Despite the UNESCO World Heritage Committee asking the Albanian government to halt work on the Gjirokaster bypass, work is continuing. Photo’s taken today in Gjirokaster show that the project is progressing quickly and could likely be completed soon.
In July, the Committee unanimously approved a resolution asking that the work, taking place in a UNESCO World Heritage site, without clearance from the body, be suspended. They also requested that the Albanian authorities invite a specialist team of experts to visit the site and review the plans.
UNESCO Approves Resolution Demanding Suspension of Gjirokaster Bypass Project
This has not happened and as you can see, the work has continued. The area is not only part of the World Heritage Site, but it had not previously been disturbed for centuries and included an Ottoman era bridge.
Furthermore, there are concerns that the work could damage the structural integrity of the castle, and does not address the risk of landslides or earthquake damage.
Gjirokaster Bypass: Landslides, Ignoring UNESCO and Potential Conflicts of Interest
The Ministry of Culture previously denies that UNESCO had asked for the works to be suspended. Since then, the Municipality of Gjirokaster has stopped responding to questions from Exit.
