Resolution

Municipality of Dibra meeting regarding Resolution and more. 

• We believe that the Skavica hydropower project (HEC Skavica) causes irreparable social and environmental consequences, while this project does not serve to solve the problem of the electricity sector, but only emphasizes its overdependence on water sources.
• In the circumstances when alternative sources are not being used for the production of energy from photovoltaic and wind technology, where Albania has an extraordinary potential, still untapped,
• Where in the territory of Dibra itself, on state-owned land, they can be built photovoltaic systems on about 877 hectares of land, especially in Gjarice, Moranice, Thekanush, Shumbat and Pasmar,
• And based on the fact that these projects remove the sector’s overdependence on hydric resources which are affected by climate change and also do not bring social costs as they are based on contractual freedom between the parties, subject to the relevant legislation,
•  In the circumstances when the anticipated damage from the construction of the Skavica  hydropower plant, cannot be recovered, since, at the end of the life cycle of the dam (according to the literature, it is predicted to be about 100 years), the area that the hydropower plant has flooded will turn into an area, not only unusable from the energetic point of view, but also non-recoverable from the environmental aspect.
• When in the last report of High State Audit, on the performance of public companies in the energy sector in the administration of the water reserve in the Drin River cascade, for the period 2021/2022, we find that KLSH concludes that hydropower support is inefficient and it is recommended to switch to alternate sources as above, and it is noted that the level of losses in the network is high (21-20%), a level that would be enough to save energy as much as the production of more than one HEC Skavice, if it were in operation,
• When AKBN, in the 2021 annual report, emphasizes the dependence of electricity production, because this production is mainly based on water sources and this makes it necessary to diversify the sources of electricity production in our country.
• Taking into account the large social impacts, where according to the information received from the Municipality of Diber as well as in the report published by KESH as the developer of this project (Environmental Cooperation, Technical report), three villages are affected in Kukes, while in Diber, out of the total of the 15 administrative units of this municipality, 10 administrative units with 36 villages are flooded, one more than those found in the data of the Municipality. Specifically, according to KESH and the Municipality, the administrative units that are flooded are Zall Rec, Zall Dardhe, Slove, Fushe-Cidhen, Arras, Kastriot, Muhurr, Luzni, Tomin, Maqellare. According to these official data, thousands of hectares of land and homes are flooded, and thousands of residents are forced to relocate.
•  Considering that the Black Drin river in the territory of Dibra is the only segment in this river that flows freely, without dams, the watershed of which forms the basis of a thousand-year-old ecosystem, and that in ancient times, the Black Drin valley served not only as an attractive place to live, but also as a natural artery that connects Albania Northeast with Western Macedonia, Kosovo and other neighboring and more distant countries.
• Based on the foreseen environmental impacts, shown in the resolution the Berne Convention at its meeting in March 2024, as are the risks to the Balkan lynx, a strictly protected species, as well as many other habitats and species that enjoy the protection of this convention ratified into law in Albania, the danger to the Black Drin River as a proposed Emerald area, not forgetting the impacts on the lakes of Ohrid and Shkodra as well as large carnivores.
• Based on the call of the Berne Convention in this meeting for Albania to implement the principle of prevention by not implementing projects with influence in the area of ​​this Convention inside and outside Albania
• Taking into account the resolution of the European Parliament, dated July 12, 2023 that calls for improvement of transparency, conduct, implementation and monitoring of environmental and strategic environmental impact assessment, especially in projects with major environmental and socio-economic consequences, such as the Skavica hydropower project; expresses her concern for economic and environmental issues from the impact of non-competitive development projects externally funded;
•  Based on the findings of the Progress Report of the European Commission for the years 2022/2023, where HEC Skavica is found to have a large social and environmental impact, affects the migratory corridors of the Balkan lynx, there are serious concerns from the community and civil society for not consulting as for the decision-making related to it as well as for the resettlement plan, as well as asking the authorities to implement the legislation in force and the legal minimum for the Energy Community, especially regarding consultations, the quality of the Social Environmental Impact Assessment and others.
• Finding the public positions of the World Bank, expressed in the interview of the Head of the Office in Albania, Mr. Emanuel Salinas, gave to A2News, dated 28.10.2022, where he emphasizes that we must work to diversify energy generation through renewable, green resources.
• Also that in the Transition report of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, (EBRD) published in 2022, it is emphasized that the counsel for the government are directed towards the diversification of renewable energy and that progress must be made in this direction faster in solar and wind energy projects
•  Considering that in the General Local Plan of Diber Municipality, approved by the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama, dated 14.04.2017, as well as the Revised Plan approved on 09.11.2022, there is no planning for the HEC Skavica project, with  impact on the territory of Dibra,
•  Based on the decision of the Constitutional Court numbered 3/2024, which found the law numbered 38/2021 for HEC Skavicen in violation of Article 56 of the Constitution and ordered the authorities to guarantee the right to information during the first phase of implementation of this law, as well as taking into account the results of the public information process pursuant to Article 8 of the Aarhus Convention,
• Finding that the public information process continues to be deficient,
•  Based on the conclusion of the Sogrea study in 2009, which qualified the dam in the level of 441 meters above sea level as non-financeable due to its impacts large social and environmental approach, which was also approved by the government led by Mr. Edi  Rama, in 2016, was made known by the former Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Mr. Damian Gjiknuri, publicly,
• We find that the current project has one of the most preferred alternatives, the quote flood at the level of 442 meters above sea level, contrary to the above,
• •Based on the fact that in the area of ​​Skavice, where the dam is proposed to be built, geology consists of fissured rocks and karst pits,
•  And from the fact that the area has historically high seismicity, constituting a risk added for the area below the dam,
• Based on the fact that the municipality of Diber, with this project, is divided and becomes non functional, where 10 out of 15 administrative units (as above) are flooded to varying degrees,
•  But even the remaining villages become non-functional, with the creation of the artificial lake and the loss of connection with the part of the flooded territory,
•  Finding a wide popular reaction against this project in the area of ​​Diber and not only, without party differences, manifested in protests in Diber, in Tirana and in the diaspora, in letters, requests, petitions, round tables, etc.
• Taking into account the fact that Albania, like any other country, must consider the high conservation value of the land surface and aquatic resources, which HEC Skavica will destroy, and for the fact that this project affects approximately 100 km2 of productive land, when it is known that the Black Drin valley, with its fertile land, has served as a food source not only for it, but also the surrounding areas,
• When we think that the flooding of an important part of the Dibra will lead to the destruction of the historical memory, when it is known that the Dibra has played an important role in every stage of the national history (culminating with the period of Skanderbeg’s wars and continued not only in defense of itself but also of other Albanian provinces, from Shkodra, to Kosovo and everywhere),
• When the impact of HEC Skavice on the culture of a continuous millennial civilization in this valley with the material and spiritual values ​​of the inhabitants, which are connected to the land, the house, the province, the songs and dances, the clothes, the past and of the tribe, the village, the province, the graves of the ancestors, etc.
• When we think that the investments of the Albanian government for the construction of the Arbri road should serve Dibra to turn the Black Drin valley into a tourism spot, as the distance with the capital Tirana will be no more than 70 km or 45 minutes of travel,
• As well as in investments along the Black Drin valley, 70 km of wild and free river ,
• Because Dibra has an exceptional tourism potential for the four seasons, not only for the coveted environment and biodiversity, but also because of the social and cultural characteristics for the Albanian nation,
• When Dibra is the most unexplored region from an archaeological point of view, where the earliest traces of the Neolithic civilization in Albania have been identified, as well as prehistoric settlements, among others. Acquaintance with well-known historical centers in the region of Dibra se Vogel (as in Gjorice, etc.) and Big Dibra (in North Macedonia), in cooperation, would be a welcome development
•  In the circumstances where we think that the Spile hydropower plant built in Big Dibra in 1968 (the field of Udove) brought in practice, the flooding of the largest center of Albanianism for centuries (the values ​​of an ancient Illyrian civilization) as well as the departure of thousands of Dibranians.
• Where we cannot accept a second destruction that this project will cause, after division into Small Dibra (Albania) and Big Dibra (N.M),
•  We have an obligation, regardless of political differences, to bequeath the land to generations Untouched by the floods that the generations of our ancestors left us sacrificing their lives in the face of age-old enemies, Based on these supported attitudes, based on the principles of good functioning, self-organization and  self-administration of the local government according to the law and the constitution, the principle of continuity of the centuries-old and historical ties of the area and their inheritance to future generations, and the principle of preventing irreparable damage, We, as municipal councilors, after considering all the information and arguments so far for this project, decide:

