Brussels, 8 June 2026 – CAN Europe stands in solidarity with the thousands of Albanian citizens and civil society organisations mobilising to defend the Vjosa Narta Protected Landscape and the democratic principles that its protection represents.
For days, thousands of people have taken to the streets of Tirana and beyond to oppose the destruction of one of the Mediterranean’s last intact coastal ecosystems, a landscape of exceptional ecological value, home to flamingos, critically endangered Mediterranean monk seals, loggerhead sea turtles, and hundreds of other bird species. This mobilisation reflects a broader and legitimate demand: that decisions over shared natural heritage be made with transparency, legal integrity, and meaningful public participation.
CAN Europe is deeply concerned by the reported violations of environmental law and the absence of transparent and accountable decision-making processes surrounding the Vjosa Narta Protected Landscape.
“Albanian environmentalists are on the front line of these protests, strongly opposing any investment that destroys natural heritage and biodiversity. ‘Hands off Narta’ has gathered tens of thousands of young people – who call themselves ‘flamingos’ – chanting for transparency and the protection of natural values. The wide global support for this movement shows that nature has no borders, and that biodiversity is a treasure belonging to everyone.”— Mihallaq Qirjo, REC Albania
The immediate suspension of all construction activity at Vjosa Narta, the reinstatement of full legal protections for the protected landscape, and the guarantee of civic space for meaningful participation in environmental decision-making are necessary steps that must be taken without further delay.
The protection of ecosystems and the protection of democratic rights are inseparable.
CAN Europe will continue to monitor the situation closely and stand firmly alongside Albanian civil society in this effort.
Contacts:
Frosina Antonovska, Climate and Energy Policy Coordinator for the Western Balkans
frosina.antonovska@caneurope.org
Eleonora Allena, Communications Coordiantor for the Western Balkans
eleonora.allena@caneurope.org