Serious environmental damage is currently taking place in the Vjosa-Narta protected area in Albania. Since the end of April, bulldozers and excavators have been operating in the core area of the protected landscape, clearing coastal forests, removing dunes and cutting new access roads through previously untouched habitats.
The environmentally destructive work being carried out in the Vjosa-Narta protected area in Albania is taking place without transparent approval procedures, environmental impact assessments or public participation. This constitutes a serious breach of national nature conservation regulations and key commitments made by Albania as part of the EU accession process.
When the environment chapter of the EU accession process was opened in September 2025, the EU and Albania agreed that the controversial amendment to Albania’s Protected Areas Act would be withdrawn by the end of 2027. It was also agreed that all projects would be planned and implemented in accordance with EU Environmental Impact Assessment requirements.
The current evidence suggests that the government in Tirana is unwilling to abide by this agreement. By amending the Law on Protected Areas two years ago, the Albanian government has paved the way for reckless tourism expansion at the expense of its most precious natural heritage.
EuroNatur, together with Albanian and international partner organisations, is therefore calling for an immediate halt to construction, full transparency regarding permits, and a rigorous review of the case at the EU level.
“The ongoing construction work in an existing nature reserve not only endangers unique natural heritage but also undermines Albania’s credibility in the EU enlargement process,” says Gabriel Schwaderer, Executive Director of EuroNatur. “Agreements made with the EU are being trampled underfoot by the Albanian government. The EU must now urgently increase pressure on the government in Tirana to ensure that the destruction of nature in one of Europe’s most important natural areas is stopped immediately.”
