TIRANA, Dec 19 /ATA/ In today’s parliamentary interpellation session, Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment, highlighted the efforts made to expand protected areas, stressing that "for the first time, Albania increased the size of its protected areas in 2022, bringing the protected territory to 21.5% of the country's total land."

In her remarks, Kumbaro pointed out, "For those who might believe that the opposition is concerned about the protected areas, I would like to highlight that until 2014, there were no public discussions on the environment or protected natural areas, even though there was a Ministry of Environment in place. Let me provide just a few facts."

Kumbaro highlighted that the National Agency for Protected Areas, established in 2015, along with its 12 regional branches, is a source of pride for Albania. The agency manages national parks, natural monuments, and landscapes with the help of dedicated professionals such as environmental engineers, forestry experts, and veterinarians. She emphasized that, unlike many Western Balkan countries, Albania is now a regional leader in protected area management.

For the first time, Kumbaro stated, we drafted and adopted a law for protected natural areas in 2017.

Kumbaro stated that if such priorities had been set earlier, many mistakes made during the transition could have been avoided. She emphasized that for the first time, Albania expanded its protected areas in 2022, increasing the protected surface area to 21.5% of the country's territory. This decision, she noted, was not easy, as many larger countries have much lower percentage of protected areas, and no other country in the region has made such a protective decision. She highlighted that this decision is crucial for Albania, a country with a small-scale protected territory, where it is essential to balance the needs of communities for development and well-being with the vision of preserving nature as the most valuable resource for future generations.

Minister Kumbaro emphasized that "it is this government, which monitors developments on the ground daily, striving to maintain a realistic balance between sustainable development and biodiversity protection. As part of this effort, we updated the 2017 law on protected areas earlier this year, responding to the reality and demographic needs to prevent depopulation in certain regions. This is Albania for the time being, it is moving much faster than your headless, disjointed opposition."

Minister of Tourism and Environment called out the pre-2013 government for damaging protected areas and biodiversity.
The Minister of Tourism and Environment criticized the previous government, stating that natural resources and protected areas had been neglected for decades, with no priority given to their preservation. She accused the past administration of abusing and destroying these areas, building recklessly without planning, and causing irreversible damage, particularly until 2013. She highlighted the example of Ksamil, once a protected area, which had degraded into an overdeveloped area, ruining its biodiversity. Kumbaro further pointed out that urban requalification programs are now working to restore these areas, sorting out social issues by refurbishing roads, setting up a public street lighting network, building sanitation infrastructure, and preserving historical landmarks. Additionally, she stressed the need for strict criteria when involving private investors in these areas, with decisions made by the National Territorial Council (KKT).

With regard to the new law on protected areas, Kumbaro clarified that, contrary to some claims, the law does not contravene any European Directive and is fully in line with the principles set out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Kumbaro also emphasized the ongoing efforts for the Vjosa River, which, after being designated as a National Park, is now progressing towards inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

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