MEPs in Zvërnec met with protests from local residents: “Our concerns about the project must be heard

This Tuesday, residents protested the arrival of MEPs in Zvërnec, where the tourism project is to be built. They called for their concerns to be heard.

“Albania is not for sale,” “Hands off Vlora,” and “Hands off Zvërnec” were among the chants they raised.

One resident stressed that laws had been passed that were against the national interest and unconstitutional, and that they should be repealed by September.

“They have passed laws that are against the national interest and unconstitutional. Against property owners and against the environment. We, the residents of Zvërnec, demand that they be repealed by September because we cannot wait any longer. We demand our rights,” a young woman said.

Another resident accused the authorities of giving their land to unknown individuals.

“Albanians’ land is being given to unknown people and narrow interests. They take it from the owner and give it to someone else. Instead of the state issuing the local resident a certificate of ownership, after all these years the boundaries have not been properly demarcated. Or parcels have been exchanged for other parcels. This has been done by successive governments,” a man said, among other things.

It should be recalled that the MEPs are in Albania as part of a meeting of the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

The European Parliament expects Albania to amend the law on protected areas as part of the implementation of a resolution adopted by the parliament and the requirements related to the EU accession negotiations.