Albania designates Europe’s last “wild river” as a national park – #Albania #designates #Europes #wild #river #national #park

TIRANA, March 15 (Reuters) – The Albanian government on the Vjosa river in the southern part of the country national It is designated as a park, which is also water way marks the victory of environmentalists who have been fighting for years against hydroelectric power plant plans.

Environmentalists and scientists have called the Vjosa Europe’s last “wild” river because it flows uninterrupted for 270 km (170 miles) from Greece through southern Albania to the Adriatic Sea without any dams or power plants.

They say that in the river 10About 00 species, including endangered ones Europe there are eels and endangered endemic plant species. Vjosa and its tributaries national Declaring a park will prevent construction projects.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that an initial budget of 80 million dollars will be allocated for the construction of new factories to prevent sewage from reaching the river.

“Today we protect Europe’s last wild river forever,” Rama said during the signing ceremony in Tepelena, about 215 kilometers from the capital Tirana.

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“Let’s not forget that this park will have an area of ​​12,700 hectares and it is a huge park that crosses the entire territory of the country.”

Albania produces almost all of its electricity from hydroelectricity and planned to build 30 hydroelectric plants along the river to meet the growing energy demand.

“This is a historic moment for the Vjosa… The Vjosa will finally flow freely forever,” EcoAlbania to save the river 10 the leader in the annual struggle NGO Facebook said on the page.

Reporter Florion Goga, writer Fatos Bytyci; Edited by Sharon Singleton

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2023-03-16 04:03:55
Source – reuters

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