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Law on Protected Areas, Civil Society Boycotts Consultation Processes

Politiko 2026-06-12 19:46:37

Law on Protected Areas, Civil Society Boycotts Consultation Processes

Civil Society Organizations have announced a boycott of the Ministry of Environment's consultation processes on the Law on Protected Areas.

In the official announcement distributed to the media, civil society organizations express their determination not to participate in the consultation processes as long as Law No. 21/2024 on amending the Law on Protected Areas remains in force, which according to them has paved the way for developments and interventions in territories that should enjoy the highest level of environmental protection in the country.

Civil Society Organizations consider the repeal of the amendments approved by Law No. 21/2024, as well as the cancellation/non-permission of the project to build tourist resorts in the “Pishë Poro-Nartë” Protected Area, as a non-negotiable and preliminary condition for any further institutional dialogue on environmental issues and the European integration process.

This request, they emphasize, does not only represent a concern of environmental organizations, but is also clearly reflected in the European Commission's closing points for Chapter 27 of the negotiations, which require guaranteeing effective protection of protected areas and full alignment with European biodiversity conservation standards.

Announcement:

Environmental Civil Society Organizations Boycott the Ministry of Environment's Consultation Processes Until the Amendments to the Law on Protected Areas Are Repealed

Tirana, June 12, 2026 Environmental Civil Society Organizations express their clear position that they cannot participate in the consultation processes organized by the Ministry of Environment as long as Law No. 21/2024 on amending the Law on Protected Areas remains in force, which has paved the way for developments and interventions in territories that should enjoy the highest level of environmental protection in the country. In this context, environmental organizations have refused to legitimize the public consultation roundtable of draft acts, convened by the Ministry on June 12, by boycotting it and not providing technical comments, in order not to become part of a process that aims to present an institutional normality that does not exist. While further approximation of Albanian legislation with the European Union acquis is being discussed, large infrastructure and tourism projects are advancing on the ground within the national network of protected areas, severely violating the integrity of these ecosystems and seriously questioning the real commitment of institutions to European standards of nature protection.

This position is also supported by the reactions and joint statements of published environmental organizations1 2 3, which have consistently opposed interventions in protected areas and legal amendments that violate their integrity. Civil Society Organizations consider the repeal of the amendments approved by Law No. 21/2024 as well as the cancellation/non-permission of the project to build tourist resorts in the “Pishë Poro-Nartë” Protected Area as a non-negotiable and preliminary condition for any further institutional dialogue on environmental issues and the European integration process. This demand does not only represent a concern of environmental organizations, but is also clearly reflected in the closing benchmarks of the European Commission for Chapter 27 of the negotiations, which require the guarantee of effective protection of protected areas and full approximation with European standards for biodiversity conservation.

For this reason, Civil Society Organizations do not consider it relevant to participate in technical consultations on new legal and sub-legal acts, as long as the most fundamental issue of protecting protected areas remains unresolved. Efforts to demonstrate progress in the integration process cannot be credible when the most serious issues identified in the environmental field continue to remain open. This stance takes on particular importance at a time when citizens, activists and local communities across the country have been protesting for 12 consecutive days, opposing the encroachment on protected areas and demanding the protection of Albania’s natural heritage.

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