Protected areas and the Zvërnec project/ What does the amendment approved by the EP say?

2026-06-17 18:43:00, Aktualitet CNA

Protected areas and the Zvërnec project/ What does the amendment approved

The European Parliament approved this Wednesday the progress report for Albania in EU membership negotiations.

It is learned that the EP gave approval with 483 votes in favor, 103 against and 70 abstentions.

During today's vote, amendments 15, 16, 3, 5 and 17 were approved, while amendments 8, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 1, 4, 6, 14 and 2 were rejected.

Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted on social media regarding the approved amendment for protected areas and projects in Zvërnec, saying that everything will be developed according to EU standards.

But what does the approved amendment say?

Amendment 17 adopted addresses developments within the Vjosa-Narta protected area and emphasizes that a moratorium should be imposed on all new permitting procedures, construction works and development interventions within protected areas, until the incompatible provisions of the amended Law on Protected Areas are repealed, in line with a long-standing request of the European Commission and the European Parliament, as well as with the closing objectives of Chapter 27, and until full compliance with EU standards for nature protection is guaranteed.

This amendment underlines that any project in this area must undergo comprehensive environmental impact assessments, fully in line with EU standards, including a transparent process of public participation with local communities, scientists and civil society.

Protected areas and the Zvërnec project/ What does the amendment approved

“46a. Expresses serious concern that ongoing developments within the Vjosa-Narte protected area demonstrate the practical consequences of these legal changes and the risks they pose for areas of recognised ecological value; follows closely the ongoing peaceful mass protests in this regard; calls on the Albanian authorities to immediately impose a moratorium on all new permitting procedures, construction works and development interventions within protected areas, until the incompatible provisions of the amended Law on Protected Areas are repealed, in line with a long-standing request by the European Commission and the European Parliament, as well as with the closing objectives of Chapter 27, and until full compliance with EU standards for nature protection is ensured; stresses that any project in this area should be subject to comprehensive environmental impact assessments, fully in line with EU standards, including a transparent process of public participation with local communities, scientists and civil society.”

Meanwhile, Rama also published amendment 4, which was rejected by the EP.

This amendment stated:

“Deeply regrets that Albania’s 2015 Law on Strategic Investments has been extended, given its provisions allowing for accelerated permitting procedures and reduced environmental review, which risk negatively impacting protected areas and other environmentally sensitive areas; calls for the repeal of the 2024 amendments to the Law on Protected Areas, which allow for the development of large-scale tourism infrastructure within protected areas and transfer key governance and decision-making powers to the National Territorial Council, thus weakening environmental oversight; expresses concerns, therefore, regarding the government’s agreement with Jared Kushner’s company, Affinity Partners, to develop a luxury tourism project in Sazan and the Vjosa-Narta protected area; calls for support for the anti-corruption investigation currently being conducted by SPAK in this context; calls for the right to peacefully protest to be guaranteed against corporate repression private security, as during the clashes that occurred at the end of May 2026.”/ CNA

Protected areas and the Zvërnec project/ What does the amendment approved