Local resistance to nightmare Albanian energy development scenario remains defiant, protestors demand a referendum

3000 citizens from the city of Vlora in Albania held a large protest rally this weekend at the coastal site that has been designated as the construction site for an oil and gas terminal and a thermo power plant. The protestors called on national institutions to respect their right to a local referendum on the constructions. They also urged the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) not to provide finance for projects that do not respect local public rights to participate in decision making and that will have strong negative impacts in the very sensitive area of Vlora Bay. [1]

The Sunday rally followed ten days of protest at the end of the year which saw the arrests of 20 people by 200 local policemen. Those arrested reported being beaten by rubber truncheons at the local police station. The police forces prevented the local media from reporting on the event.

However, the Civic Alliance for the Protection of Vlora Bay together with students from Vlora Students Movement (Levizja Studentore Vlonjate – LSV) continue to protest with the slogan: “Resistance till our right for a local referendum is taken into consideration”. Although, the protests have been attended by some members of the Vlora municipality, the City Council has not officially commented on the events.

Mr. Rezart Aliaj, the chair of the Alliance, said during his opening address to the protestors: “We live in a democratic country, and as such we have the right to raise our voices.”

The well known Albanian publicist Ardian Klosi supported the demonstration by underlining that the movement for the protection of the natural sites, history and archaeology, cultural values and local economies of Vlora is the first authentic citizens’ movement in Albania. He regarded the denial of a referendum as an act against the democratic right of Vlora citizens to decide on a matter of public concern.

At the terminal construction site, Besnik Lula – the Alliance member arrested and injured during the protests in the previous days – invited citizens to plant new trees where old pine trees have been cleared by the constructors.

Mr Lula commented: “We will plant new pine trees today within the territories of the construction sites in order to convey the message that this is not the right site to build on.”

For more information

Rezart Alliaj
Civic Alliance for the Protection of Vlora Bay
Mob: +355 (0) 682072861
Email: alliajshpk AT hotmail.com.vcf

Lavdosh Ferruni
Civic Alliance for the Protection of Vlora Bay
Tel: +355 4 250575
Mob: +355 (0) 69 209 9047
Email: lferruni AT icc-al.org

Notes for the editors

[1] The 97 megawatt oil and gas fuelled thermo power plant backed by the World Bank, EIB and EBRD and the La Petrolífera Italo Rumena’s storage of oil and its by-products currently seeking financing from the EBRD have been the subjects of several complaints and rulings for inadequate public information and participation as well as for underestimated social, economical, cultural and environmental risks that are attached to the projects such as the UN Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee.