. The Parliament has shown more commitment than the Commission in defending EU laws.
The Vjosa–Narta Protected Landscape is part of the last intact delta system in the Mediterranean. It hosts over 200 bird species and more than 70 endangered species, sits on one of Europe’s most critical migratory corridors, and provides essential habitat for the Mediterranean monk seal and Loggerhead sea turtle – species that EU Member States including Greece, Italy and Croatia have their own legal obligations to protect. What happens here doesn’t stay in Albania.
Since the beginning of May 2026, construction has proceeded inside the protected area without any published project, environmental impact assessment, public consultation or valid permit – in direct contradiction of Albania’s accession commitments under both the Environmental acquis and Cluster 1 on the rule of law. This comes on top of the illegal construction of Vlora International Airport in the same area, which started in November 2021.
Joni Vorpsi, Head of Policy and Advocacy, PPNEA: “The European Parliament’s call for an immediate moratorium is exactly what is needed in our fight to protect Vjosa-Narta. It gives Albanian authorities the time and the clarity to align with EU standards on nature protection and avoid irreversible mistakes that would set back Albania’s EU path. We want Albania in the European family, and that is precisely why we cannot afford to get this wrong.”
Anouk Puymartin, Head of Policy, BirdLife Europe: “Today the European Parliament has stood with the thousands of Albanians on the streets of Tirana. This vote sends the unambiguous message that you cannot join the EU while bulldozing protected wetlands and bypassing your own laws. Protecting Vjosa–Narta, and respecting the Birds and Habitats Directives, are a fundamental condition of EU accession. The Albanians protesting in Tirana already knew that defending nature and defending democracy are the same fight. Today, the European Parliament said so too.”
There are growing concerns that other Western Balkans accession countries are watching closely, and considering similar legislation. Today’s vote makes clear that such a path is incompatible with EU membership.
ENDS.
Notes to editors BirdLife Europe and PPNEA have been engaged on this issue from the start. PPNEA has been actively campaigning to protect Vjosa–Narta for years and is on the ground in the current protests. Both organisations were present in Strasbourg today ahead of and during the vote.
