“We mark March 14, the Summer Day in Albania, but also the International Day of Action for Rivers, with the most significant action for protection of Vjosa River, Europe’s last wild river, now formally a protected national park,” PM Rama wrote in a post on the social media.

The Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro announced a day ago the government decision to include Vjosa River in the category of a National Park that offers a much higher protection than the previous designation as a natural park.

Kumbaro said the newly-protected area covers over 12,700 hectares, including not only the water surface, but also the three branches of the river, Drinos, Bënca and Shushica, as well as other land surfaces.

Minister Kumbaro also announced that now another phase will start in collaboration with the company Patagonia “to draft the management plan and the entire master plan of the area, to see where traditional economy, ecotourism can be developed, or where the part will be of strict protection where it will not be possible to interfere at all.”

Vjosa, which originates in Greece, has a length of 272 kilometres, of which 192 in Albanian territory. It serves as a habitat for over 1100 species, among which 13 are globally endangered.

Last month, the Albanian and Greek ministers in charge of environmental issues said they had agreed to work together to create the first cross-border park on the path of the Vjosa River.

/u.sh/

This wonderful attraction offers everything a vacationer needs including the beach with special sand and great curative values. Beautiful nature and fresh air make it the ideal place to relax.

In addition to nature, the national park offers the visitors to explore the rare and special species such as curly pelicans or the globally threatened mammal otter (Lutra lutra), jackal, fox, baldosa, sea swallows but also some rare species of pines.

In the Divjaka Karavasta National Park there are also river deltas, lagoons, sand dunes and rare vegetation which makes this park one of the most important parks in the Mediterranean. //a.i/