TIRANA, May 5 – Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu spoke at a climate conference in Tirana, where she stressed the importance of regional cooperation in climate protection. She said the Western Balkans loses 1–1.5% of GDP each year due to climate-related disasters.

At the same time, Koçiu said climate challenges require joint action, as floods and storms do not respect borders. She added that this reality demands a coordinated regional response.

In addition, she linked EU integration with climate resilience, explaining that both rely on shared resources, data, responsibility, and decision-making. She said climate policy now sits at the centre of the EU agenda, which she described as a key shift for the region.

However, she said the region continues to produce strategies and documents, while real results remain more important than paperwork. For this reason, she called for investments in infrastructure, monitoring systems, trained experts, and responsive institutions.

Meanwhile, Koçiu said climate financing is not charity. Instead, she described it as an investment in shared security.

She also stressed the importance of reliable data, noting that no system works without measurement. In this context, she described meteorological services and data systems as the “nervous system” of resilience.

Furthermore, Koçiu called for stronger cross-border cooperation, saying countries must coordinate forecasting, response, and financing.

She also urged the exchange of experience and best practices across the region. She said Albania does not come to give lessons, but to share experience from past crises, including floods, earthquakes, and wildfires.

Finally, Koçiu said no country can face climate risks alone. She underlined that solutions must work for the whole region, otherwise they fail.

/a.p./