After the announcement in Albania of the Vjosa river status as a “protected national park”, Greek environmental organizations are supporting a campaign for the extension of the borders of the Northern Pindos National Park, towards the border with Albania to ensure cross-border protection for the Vjosa river.
Vjosa originates from the Pindos mountain range in Greece and after traveling 70 km on the Greek side it enters Albania then flows into the Adriatic Sea.
The Mediterranean Institute for Nature in Greece, the “Pindos Environment” organization and other local Greek groups have focused on the cross-border area Gramoz – Konica – Pogon, with the ultimate goal of joining the national area of Northern Pindos with the new Vjosa National Park,- announced recently by the Albanian government.
According to the organizations, even on the Greek side, the Vjosa River, in its 70 kilometers, is threatened by the construction of dozens of small hydropower plants, which, if implemented, would undermine more than a decade of efforts to create the first National Park
Cross-border wild river in Europe.
The biggest intervention in the sources of Vjosa on the Greek side was made in the late 80s with a large hydroelectric dam where water from the artificial lake is diverted to the Arachthos catchment, with impacts on its flow, the hydromorphology and ecosystems of Vjosa.
The issue of dams on the Vjosa River on the Greek side returns to the foreground from year 2000 onwards, with the aim of protecting the river from abusive interventions.
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