Residents of Postriba protest: We want water, the state should intervene to resolve the issue

2025-08-15 16:23:00, Aktualitet CNA

Residents of Postriba protest: We want water, the state should intervene to

Residents of Postriba in Shkodra have gone on a protest today. Even the water supply investment a year ago has not solved the drinking water problem for them. They emphasize that the investment has been in vain, as there is still no drinking water and it was done to silence the quarry in the area.

"We have been complaining about the quarries since 2018 that have entered without permission and have obtained permits in a corrupt manner. A year ago, they made an investment by capturing seasonal waters that are lost in March and come out at the end of September. We have asked them to install a filter so that the water goes a little cleaner to the residents due to pollution from the residents. Based on our protests, they have used them to withdraw the fund for this investment that cost 165 million lek by building the capture. This capture has destroyed the first one. These are seasonal waters that come out of the springs and the springs are in the middle of the river. When the quarries reduce the pollution, the river takes that pollution and fine dust and goes to our children. The pipe they installed does not bring out a single drop of water. This investment has been in vain," says a resident.

Residents of Postriba protest: We want water, the state should intervene to

"How can one person's interest be placed before the residents to exploit this entire mountain, this entire natural wealth. One person's interest cannot be placed over the interest of 8,000 residents who are fed by this water. We have been asking the state for only justice for 8 years. We are demanding the removal of the two quarries from here. I built my house with medicinal plants from the mountain, now I can't take my wife and daughter out to the mountain because they are the Kurds of the quarry and blocking us in this way is not good," says one of the residents.

Residents of Postriba protest: We want water, the state should intervene to

Residents are asking the Government to intervene to resolve the issue.

"The state does not function. We wrote a message to Edi Rama and he brought us the police director here, but nothing. We will demand our rights all the way to The Hague. Some villages have no water and some others have reduced it. The water is not drinkable. It is a state of thieves. They will force us to make a scandal and we will do it. We will eliminate them if the state and the law do not take action. As soon as the quarry companies withdraw or we will remove them," says a resident.

Complaints about drinking water have been going on for about 8 years by residents of the area, due to the work that the quarry does in this area. Despite court cases, they have not yet received any solution. /CNA