Western Balkans Environment Programe

TIRANA – 10 JULY 2008 – Sound environmental policies are prerequisites for sustainable economic development, thus it is important to further approach EU environmental standards on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and enhance the capacities of central and local governments to implement these policies.

These were the conclusions of a seminar conducted in the framework of two hotspots projects implemented by UNDP. The seminar was attended by 35 representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy, local authorities in the relevant hotspot areas Universities and NGOs.

Hotspots Programme Manager Mr. Lirim Selfo said there is a need to strengthen the mechanisms of good governance and policy integration at central and local levels in order to promote access to information and safe management of environmental issues.  He also said there is a need to link Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which are mechanisms to implement policy recommendations.

Mr. Gavrosh Zela Director of Environmental Impact Assessment and Licensing at the Ministry of Environment  recognize the importance of the seminar and emphasized the necessity for capacity development for environmental management in both central and local level.

Technical coordinator Ms. Klodiana Marika provided an overview of the methods used to identify hotspots. She stated that soil and water contamination by hazardous chemical/waste continues to be among the most pressing environmental issues worldwide.

Alken Myftiu, Senior Project Manager at the Regional Environmental Center (REC) briefed the participants on the environmental legislation in the context of hotspot management as well as on the efforts to further approach EU environmental standards with a special focus on secondary legislation dealing with Environmental Impact Assessment.

Jamarber Malltezi, EIA expert focused on procedures for performing EIA and public consultations in compliance with the Aarhus Convention and discussed the issue of completing the related legal and institutional framework in Albania.

For more information please contact:

Lirim Selfo
Hotspots Programme Manager
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Marina Vuji
Public Relations Expert
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