In the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats held last week in Strasbourg, the Albanian authorities were urged to suspend construction work on the planned Vlora airport, local NGO PPNEA reported.

Within its recommendations, the Committee also urged the Albanian Government to start a comprehensive Wildlife Monitoring Program and integrate the data in a revised Environmental Impact Assessment.

This requests comes after the Bern convention, jointly with the Convention on Migratory Species and the African-Eurasian Migratory Water bird Agreement, carried out an on-the-spot appraisal of the situation in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape. Furthermore, European governments also frowned upon the recent revision of the borders of the Narta-Vjosa Protected Landscape which resulted in a cutting out sections of the protected area to build the airport. With its recommendations, the Bern Convention supports the demands of the two Albanian nature conservation organizations AOS and PPNEA as well as EuroNatur.

On the 23rd of November, PPNEA and AOS, with the support of EuroNatur, filed a lawsuit with the Albanian Administrative Court against the construction of the airport within boundaries of the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape. The construction works lie within one of the most important wetlands and biodiversity areas in Albania and along the Adriatic flyway, an important flyway for many migratory birds. By continuing with the development plans, the Albanian authorities are violating national laws and international conventions.