FLASH
Shkruar nga Klodian Tomorri
The beach of Manastir, that is, that "small point" has been transformed into a mass of concrete villas, which have completely blocked the access of vacationers to one of the most beautiful bays of the Albanian Riviera.
The National Council of Territory and Water has decided with one stroke of the pencil to almost double the construction area of the Manastir Resort complex, which is being built in the park of Butrint.
In the amended permit, the construction area of this resort increases to 45.3 thousand square meters of construction, from 27.3 thousand square meters of construction area that was in the original permit. The decision to almost double the concrete and construction area of the resort was made in July of this year.
According to the map consulted by Capital, KKTU has decided to increase the construction area both above ground and below ground. The construction area above ground has been increased by more than 10 thousand square meters, while the remaining part of the increase comes from the addition of underground areas.
The almost two-fold increase in the construction area increases the concrete that is poured in Albania's most important park. The coefficient of land utilization for construction in this resort has increased from 20 percent to 32 percent, while the intensity of construction from 0.4 to 0.6.
Monastery Resort
Manastir Resort is a controversial project that is being built by the Alb Star company of Idajet Ismailaj. To make way for the construction of this resort, the government reduced the protected area of the Butrint National Park by 800 hectares, through an occult decision.
The removed area of 800 hectares, on a part of which the "Manastiri Resort" is built, was included in the Butrint Park area since 2005 and enjoyed the protected status in the "B" category, where intensive construction developments were not allowed.
The "Manastiri Resort" project gained the status of strategic investment at the end of 2021 with a decision of the Strategic Investment Committee headed by Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The issue turned into a big scandal causing debates in Parliament. Faced with the opposition's accusations of corruption and destruction of the national park, the Minister of Culture, Mirela Kumbaro, called the part that would be cut off from the Butrint Park, to become a private resort through a "small drop" "strategic investment".
Now, the Beach of Manastir, i.e. that "small point" has been transformed into a mass of concrete villas, which have completely blocked the access of vacationers to one of the most beautiful bays of the Albanian Riviera.
UNESCO alarmed
At the beginning of this year, Citizens Channel published a UNESCO-ICOMOS report, which criticized with "deep concern" the shrinking of Butrint National Park.
Referring to the presentation of the maps included in this report, this area starts from Ksamil and extends to the Bay of Manastir, which Minister Mirela Kumbaroi refers to as the "small point".
"There is a situation where the buffer zone of the World Heritage National Park now includes a large tourist resort" - the report raises concern.
Considering a "pragmatist approach", the Ministry of Culture itself has justified itself to the UNESCO observation group that "it is sacrificing this small part of the coastline, approximately 100-150 ha, but it would cement the further expansion of urbanization, thus preserved 9000 ha of the national park".
It refers to the period 26 - 28 October 2023 and contains criticisms on the way of administration and changes in the borders of Butrint National Park.
Citizens Channel secured the report from the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, while UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) told Citizens that reports from advisory missions can only be shared publicly in agreement with states, interested parties.
"This shows a lack of awareness on the part of the authorities about the protective function of the buffer zone", - the report criticizes the January 2022 decision to reduce the area.
The buffer zone of any world heritage is a buffer space surrounding the protected area, and as such there are legal restrictions on its use and development.
The removal of this area of 800 ha from the National Park has not been notified to the World Heritage Center. The collapse of area B symbolizes a change in the protective system of the buffer zone, which is now outside the National Park to be filled with mass concrete.
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