Residents of the Blue Lagoon area in Qerret, one of Albania’s rapidly developing coastal destinations, have accused local authorities of carrying out an unannounced intervention that allegedly involved cutting pine trees, demolishing protective walls, and opening a new access road toward the shoreline without public consultation or transparency.

According to local residents, the operation took place on the morning of May 26 near tourist villages in the Blue Lagoon zone and involved the presence of Municipal Police, territorial inspection authorities, and State Police units from Kavajë.

Residents claim the intervention was conducted without prior notice, environmental disclosure, or consultation with the community living in the area. They say no official documentation, engineering project, environmental impact assessment, or legal justification has been made public regarding the destruction of green spaces and the construction of the road.

At the center of the accusations is the Municipality of Kavajë and its mayor, whom residents accuse of institutional irresponsibility and prioritizing construction interests over environmental protection and public safety.

Witnesses allege that the newly opened road stretches from the main axis directly to the coastline, cutting through the pine forest surrounding the Blue Lagoon and nearby tourist villages. During the process, residents say pine trees were felled, green areas damaged, and protective walls demolished — structures they describe as essential for the safety and privacy of the community.

Locals argue that the works appear to have been carried out without clear technical standards or a transparent urban development plan, raising concerns over potential violations of environmental and planning regulations.

“This is not sustainable development. This is the planned destruction of nature,” one resident said. “The state cannot serve private construction interests while sacrificing forests, security, and public space.”

Residents also expressed fears that the new road could create uncontrolled access from the main road to the beach area, exposing what was previously a quiet and largely pedestrian coastal zone to increased traffic, future construction, and private development pressures.

The controversy comes amid growing criticism over what residents describe as unchecked overdevelopment along Albania’s Adriatic coastline. Many fear that Qerret may follow the same trajectory as nearby Golem, where rapid urbanization has significantly reduced green areas and altered the natural character of the coast.

Community members are now calling for an urgent investigation by Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption (SPAK) and the Prosecutor’s Office. They are demanding authorities verify who ordered the intervention, under what legal basis it was conducted, whether environmental permits were issued, and whether private construction companies stand to benefit from the newly opened access road.

Residents have also called for the immediate publication of all official documents related to the project, including construction permits, environmental assessments, technical plans, and institutional decisions authorizing the intervention.

They insist that any decision affecting the environment, public safety, and the daily lives of residents should have involved prior public consultation in line with European standards on transparency and community participation.

Without immediate institutional action, residents warn that the Blue Lagoon area risks irreversible environmental damage, increased coastal overdevelopment, and the gradual loss of one of the region’s remaining protected natural spaces.