The transition period from communism to democracy in Albania was and is marked by a great number of economic and political tensions. The current government is concentrating on general institutional, legal, and economic policy reform, with an emphasis given to the privatization process. Privatization of agricultural land, retail trade, automobile, transport and repairing services has almost been completed. Privatization of the industrial sector (the most harmful sector to the environment) is difficult to proceed with and has just been started. In 1993 the negative trend in growth of the GNP was reversed and a moderate GNP increase occurred. According to the World Bank's statistics, Albanian GNP per capita was $340 in 1993. This was far lower than in other former-communist countries.
Faced with a high unemployment rate and low public sector wages, the government's social and economic priorities are aimed at the level of consumption, real income, social security, pensions, prices, health care, education, etc. There has been limited foreign investment because of the threat of war in the region and the unstable internal political situation (caused, among others things, by the lack of a new Constitution). This has forced the government to continue the country's industrial activities without principal ownership and technological changes. Under these conditions, the majority of the industry remains state property, thus canceling the market incentive to improve in the area of environmental protection. Existing pollution treatment plants are not in operation now and probably won't be for some time. Environmental problems are still treated as less important than economic and social ones.
Despite the economic hardship, various social groups have committed to including environmental goals into their national priorities. This has been especially true within the last two years (1993-1994). An important result was achieved in the creation of a legal base for environmental protection. New environmental legislation was passed by the parliament. There was marked progress in performance of environmental administration, and international environmental assistance has supported the country's own efforts. Certainly, there is still a lot to be done in all areas of environmental protection, especially in the field of environmental investments.
The government is practically the only decision-maker in the area of environmental protection. The Parliamentary Commission on Health and Environment is formally entitled to monitor environmental activities initiated by the government. Except for dealing with a review of environmental legislation, the committee has not been able to bring the Parliament's attention to environmental issues. There are political parties not represented in the Parliament with a broad environmental curricula. The Green Party are supporters of the government while the Ecological Party sympathizes with the parliamentary opposition. So far they have not succeeded adding a visible environmental dimension to the activities of the government and the Parliament.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) started their activities in 1991. There are several of them in the country now. They have gradually built up their competence and experience in different fields of environmental protection. The main role of the NGOs in Albania is to raise public awareness and educate citizens. NGOs have not yet participated in environmental decision-making. Cooperation between NGOs and the government has just started and needs to be further institutionalized. There are no organizations of scientists devoted to the field of environmental protection. Although many scientists are active and successful in environmental research, they are rarely used for practical purposes. Scientists are represented in the Advisory Council which advises the CEP.
An environmental priority recently added to the national strategy plan is to cope with urban waste. Of particular importance is the increase in the share of paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal in the composition of urban waste and the disposal of waste oil and used parts of cars. A long-term environmental protection strategy which can guarantee compliance is currently under preparation. Developing quality standards for surface and ground water is also a priority. Steps to implement these policies become crucial in view of the extraordinary epidemiological situation of the country.
The NEAP was created to prioritize the country's myriad environmental protection requirements in response to the new economic and social challenges presented by the transition. In particular, the NEAP addresses the different environmental requirements which should be taken over by different ministries. The NEAP outlines organizational, administrative, legal and technical activities that will provide a basis for environmentally sustainable development in the economic reform process. In general, environmental protection measures need to both overcome past pollution and address new environmental problems.
The draft laws on the National Environmental Protection Fund (NEPF) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) were prepared. The NEPF should enable the country to establish a financial mechanism for environmental protection using environmental taxes, fees and fines. The EIA should open the way for the practical implementation of a mechanism which may help to avoid the creation of new pollution. In order to proceed with the development of eco-tourism and to avoid the coastal damage that has occurred in other countries, studies of the whole coastal zone are in progress. This study will define the capacity of natural resources to accommodate tourism. Also, new investments in various sectors of the economy must observe European Union standards of environmental protection.
Programs were developed for the identification, inventory, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes, air and water monitoring, and soil rehabilitation from oil exploitation and refining. This was a great step forward in controlling the production and import of hazardous wastes. Albania succeeded in removing about 450 tons of expired pesticides brought into the country during 1991-1992 from Germany. These pesticides constituted a serious ecological threat to several parts of the country. The removal of imported hazardous wastes by October 1994 was possible due to pressure imposed by the CEP and Greenpeace on the German government.
A study was initiated on the integrated management of the coastal zone in Albania. The study is designed to promote improved management of the coastline. Increasing public awareness of environmental issues is another accomplishment of the government. Several seminars and colloquiums with Albanian and foreign organizations have been carried out with a visible impact.
There has been consideration of separating the CEP from the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection in order to strengthen the CEP in its role of creating and enforcing environmental law. It is likely that the CEP will be granted the status of a separate ministry by 1996 at the latest. The set-up of a national environmental administration is advisable in order to assure an appropriate level of discussion on environmental issues and to enforce the creation and efficient operation of environmental units in other ministries. The experience of the Ministry of Mineral and Energy Resources in setting up an environmental department illustrates the potential problems and the need for coordination. Also the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has recently established a nature preservation department. This new unit is still in its initial phase, as financial support is extremely scarce. Environmental units are also created by local governments. Their role is not clearly defined and they are not strong enough.
The NEAP lays the foundation for improving environmental management by the national administrative agencies. Some examples of these agencies which need to build up their environmental protection capacity are the General Directory of Forestry, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Land Planning, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The CEP has also been assigned responsibility for developing and managing a research program on environmental protection on a national scale.
The NEAP foresees that manufacturing plants will be responsible for pollution emitted to air, water and soil. A multi-year work program was requested by the Ministry of Mineral and Energy Resources to identify measures and to plan for the funding needed to reduce pollution discharge in 1995. Attempts to develop tourism in harmony with the environment have been started by a private business. Both plans need to be monitored and supported by an environmental administration.
Application of the EIA procedure is still in its initial phase. Private investors must meet environmental requirements listed in environmental license agreements. Environmental quality standards for companies are designed to control contamination of soil, air and water. Restrictions on the quality and quantity of harmful discharges are to be announced in order to push polluters towards less harmful technologies. A priority of the Albanian NEAP is the development and enforcement of environmental quality standards. The implementation of this program is planned to be concluded by 1995.
Air, water and soil monitoring is almost non-existent. The monitoring of air in 12 cities is only partially performed with the measurement of CO, soot and SO2, and even this is not standard. Except for drinking water, there is no monitoring of toxic substances in water. The only monitoring system is that of the Adriatic and Ionian coastal water, which has operated for two years and was organized in a framework of the MED POL (Mediterranean Action Program). In the future it is anticipated that environmental monitoring will be improved and expanded to include lake water and that an increased number of pollutants will be measured. Improved environmental monitoring in Albania is one of the goals of the NEAP.
The Association for the Preservation and Protection of the Natural Environment in Albania (APPNEA) is the largest Albanian NGO. It has established permanent contacts with governmental agencies responsible for environmental protection. APPNEA is also a frequent opponent of the CEP. In some cases, such as the proposed separation of the CEP from the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection, the NGO community is supportive. They also participate in actions such as the preservation of forests from wood cutting and illegal hunting, the prevention of illegal construction on green areas of cities, and the preservation of the Botanical Gardens. APPNEA has established a working relationship with foreign environmental NGOs and has profited from their assistance and support. Financial support from abroad helped to publish "We and the Environment", the first environmental magazine in Albania. The magazine is designed for the general public. Successful cooperation between the CEP, APPNEA, and the international organization Greenpeace helped the government to remove hazardous waste illegally imported into Albania in the early 1990s.
