11 Albanian Environmental Civil Society Organizations have sued the public authorities for the annulment of the decision of the Council of Ministers no. 59 and no. 60, which violates the territorial geographical and social-ecological integrity of the Protected Areas.
The lawsuit was sent to the court on January 26 of this year by 11 environmental organizations in order to preserve protected areas in the country. This lawsuit comes after the organization of the Environmental Forum 2023 by a group of 51 organizations and representatives of scientific, research and academic institutions who signed a Declaration for the protection of the network of Protected Areas. (read more by clicking here)
The decisions of the Council of Ministers, which the organizations are opposing, reduce the surface of the Protected Wetland Areas, remove precious habitats from them, open the way for unsustainable developments in or near them, increase the negative impacts on the central areas of the Protected Areas, deplete habitats and species, affect the biological diversity of these areas and all of Albania.
The decisions affect Lake Shkodra, the Buna-Velipoja ecosystem, the Kune-Vain, Tale and Patok wetlands, the Divjakë-Karavasta and Butrint National Parks, as well as the Vjosë-Nartë and Pishë-Poro areas. The prepared lawsuit presents the arguments based on legislation and relevant expertise in the field of environment, for the repeal of two VKM with no. 59 and no. 60.