For some time now, a group of Tropoja residents have been raising their voices in the media and social networks about an ecological massacre that is being prepared for the Valbona River. The reason that the residents of Valbona and Rrogami i Shala are alarmed is that a project has begun to be implemented for the construction of 10 hydropower plants (11 together with an existing hydropower plant) along the Valbona River, and this not in the entire course, but only in the 25 kilometers of the upper course, the rapid flow of this river, until it descends to the plain, writes JavaNews. Building 11 hydropower plants in the length of 25 kilometers means capital punishment for the river known throughout the Albanian lands! We are all aware that the Valbona River is like a sacred shrine of our blessed nature of the Albanian Alps. The river, along with its valley, is one of the few places that have remained undamaged, able to preserve its biodiversity. There have been constant threats from individuals, poachers, and small timber traders who have sought to profit in times of turmoil. But fortunately, the damage has been minimal to date. Today, this is expected to change.
DESTRUCTION OF THE AREA'S TOURISM
This time the threat to this River and its Valley is coming not from individuals who violate the law, but from the Albanian state that seeks to implement several destructive projects in this area. Building 11 hydroelectric power plants in the Valbona Valley is an ecological massacre first of all; and secondly, knowing the importance of regional tourism for the economy of this area, it constitutes another massacre with a fatal impact. To make a parenthesis – building hydroelectric power plants in the Valbona Valley in Albania – is the same as if the Americans stood up and built hydroelectric power plants in Yellowstone Park! The Valbona Valley is a National Park. If this term still retains some meaning, then what they want to do to Valbona is a criminal act that must be stopped as soon as possible.
It is true that the supply of electricity is a growing problem, but the path chosen to solve this problem in the Tropoja area shows a real myopia because the income from Regional Tourism is several times higher than what the construction of those 10 hydroelectric power plants will bring. Do the specialists of the Albanian state think with economic logic when it comes to reviewing these destructive projects!? Is it not more in the national interest to preserve this Valley as God has forgiven it and not to demolish it to quench the greed of some people who are hiding behind these projects!?
MASSACRE IN THE ECOSYSTEM
To destroy Valbona by free will in 2016, is it unforgivable, is it an ecological massacre approved by the Albanian state?! This is unacceptable. The residents of Tropoja must realize that this massacre will cost them dearly for their future. Not only will they lose tourism that brings benefits and has had a great impact on the economy of the area, but it will also be an ecological catastrophe, since stopping the flow directly will forever eliminate the famous Valbona trout and will affect the entire eco-system of this fabulous Valley. As is known from the way the ecosystem chain unravels when a link is broken, this is accompanied by consequences.
APPEALS
We appeal here to all the mountaineers of Tropoja, wherever they are, to stand up and protest in Tropoja, in Tirana, in emigration! Those who live in emigration should not forget that that beautiful Valbona, with that poetic blueness of it, will no longer be, as a project is being implemented to sentence it to death! That blue Valbona against the backdrop of which everyone rushed to take pictures will no longer be. We appeal to all Albanians, to all those who have had the opportunity and have been amazed by the miracle of the Valbona Valley, even once and to those who have had plans to visit it, to stop this massacre before it is too late! We appeal to today's government, do not carry out this massacre! We appeal to today's so-called opposition, which has not even felt alive these days, regarding the massacre in preparation for Valbona! Tropoja has suffered enough these years. Leave him alone in his work! No one wanted to know about that area. Sali Berisha's government was in power for 13 years during 25 years of democracy and did not make any significant investment in his homeland and now today's government comes and asks to invest in a project approved in 2010! Who are those who want to implement these projects? Why is there silence in this case, both from the government and the opposition? Skavica was talked about and discussed, while the Valbona hydroelectric project passes into media silence.
Projects that warn of the massacre on the Valbona River
"RELATIONSHIP GEOLOGICAL-ENGINEERING CONDITIONS OF THE HYDROPOWER SCHEME"
H9/A, H9/B, H10, H11, H12, H13, H14, H15, H16, ON THE VALBONA RIVER AND THE STREAMS THAT FLOW INTO THIS RIVER”
(FEASIBILITY PHASE)
...Project they intend to implement today:
“II. – LOCATION OF THE OBJECT.
