TIRANA, September 23 /ATA/ – MEP Terry Reintke, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, held a press conference today at the “House of Europe” in Tirana, where she spoke about the political developments in Albania, regional cooperation and the country’s European integration process.
Reintke pointed at the ongoing protests in Albania against the planned project for the Zvërnec area, as well as demands for greater transparency and accountability in decision-making processes.
“I have had the opportunity to observe the ongoing protests, and I can tell you that they have attracted significant attention across Europe, including within the European Parliament. Albanian citizens are opposing the planned project for this area, but they are also demanding greater accountability in the process,” she stated.
The MEP noted that during her stay in Albania, she also met with representatives from various non-governmental organizations to gain a more direct understanding of the situation and recent developments in the country. She emphasized that the European Parliament, including the Greens/EFA group, has been closely monitoring the situation in Albania over the past few months.
“Our stance is crystal clear. In June, we adopted a report calling for a moratorium on all development plans in the protected areas,” Reintke stated.
Referring to the beginning of works in May and June, she noted that significant questions have been raised regarding compliance with Albanian legislation and European environmental protection standards.
“The manner in which construction began in May and June is inconsistent with Albanian laws as well as European-level environmental legislation, and this impacts the accession process,” the MEP stated.
Reintke also called for the Albanian legal framework regarding protected areas to be aligned with the European Union legislation.
“The demand is clear: the law on protected areas must be repealed and harmonized with EU environmental legislation. This is a long-standing request from both the European Commission and the European Parliament and it will be a key aspect regarding negotiations under Chapter 27,” she said.
According to the MEP, the issue concerns not only environmental protection but also democratic standards, public participation in major infrastructure projects and respect for the rule of law.
She also made it crystal clear that the position of the Greens group—and indeed a broad section of the European Parliament—is not opposed to the development of tourism infrastructure in Albania.
“We are not arguing against the construction of tourism infrastructure in Albania. This is a growing sector of the Albanian economy and given that Albania is a fantastic country, it should be developed. However, this must be done in compliance with environmental standards, laws, democratic procedures and anti-corruption standards,” the MEP stated.
Reintke emphasized the European Parliament’s support for Albania’s accession to the European Union, stressing that this process must be accompanied by respect for citizens’ rights and the fulfillment of all relevant standards.
“Albanian citizens deserve to have their rights protected during the EU accession process; negotiations are ongoing and we will push for Albania’s progress toward the EU while insisting on compliance with all relevant provisions,” she said. /p.s./
