Environment Minister Sofjan Jaupaj today invited the public to visit this natural wonder of Albania.

Famed for its size and rock formations, the cave is a valuable natural asset and an important part of the area’s natural heritage.

Its natural features and geological characteristics make Vali Cave a site of particular interest for exploring and promoting Martanesh’s natural heritage.
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Environment Minister Sofjan Jaupaj said in a social media post today that the initiative aims to improve environmental monitoring and data systems, as well as strengthen institutional capacities in the field of environmental protection.

According to Jaupaj, this cooperation represents an important step towards improving quality of life and aligning Albania with European Union standards under Chapter 27, which covers the environment and climate change.

In May this year, Minister Jaupaj presented the National Climate Change Plan 2026–2036, which sets out 66 priority measures on air quality and climate.

The aim is for Albania to have a comprehensive air quality monitoring system in place by 2028, in line with European Union standards.

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The meeting, hosted at the invitation of Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and European Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall, brought together representatives from across the Euro-Mediterranean region to discuss droughts, floods and pollution.

“Faced with climate change, floods and droughts, we need stronger institutions, investment and closer cooperation among Mediterranean countries,” Jaupaj said.

He said Albania supported the Ministerial Declaration on Water and the Rome Initiative as concrete environmental commitments for the region.

“Albania is ready to work with the Union for the Mediterranean, the European Union and regional partners to turn these commitments into concrete results,” Jaupaj said.

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During a meeting in Brussels with European Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall, Jaupaj outlined progress made and ongoing work under Chapter 27, covering environment and climate change.

“A year of work to bring Albania closer to European environmental standards,” Jaupaj said, highlighting reforms and investment aimed at delivering concrete results and gradually aligning the country with EU standards.

Chapter 27 covers EU policies and standards on environmental protection, climate change and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Jaupaj said strengthening environmental standards remained an important part of Albania’s EU integration process.

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Speaking on his “Flasim” podcast, Rama said the government planned to pilot agreements with communities and businesses operating in tourism areas, particularly forested zones with tourism potential.

“We will test some arrangements to build agreements with communities involved in tourism in these areas,” Rama said. “The Environment Ministry and a community could form an association or joint council that would take responsibility for doing more than simply running their own businesses.”

Under the proposed partnerships, tourism businesses would help monitor and maintain the surrounding areas and report environmental problems, including the need to clear forest areas or remove accumulated waste, Rama said.

“Cleaning the forest makes it less vulnerable to fire,” he said, adding that communities could also help identify illegal construction and illegal logging.

Rama said tourism businesses in areas whose appeal depends heavily on nature needed to recognise that the natural environment itself was part of the product they were selling.

“If that product starts to deteriorate, no matter how beautiful your guesthouse or campsite is, your economic returns will also suffer, because people will start leaving places where nature is not protected,” he said.

Rama said the government was creating a non-profit fund to support such initiatives, describing them as a form of voluntary cooperation among businesses seeking to protect the wider tourism destination on which they depend.

He cited the Shala River as an example of a tourism “brand” that should be protected through measures covering environmental preservation, hygiene, construction standards and forest clearance to reduce fire risks.

Rama said it was a major loss when communities and natural assets were damaged by wildfires because local stakeholders were not sufficiently organised to prevent them.

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A total of 43 fires were reported over the previous 24 hours, of which 24 were extinguished and eight remained under surveillance.

Some 614 local personnel, 355 armed forces personnel and 70 firefighting vehicles were deployed, while four helicopter operations and one Air Tractor aircraft mission were carried out.

In northeastern region of Dibra, four fires remained active in areas including Bulqiza, Mat and Klos. In Lezha, fires in Gallata, Kurbin, and Kalivac-Zimaj-Kashnjet were active, with the latter described as the most intense. Authorities said there was no immediate threat to populated areas.

Fires also remained active in Mount Dajti in Tirana district, Gureshpate in Librazhd and several locations in Shkoder district, including Bardhaj-Myselim and Mount Terbun. Other fires across the country were under surveillance or had been extinguished.

The National Civil Protection Agency continued to coordinate firefighting efforts with local authorities, with teams remaining on the ground and on standby to respond to new outbreaks.

Authorities said the priority was protecting lives, homes, property and the environment.

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A total of 735 local personnel and 64 fire engines were deployed nationwide. The Armed Forces supported the response with 475 personnel, seven fire engines, four helicopters and an Air Tractor aircraft, while 160 military personnel were scheduled to join operations on Sunday.