Our object of study,
The Valbona hydroelectric scheme is located in the Kukes Region, in the Tropoja area. The water supply source is the Valbona River and the mountain streams and brooks that flow into this river.
Our study area is described by highways
that connects the communes with the city of B.Curri, but in some places these roads are missing or are completely amortized. Below we will give a brief description of the positioning of the hydrotechnical works of our scheme.
H/C 9A. The intake of H/C 9A will be located in a narrow gorge, above the Valbona River at an elevation of 530m.mnd. The pressure basin of this H/C will be built in a hilly area at an elevation of 527.5mmnd. The turbine building will be built in a quiet area at
quote 402m.mnd
H/C 9B. The H/C 9B intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Otergi i Dragobise stream at an altitude of 955 meters above sea level.
The pressure of this H/C will be built in a hilly area at the altitude
954 mmnd The turbine building will be built in a quiet area in
quote 402 mmnd For H/C 9A and H/C 9B, the project envisages that the building
turbines to be common.
H/C 10. The intake of H/C 10 will be positioned in a narrow gorge, above the Valbona River at an altitude of 313m.m.s.l. No pressure basin is foreseen for this H/C. The turbine building will be built in a quiet area at an altitude of 244m.m.s.l.
H/C 11. The H/C 11 intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Valbona River at an altitude of 242m above sea level. Pressure basin
This H/C will be built in a hilly area at the altitude
239.5mmnd The turbine building will be built in a quiet area in
quote 216m.mnd
H/C 12. The H/C 12 intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Valbona River at an altitude of 214m above sea level. Pressure basin
This H/C will be built in a hilly area at the altitude
212.6mmnd The turbine building will be built in a quiet area in
quote 174m.mnd
H/C 13. The act of taking
H/C 13 will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Otergi i Kau stream at an altitude of 910m.
H/C is not foreseen pressure base.. The turbine building will
It is built in a quiet area at an altitude of 402m.
H/C 14. The H/C 14 intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Shudenice stream at an altitude of 925m.mnd For this H/C
no pressure base is foreseen. The turbine building will be built
in a quiet area in the quota of 453m.mnd
H/C 15. The H/C 15 intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Shudenica stream at an altitude of 451m.
The pressure of this H/C will be built in a hilly area at the altitude
450.5mmnd The turbine building will be built in a quiet area in
quote 220m.mnd
H/C 16. The H/C 16 intake will be positioned at a mouth of
narrow, above the Kauri Cave stream at an altitude of 852m.m.s.l. The Basin of
The pressure of this H/C will be built in a hilly area at the altitude
851.5mmnd The turbine building will be built in a quiet area in
"quote 350m.mnd"
International reaction
The hydropower projects in Valbona have also raised concerns among tourism companies in England, such as the company "Black Mountain LTD" headed by Hayley Wright, which has also sent a letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama, expressing its concerns.
Contents of the letter
“…Our clients who have visited Albania and met the local hosts have been delighted with their experiences and keep mentioning the spectacular natural environment, as well as the authentic culture. In fact, the journey known as the “Balkan Peaks Trail”, which runs through the region from Theth to Valbona, has gained international fame as one of the world’s most popular mountain climbing and hiking destinations.
We have heard this recently, regarding plans to implement a hydropower project in Valbona. Having looked at this issue carefully, we are very concerned about this proposal. Today in Europe there are very few such wild regions, unspoiled by human hands. Valbona is one of those few. The potential consequences of the construction of hydropower plants would be devastating for the environment, for local communities and their cultural heritage, as well as for the tourism industry in the region.
In today's world, value is increasingly found in those areas that are not "over-developed" and that preserve their cultural and natural heritage.
We respectfully urge you to reconsider this proposal, and decide to preserve the authentic culture and unspoiled environment for the future of your country.”
Hayley Wright
Company Manager
“Black Mountain Ltd” based in London, England.
JavaNews
