Opposition worried about waste import decision

TIRANA, Dec.1 – The opposition says last month’s government decision to allow import of waste in Albania lacks transparency, violates international conventions and risks turning the country into a waste disposal site for Europe and beyond.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Edlir Petanaj, a representative of the united opposition and chairman of the Green Party warned the import of waste was dangerous for a country like Albania which has no monitoring and assessment capacities on waste, alleging that the decision would spur corruption and serve the interests of those close to government. “We want to pass on to the future generations a European, democratic, developed and clean Albania without coal-fired thermal power plants and nuclear plants,” said the opposition representative.
Last month, Prime Minister Berisha dismissed accusations by opposition and environmental NGOs, saying that no waste will be imported for burning.
“Out of 166 products, the government decision foresees that only 55 of them can be imported. Secondly, the decision was taken in principle because the import of each of the articles will be made under special government decisions, which means based on examined requests and needs of the recycling industry,” said Berisha.
The opposition Socialist Party itself faced criticism on the same issue in 2004. Back then, the former leader of the party, Fatos Nano, signed a contract to import waste from Italy and recycle it in a factory near Tirana. Public interest groups, however, protested the move on environmental grounds and made the government break off the deal several months later.