The High Court has accepted the plea of a group of locals to suspend the construction of at least two hydropower plants in Valbona.
Locals from 27 villages in Tropoja, as well as several environmental organizations, firmly object to the construction of two hydropower plants, namely in Dragobia and Cerem by the concessionary firm Dragobia Energy.
The High Court’s ruling to temporarily halt construction comes after a lawsuit deposited at the Administrative Court in 2017.
The High Court is now back to its functions after a long hiatus caused by the vetting process which saw the discharge of dozens of judges from the justice system.
Based on the ruling, there will be no construction work until a final verdict on the dispute.
In 2002, it was the Democratic Party that began signing concessionary contracts for putting to use Albania’s hydro energetic potential. As of today, the country has signed over 250 concessionary deals.
At least 60 of them, turn out to have been planned and licensed to be built in designated protected areas.
The River of Valbona, sourcing right on the border with Montenegro, apart from being a part of the National Park of Valbona, is also widely known for its crystal clean water.
