Protests against Construction of Industrial Zone in Vlora

Dritan Ziu

24 November 2005

Bay of Vlora

Although Prime Minister Berisha declared publicly that the Government has given up on the plans to built Oil Refinery in Vlora, the environmentalists gathered in the Citizens Alliance (CA) for Protection of the Bay of Vlora organized protests at the �Flamurtari� sports hall, on Monday, October 21. The protest rally was organized under the slogan �Vlora in danger, lets save it�.

Although the turnout was not as high as expected, the environmentalists are determined to oppose Vlora�s transformation into a site of construction of an industrial park. Petrit Levendi, Prof. Sazan Guri and other activists hailed the public declaration of the Albanian Prime Minister made at the Albanian Assembly, but they still have some reserves in this regard.

They presented their scepticism over the possibility to implement the declaration, and its effect over the decision of the previous Government to approve the construction of the industrial park. For as long as that decision is in force, CA said, the initiative doesn�t expect any concrete actions.