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The ecological integrity of the Vjosa River risks remaining on paper

Politiko 2025-07-01 16:09:40

The ecological integrity of the Vjosa River risks remaining on paper

In a joint press statement, the environmental organization EcoAlbania, together with the international organizations EuroNatur and Riverwatch, raised the alarm that the Vjosa River National Park risks turning into a "paper park" protected solely by law, but not in reality.

"The Vjosa River is constantly facing pressures from extractive industries, infrastructure expansion and uncontrolled development, putting at risk the ecological integrity of the park and its global value for nature conservation," environmental activists write in the press release.

The Vjosa River System, declared a National Park in 2023, is a habitat for over 1,100 species, including 13 globally endangered species. The Albanian government is simultaneously pursuing procedures for declaring the Vjosa Valley as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

However, environmental organizations express concern that if the threats to this river are not properly addressed, all of these statuses will remain merely symbolic.

The real threats to the river and the national park consist mainly of industrial activities such as oil extraction, bitumen extraction, gravel extraction, water exploitation, urban waste disposal, sewage, and mass tourism.

"Unsupervised oil extraction activities threaten biodiversity and water quality in the Vjosa. Frequent leaks have been documented, which pollute the water and damage aquatic ecosystems," the environmentalists' press release quotes.

Also, illegal dumping of mining waste continues to endanger habitats and aquatic systems, even though it is officially prohibited by law.

On the other hand, indiscriminate water use seriously risks reducing the volume of the free flow of the Vjosa, a consequence that is added to other impacts from climate change.

"With climate change predicting a 30% reduction in the amount of water in the Vjosa by 2050, uncontrolled exploitation poses an even greater threat," environmentalists quote.

Activists called on the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to strictly monitor all industrial activities that endanger the continuity of the Vjosa River.

"This park was hailed worldwide, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. Without urgent political will, Vjosa risks being protected only on paper," concluded Olsi Nika, executive director of the organization Eco Albania. Reporter.al

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