The main efforts focused on the most critical fire fronts. On Mount Dajti, 77 military personnel and an Air Force helicopter were deployed alongside municipal teams.

In Bardhaj, Shkodra, five fire engines and civil protection teams were supported by an Armed Forces fire engine and helicopter, with a further 33 personnel and an ambulance joining the operation.

In Fier, the response involved 13 fire engines, four water tankers, 55 firefighters and 90 other personnel, as well as 90 Armed Forces personnel, a helicopter and an Air Tractor aircraft. A further 33 military personnel were continuing operations.

The Himara firefighting operation has been completed after the blaze was extinguished following the mobilisation of 26 fire engines, 120 firefighters, 40 volunteers, 67 municipal personnel, 20 police officers and 180 Armed Forces personnel supported by two helicopters.

The National Civil Protection Agency continued to monitor the situation nationwide in coordination with local authorities and other emergency services, while operational teams remained on standby to protect lives, homes, property and the environment.

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“Due to the sudden fire advancing towards populated areas, we urge you to leave your homes, businesses or other premises where your lives may be at risk,” Tavo said in an urgent appeal posted on social media.

He urged residents to seek assistance at any time from the state and municipal police, firefighters and emergency medical services, while remaining calm and following instructions from the authorities.

Emergency contact numbers for teams operating in the area were also made available to residents.

A large wildfire broke out in the southern Albanian coastal town of Himara on Friday evening, spreading rapidly and threatening homes and other properties in the area.

The fire has already destroyed one house, while strong winds have helped the flames spread across hills near the “1 Maji” neighbourhood, putting other homes and orchards at risk, local media reported.

Himara residents joined firefighters on the ground as they worked to contain the blaze.

Fire crews were focused on containing the spread of the flames and protecting homes and other properties in the affected area.

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The process, carried out under legislation on protected areas, involved field assessments by experts, regional administrations, local authorities and communities, Environment Minister Sofjan Jaupaj said in a social media post.

“Each monument was assessed in the field, including its condition and natural values, while public consultations were held for each area,” Jaupaj said.

The National Agency of Protected Areas (AKZM) and its field teams have completed the documentation, which has been submitted to the Environment Ministry for the next legal procedures, he said.

Jaupaj said the reassessment would provide a clearer basis for protecting and sustainably managing the country’s natural monuments by updating data, assessing their condition and identifying conservation and management needs.

“Natural monuments are an important part of Albania’s natural heritage. Completing this process is an important step towards strengthening their protection and preserving these assets for future generations,” he said.

The review aims to ensure that Albania’s network of natural monuments better reflects the country’s biodiversity and provides a stronger basis for their future protection, monitoring and management.

Under Albanian law, natural monuments include living and non-living natural features or areas with particular scientific, ecological, cultural, educational, aesthetic or religious value.

They include ancient or distinctive trees and groups of trees, as well as habitats and biotopes of endemic, rare, relict or endangered species covering up to 50 hectares.

Non-living natural monuments, or geo-monuments, include geological features such as visible tectonic formations and unique outcrops; geo-morphological features such as caves, canyons, dolines, cliffs and distinctive islands; and hydrographical features including karst and glacial lakes, thermal and mineral springs, waterfalls and wetlands.

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The fires in the Vadhiza area remained active and spread rapidly towards Levan and the Peshtan i Vogël area, fuelled by strong winds and high temperatures.

Several homes, a warehouse producing beehives and a business were damaged, local media reported. In the Qafa e Koshovicës area, flames approached several restaurants and an unoccupied house caught fire.

Firefighters from Fier, Mallakaster, Lushnja, Vlora and Berat were deployed alongside police and emergency services. Two helicopters were also used to tackle the most difficult hotspots, while ground crews continued efforts to contain the flames.

The fire also reached the Fier-Levan national road, temporarily disrupting traffic because of dense smoke and the risk to motorists.

About 15 families were evacuated as flames approached residential areas, with police monitoring threatened zones and assisting residents, authorities said.

Health teams were also placed on full alert. Nine doctors and nurses from the Levan Health Centre and two ambulances staffed by medical personnel from Fier Regional Hospital were deployed to the area, the Health and Social Welfare Ministry said.

Three people had so far been treated for symptoms of smoke inhalation, Health Ministry said. Medical authorities had also coordinated with Fier Memorial Hospital to ensure rapid specialised treatment in case of cardiac emergencies.

Firefighting and emergency teams remained deployed as strong winds continued to hamper efforts to bring the fires under control.

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