TIRANA, Feb  17 /ATA/ The Albanian government has announced its intention to turn Vjosa into a biosphere reserve protected by UNESCO.

The news was announced during the official visit to Albania of Audrey Azoulay, general director of the Organization, who visited our country at the invitation of the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mirela Kumbaro.

In the run-up to a working meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, Azoulay visited the historical center of Gjirokastra, inscribed since 2005 as a UNESCO world heritage site.

In recent years, the Organization has supported Albania in the restoration of the city’s heritage houses and in the inventory of the city’s intangible cultural heritage, as part of an approach to promote sustainable tourism that contributes to local development.

The River Vjosa, often called Europe’s last truly wild river, undammed and running free from its source in the Pindos Mountains in Greece through Albania and out to the Adriatic coast flows close to Gjirokastra.  Vjosa is the habitat of about 1100 animal and plant species, including 13 animal species and 2 plant species that are classed as endangered.

The Albanian government has decided to reinforce the protection of this extraordinary ecosystem with the aim of protecting Vjosa by creating a protected area subject to the highest international standards through its designation as  “National Park.”

During Audrey Azoulay’s visit, the Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania, Mirela Kumbaro, announced that she intends to apply in the following months for designation of the Vjosa valley as UNESCO biosphere reserve.

“The biosphere reserves are a wonderful model, as they enable the protection of nature while improving the quality of life of the inhabitants. The application for the Vjosa valley in this UNESCO program will be based on three priorities: improvement of water quality, fight against deforestation and revitalization of villages through rural tourism,” said Mirela Kumbaro.

“I welcome this amazing initiative of Albania, which turns a new page in the  history that connects this country and our organization. “UNESCO is available to the Albanian authorities to support them in the designation of this protected area and the preparation of its application for our biosphere reserve program,” underlined Audrey Azoulay.

/sm/