PPNEA warned about the looming threats to the Vjosa River, foreseeing disastrous consequences for our country’s Protected Areas. Today, our worst fears have materialized. Despite designating the Vjosa River as a National Park, recent law amendments now permit construction within these vital ecosystems, leaving them vulnerable. But the real tipping point came with the approval for an international airport right in the heart of the Vjosa Delta, the river’s most ecologically rich region. PPNEA warned against this, predicting an avalanche of unsustainable development and rampant tourism that would jeopardize our natural heritage. Now, more than ever, our environment is in urgent need of protection. The Bern Convention has intervened to halt the airport project, highlighting the inadequacy of protection measures for Vjosa and the concerns of local communities. Yet, the government persists in its propaganda and besides the airport, we are now confronting another threat to one of its most stunning jewels, Shushica. For this anniversary, let’s remember what it signifies: THE BEGINNING OF THE PROPAGANDA OF ALBANIA’S PROTECTED AREAS.
