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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Speaking at a meeting with mayors as part of a nationwide “Projects of Albania” tour, the government head stressed the need for more effective and stronger civil emergency systems at the local level.

He said the Minister for Local Government, together with the Defence Minister, had been tasked with working with local government authorities to boost local capacities to respond to civil emergencies.

Rama also said the government was reviewing the country’s waste collection system, noting that while waste processing remains important, management continues to pose challenges – particularly during the tourist season in areas outside major urban centres.

To address the issue, he underlined the need for a coordinated task force between central and local authorities.

“The environment minister and the minister for local government have been tasked with drafting a short-, medium- and long-term plan, ranging from broad public awareness campaigns to concrete measures that need to be implemented,” Rama said.

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