“No hydropower plant in Radika”

The concern that has been raised recently was also expressed by the Albanian Ministers in the Macedonian government.

Abdilaqim Ademi and Valon Sariçini, respectively Ministers of Environment and Economy, met with the Albanian Prime Minister in Tirana and declared that the project will not be realized if the basic elements of Dibra or the water reserves of Albania will be damaged.

“We will notify the Albanian government right after we receive the project, and if the Albanian government will not agree, then the project will not be realized”, Saricini declared.

“I can’t say anything so early, but it’s 90% certain that our answer will be negative. But we need to have the study”, Ademi declared.

Although the study is not over yet, the government of Tirana seems to have already decided against this project. The Minister of Energy and Industry, Damian Gjiknuri, declared that our national interest will not be damaged.

“We’re in the phase of a draft idea that has not been approved yet. It is very important for the Albanian government to act according to the best interests of our country and not damage the energy sources”, Gjiknuri declared.

“The construction of this hydropower pant is a clear economic damage for Albania, and that’s why we are here, to say that there is no project. We don’t have the luxury to go against the European Union convents”, declared the Albanian Minister of Environment, Lefter Koka.

The Albanian Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati, reiterated that Macedonia is not excluded form the bilateral agreements for managing the inter-border waters, or even from the international right that regulates this relation. Bushati reminded that our neighbor country has an agreement with the European Union as an aspiring country. There is no lack of dialogue with Macedonia for none of these points, according to the Head of the Albanian diplomacy, who added that the opposition has speculated with the issue and guaranteed that different from their predecessors, this government will work until the last minute for the national interest.

DP: There is a project. The government must react

The Democratic Party reacted after the joint conference of ministers of the Albanian government, given together with the two Albanian Ministers of the Macedonian government for the deviation of the Radika River.

According to the opposition, Rama lies when he says that there is no project. The Democratic Party Parliament Member, Aldo Bumci, declared that this project is existent and it will end by June.

“There is a project for the deviation of the Radika River. The Albanian Ministers of Albania and the Albanian Ministers of Macedonia confirmed that the World Bank is working for a project that will end in June. The Voice of America says that the World Bank is working with Macedonia for the project in question. But Rama says that there is no project”, Bumci declared.

The Democratic Party asked the government to make transparency and publish how the interests of the Albanian people will be affected by this project.

“The Democratic Party asked Rama to not spend time by working against the opposition and the civil society, but to publish the project. What are the effects for the Dibra residents? How will it affect the Drin cascade? How will our energetic interests be affected? We expect the Prime Minister and the government to defend our national interest, in a clear and transparent way”, Bumci declared.

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