Tirana’s long-awaited Zoological Park is set to open on 1 June, according to an announcement from Mayor Erion Veliaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The zoo has been subject to many government and municipality promises over the year, but finally appears set to open its doors. A controversial project from the start, pictures posted by Rama show a shortage of animals and what appears to be life-size plastic giraffes and sculpted bears.
Veliaj claimed the zoo is “probably the most modern zoo in the Balkans” and benefits from “reconceptualised spaces” and “more space for animals”. He stressed that the new layout provides “much more humane treatment than those scenes we remember from the zoo we inherited.”
He also claimed that some 1200 trees have been planted on the site, although it is not clear exactly where these are located due to the relatively small size of the zoo.
“Whoever produces hysteria when a tree is moved, just needs to calm down. One is indeed relocated, but another 1,200 are planted,” Veliaj said, reacting to those who have criticised the shrinking green spaces throughout the capital.
The mayor claimed the second phase of the project will connect the zoo with the Botanical Garden and he called on the Faculty of Science at the University of Tirana not to interfere in decision-making.
The Faculty and the Municipality have been involved in a legal wrangle over ownership of the Botanical Gardens which the former won almost a year ago.
Tirana’s Botanical Garden of Tirana was built in 1971 and occupies an area of 15 hectares of greenery near the lake. It is home to over 2,000 plant species, and has always been owned by the university.
The government decided in 2019 to transfer the 150,000 m² garden from the Faculty to the Municipality to use it “for the exercise of its functions”.
It was followed by protests from Tirana University, who then took the case to the court, deeming the transfer illegal.
Under ownership of the Municipality, the garden’s fate can be decided with a simple City Council decision which since the 30 June 2019 local elections, is dominated by the Socialist Party.
Exit previously contacted representatives from the Faculty and found that the decision to transfer ownership was made without consulting them.
University of Tirana Protests against Ownership Transfer of Botanical Gardens to Municipality
But in May 2021, the Administrative Court overruled the government decision to strip the University of Tirana ownership of the Botanical Garden and transfer it to the Municipality of Tirana.
The former zoo has been the subject of criticism, notably by international animal charity Four Paws who said, “If you see the conditions here, I don’t think you need to be an expert to understand that this is not the way to keep wild animals.”
Since 2015, Veliaj has been publicly planning to transform the zoo and these plans have been a significant part of his election campaign. Then in 2020, the Municipality announced the winners of a tender to develop the project, without a public tender process or any public consultation.
The Municipality said the space used for animals will increase from 1450m2 to 3026m2, providing a much better environment for them.
Other buildings constructed include those used for veterinary, administrative, and education services. A new complex has also been built with restaurants and coffee shops. An underground car park for 100 cars is also a part of the project.
Initially, the project was supposed to be completed by the end of 2021.