– The Skavice Hydropower Project has irreparable social and environmental consequences in Diber municipality,

– This project destroys the very functioning of Diber municipality as a separate unit of loca government, flooding most of the administrative units in its composition, for no real reason, as we found in this resolution, at a time when there are alternative possibilities, widely recommended, for obtaining electricity,

– Based on the resistance of the residents of the municipality of Diber against this project, whom we represent, based on the treatment of the issue outside of politicization and inclusiveness, we call:

1. To cancel the current project of the Skavice hydropower plant

2. Diber Municipality to take over the constitutional role and oppose the project, just like the majority of residents,

3. The Municipality and the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Diber, not to adopt acts and decisions in favor of this project, in the vital interest of the residents of the Municipality of Diber,

4. Every authority, public and non-public, to stop adopting the fait accompli approach, and to implement the decision of the constitutional court, as a whole, with the community and any other interested party,

5. Put an end to pronouncements with discriminatory tones against the province of Dibra (that with the flooding of Dibra, it will be achieved that the area of ​​Nenshkodra will not be flooded)

6. To stop the discriminatory approach for earthquake houses (said publicly that the residents of Dibra will have the same treatment as the residents affected by the 2019 earthquake) because the residents live undisturbed in their centuries-old lands and there is no earthquake reported)

7. The authorities to implement without delay, the legal obligations and the positions/decisions taken for the protection of flora and fauna, for social environmental impact assessments, etc. according to the legal obligations in the country as well as the relevant directives in the international organizations to which Albania adheres,

8. The Parliament should not approve decisions and legal acts that go against the vital interests of the residents of the municipality of Diber, as was proven by law number 38/2021, by the constitutional court.

Date:Signed by: