Albania under fire over airport plans in protected zone

Environmental groups have urged Albania's government to drop plans to build an airport inside a protected area on the Adriatic sea whose wetlands are a paradise for endangered birds.

The Balkan state is collecting tenders for a second international airport near Vlora, a popular beach destination for tourists.

The Infrastructure Ministry confirmed Wednesday that it has so far received two tenders for the 86 million euro $103 million) construction project and will make its choice public in March.

But in an open letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama this week, three dozen national and international environmental organisations warned the project would "irreversibly damage the ecosystem" of the Vjose-Narte protected zone in which it would lie.

Spanning more than 19,000 hectares, the area boasts the Narta lagoon and saltwater marshes that make up one of the region's most important wetland ecosystems.

From Dalmatian pelicans to pink flamingos, the area is home to more than 200 species of birds, 33 of which are on a red list of threatened species, according to experts.

The environmental groups warned that as a major migratory site, the location could also pose "heightened risks for the safety of air planes and people."

The signatories, including Germany's EuroNatur, BirdLife Europe and the World Wildlife Fund, called on Tirana to drop the plan and instead focus on the development of eco-tourism in the area.

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