The good news about the Adriatic comes from Albania. It is the abandonment of an oilman by a crazy oil and gas drilling project in the Zvërnec area – the protected nature reserve of the Vlorë-Laguna Bay of the Narta-Delta of the Vjosë River, in the very south of the Adriatic, right next to the Ionian Sea. The first victory of the brave citizens movement, and the new one in the series of defeats of insatiable oil companies, which are not obstructed by the protected areas of nature (therefore, just as in the case of our national and nature parks, in the immediate vicinity of which the corporates and the adherents also predicted 30- annual oil activities!).

The news is sent to us by the Citizens’ Tourism or Oil Initiative Tourism or Oil, launched to protect the area from oil and gas drilling, and as part of a network of environmental organizations in the area called Green Vision and Gjelber. Because our goals are the same, for some time now this initiative and network have both supported and monitored our pages, as have we. Therefore, we invite you to support them.

We transmit their entire letter in English (https://cdn.fbsbx.com/…/Information_Tourism-or-Oil_December…), describing to us their work, goals and the course of the initiative and the whole movement to protect this natural area, tourism and the interests of the locals, none of whom agree with the plans of the oil and power authorities, which, there, only supports the interests of personal profit and large capital, while directly harming their own citizens.
Of course they don’t give up, just like us! 🙂

The area of ​​the protected Narta Lagoon Reserve, in which the Vjosë River flows into the Adriatic Sea, is abundant in numerous salt marshes, making it a unique ecosystem and home to numerous protected bird species.
The two islands located here, as well as the whole area, are a tourist attraction, especially the larger island connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge 270 m long, which houses a well-preserved Byzantine monastery from 13-14. century dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the island also has a beautiful dense forest of tall pines.

We are soon bringing a picture of spectacular beaches of Albania with crystal clear sea and breathtaking scenes, with the comparatively, unfortunately, great and serious threat of a very similar hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation project that could easily threaten the entire Adriatic, but is currently also under temporary uncertainty, good partly because of the crisis in the oil sector, and partly because of the resistance of citizens, local environmental organizations and initiatives, with which we must continue to work together to preserve our common sea.

by NAŠ Jadran press.