The Bushtrica river, one of the two rivers that are usable for rafting in Albania, will be destroyed as a result of the construction of a new hydropower plant.
The last few years the Bushtrica had turned into a frequently visited site for tourists and rafting enthusiasts. But a decision of the government to build four hydropower centrals will incontrovertibly destroy the river, and the tourist industry that is dependent on it.
In an article published today, Monitor reports that the Ministry of Energy and Industry has started the procedure to give the fourth hydropower plant in the Bushtrica in concession.
In April 2017, the government opened the tender for the concessions for Bushtrica 1 and 2, and in June for Bushtrica 3. In all three cases the tender procedures are still ongoing.
On July 5, a decision from the Council of Ministers suspended all tender and concession procedures of the central government, unless given explicit permission by the Prime Minister. It seems that in this case indeed Prime Minister Rama has approved of the procedure to destroy yet more of Albania’s natural wealth.