There is no coordination of activities among environmental NGOs. The program and activity of each of them is prepared separately. This seems to be an important constraint that reduces the impact of the work of NGOs in Albania. This is also the reason for the limited participation of the NGO community in the process of planning and developing environmental policies in the country.
While NEAP-related investments are given high priority, even here the biggest obstacle is the limitation of funds available to the country. The Albanian government does not have the financial means to cope with the most urgent environmental problems, such as the reforestation of areas damaged by extensive tree cutting during the last four decades, which account for up to 300,000 hectares or 30% of Albanian forests. The government also cannot afford to allocate funds to set up a modern system for the treatment of urban solid wastes and sewage water. A modern waste-treatment system is extremely important, as it is necessary to maintain health safety standards.
Representatives of international financial institutions participated in two fundraising conferences in Tirana in July 1993 and January 1994, but so far no donors have been identified and no international financial support has been obtained to implement the Albanian NEAP. The only sources of foreign funding are in the Coastal Area Management Program. $2 million from UNEP, co-financed by the Albanian government, was allocated to prepare a study on the management of the coastal zone from Durres to Vlora. The study also received $400,000 from the World Bank for 1994-1995. Part of the focus of the study is the integration of environmental requirements with economic and social ones. The study concentrates on issues related to the preservation of biodiversity, the development of eco-tourism, and the creation of infrastructure. An important outcome of these studies will be a regional environmental action plan developed for a coastal zone as well as a set of investment projects which support the plan. Proposed funding for carrying out the plan will come from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), other outside donors, and the country's own resources. Both studies will integrate economic, social and environmental issues related to coastal zone development and protection. This type of study is new to Albania.
3.3 million ECU was allocated in the 1993 budget of the PHARE Program to support environmental protection in Albania. This fund is used mainly for strengthening different environmental protection units and regional environmental agencies. Technical assistance was arranged as well in the form of short and long-term advisors. A long-term advisor works at the CEP preparing tenders to initiate implementation of PHARE projects.
Two or three years ago there was no state administration in Albania responsible for environmental protection and environmental legislation was almost nonexistent. Therefore priority is given to building an environmental administration and to creating a legal and regulatory framework for environmental protection. At the same time, heavily polluting industries inherited from the past need to be restructured. These requirements were incorporated into Albania's privatization program. Enterprises which seek to be privatized are required to prepare a detailed program for their restructuring so that they can meet emissions standards for environmentally hazardous substances. For example, the Ministry of Mineral and Energy Resources has allocated funds for the improvement of existing technology in copper enrichment factories and in some metallurgical plants for 1994-1995.
It is usually proposed that problems of past pollution will be handled by the state budget. Although it is not feasible to generate investments from the state budget for this important purpose, the responsibility for past pollution still tends to fall to the government. New investments should comply with environmental regulations. The owner is responsible for meeting environmental requirements.
The lack of funds is the major problem in implementing environmental protection policy. The environment is not a priority of the government. Environmental investment is hardly supported by the state budget or by other domestic sources of funding. Foreign assistance is thus an important factor for environmental improvement in Albania.
The Albanian government is committed to proceeding with a political and economic reform program aimed at reducing unemployment and improving living standards. The NEAP is in agreement with this policy. Priority is given to the establishment of proper economic incentives, such as those provided by the removal of subsidies on energy and natural resource prices. This policy is working towards the promotion of energy and resource savings. Institutions responsible for implementation of the NEAP need to be strengthened and supported.
Due to scarce financial means, almost no environmental investments are in place. It appears that assistance from donor countries is necessary to make progress in this area. Special attention needs to be given to local pollution, to "hot spot areas" and to specially protected zones and national parks. Unfortunately, an expected increase in industrial output by large enterprises may offset the reduction of pollution achieved so far. No adequate technological improvements have been put into place, which makes pollution reduction temporary and unstable. New environmental quality standards for air and water are anticipated in the NEAP. Positive results could appear as early as 1995 provided that environmental investment programs are initiated.