The Freedom Party appeals to Begaj: Do not decree the Law on Protected Areas, it is clientelistic

The Freedom Party has called on President Bajram Begaj not to decree the Law on Protected Areas, which was approved a few days ago in Parliament.

In a statement to the media, MP Erisa Xixho said that this law is a clientelistic law of the majority and paves the way for the destruction of protected areas.

According to Xixho, in complete opposition to the European Union, civil society, environmental organizations and the opposition, this law is nothing but an extension of other laws of the same governing philosophy that is inspired, financed and serves the interests of the criminal greed of a handful of oligarchs.

Declaration:

With this law, the protected areas will be transformed into construction sites for resorts, building complexes or businesses, most of which will be put to the service of laundering the money of crime and corruption.

To the detriment of the public and national interest, in complete opposition to the European Union, civil society, environmental organizations and the opposition, this law is nothing but an extension of other laws of the same governing philosophy that is inspired, financed and serves the interests of greed criminals of a handful of oligarchs.

First, the competences pass to the National Council of the Territory, being removed from the Ministry of the Environment.

Secondly, strategic investments and categories of strategic investments such as resorts and service businesses etc. are allowed.

Thanks to the new law, there will be no more protected areas. So, it can be built in Butrint, Karavasta, Mal i Dajti or Lake Ohrid.

The law removes experts from decision-making and passes it to the Council of Ministers.

The government that was proud of the 10 million tourists of the season we left behind wants to destroy exactly what attracts tourists to Albania: its natural resources.

The same majority that two years ago opened the green day to the robbery of the port of Durrës, or that previously destroyed the Narta Lagoon with the Vlora airport that could very well be built elsewhere, wants to legalize the destruction of protected areas, being given the opportunity to its strategic investors to turn them into profit generators or dirty money launderers.

Despite the fact that the delegation of the European Union in Tirana requested transparency and consultation with the interested parties, stating that: "In the framework of membership negotiations, the adoption of laws on issues covered by EU legislation, presupposes genuine and comprehensive public consultation , as well as a predictable and transparent process", the ruling majority did not stop.

In addition to violating the SAA and other conventions for the protection of nature, this law is incompatible with the Constitution. Environmental protection is a main social objective and an obligation defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Albania.

The Freedom Party and the opposition will continue to be in coordination with civil society and environmental experts, in support of their demands.

In these conditions, we publicly ask the President of the Republic, in accordance with the authority given to him by the Constitution, not to decree the clientelistic law of the majority, to prove in this way that it is not only an appendage of its power, but above it all, to protect from barbarism irreversible assets created in thousands of years, which we have the duty to leave to future generations intact as our ancestors have left us.