The European Union and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment presented today the “EU Circular Economy-Regional Waste Management Program” project.
With a value of 19 million euros, this project, implemented by the French Development Agency (AFD), will improve waste management in Gjirokastra and South Vlora.
The program aims to help Albania increase recycling, build landfills, and manage waste following European Union practices, as well as reduce the environmental impact of solid waste.
On the other hand, this initiative will have an impact on the improvement of living conditions in Gjirokastër, South Vlora, and Kukës and will support Albania’s alignment with EU standards on its way to membership.
The activity in Gjirokastër, during which this program was officially launched, was attended by the Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro, the EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato, representatives of the French Embassy and the French Development Agency (AFD), and representatives of the local government.
A team of international and local consultants appointed by AFD will be responsible for the implementation of the program activities in the coming months, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the 12 municipalities of the two districts.
Minister Kumbaro emphasized the importance of local coordination for the implementation of this important program under the National Waste Management Plan of Albania:
“For the Albanian government, the issue of the environment is an absolute priority of the third mandate. It is a priority along with tourism, and I believe that with this program in Gjirokastra district, we have the best combination, but also the biggest challenge to find a population ten times higher because of the tourists who visit it. We have to be very coordinated to keep up with this pace. We will definitely get into the logic of recycling. The only way to reduce the amount of waste is to separate it at the source so that not everything we produce ends up as waste. In Gjirokastër, the project does not envisage the construction of a new landfill, but of intermediate stations with the aim of evacuation to the Bajkaj landfill, another project that deserves attention to be improved and expanded,” said Kumbaro.
Minister Kumbaro also announced that the Albanian government is creating a new Agency for Waste Management, which will coordinate the Ministry’s projects, both the IPA program and other projects it has with the German KFW in other areas of Albania.
EU Ambassador Mr. Silvio Gonzato emphasized that the program is an important historical moment for the implementation of reforms in line with the EU.
“In the process of accession negotiations that Albania will start, compliance with EU environmental standards is one of the most challenging tasks. This is because it is not just a matter of adopting legislation. It also requires significant investment, a change in public policy, and a change in the way people live and behave. The project we are launching today aims to contribute to this political and social change,” said the EU Ambassador.
Samuel Richard, Deputy Head of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the French Embassy, praised the growing cooperation between France and Albania on environmental issues. As part of the EU’s Green Campaign, the event also served as an opportunity to remind the public of the impact of their actions and how the EU is helping the country protect its biodiversity and fight environmental degradation. This project, together with EU4CE, consists of three different programs (worth 44 million euros) that will help improve waste and water management and increase the protection of biodiversity in protected areas. A similar activity will take place in Kukës on Friday, January 19, for the official launch of the project in the 4 municipalities of the Kukës district.