Opposition joins environmental protest

TIRANA, Oct. 25 – The opposition Socialist Party openly said Tuesday it would immediately turn down a law on letting import of rubbish into the country. That joins the call of experts and other personalities for protecting the Albanian environment. Opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama added that the moment the his party would come to power (and at this moment the earliest possible timing is 2013) they will annul the law. The draft law was passed by the parliament, where the governing Democrats have the majority; but President Bamir Topi did not sign it. A group of personalities, not politically affiliated, created an alliance last week against the law on the rubbish. They said they will exploit all democratic means in the fight against the law. They say the country does not have the normal capacities to process the amount of rubbish it produces itself. The experts also say that Albania has no means and tools to check if the rubbish is all in line with the EU standards. The opposition has also said it will hold a referendum, or ask for one on the law, adding that the parliament debate will not be enough. The local media continues to explore the issue of environment in the country. During the last days, the Top Channel private television station has focused on how some companies exploit the Erzen river basin to get material which is used to build the new big traffic ring in the capital. They say the government had issued a decision five years ago excluding this river from any possible exploitation; but now it has issued another decision, reversing the previous protectionist order.