TIRANA, Sept. 28 – Lawmakers from Albania’s ruling Socialist Party have been forced to vote against a waste importation law the party supports in order to complete procedures to temporarily withdraw it from parliament for “more public consultations.”
The Parliamentary Committee on Productive Activities, Trade and Environment voted earlier this week to accept a presidential decree that vetoed the waste importation law the Socialist Party approved in the previous legislature.
Committee Chairman Eduard Shalsi, one of the strongest proponents of the law in question, abstained, saying he still believed the law was good because it foresees the import of waste into the country for recycling purposes only.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said this week SP was temporarily giving up on this piece of legislation in order to better educate the public on the benefits of the recycling industry.
The legislation has been highly controversial – as many suspect dangerous waste will also be imported for burning — with environmental activists calling for a referendum on the matter. Opposition parties have joined in the call.
Florion Mima, an opposition Democratic Party lawmaker, said the opposition will stay on guard for any ruling majority efforts to reintroduce any waste import legislation.
