Prime Minister Edi Rama said today that the Ministry of Environment will establish agreements with communities in tourist areas to strengthen environmental protection and improve cleaning efforts.

Speaking on the podcast “Flasim,” Rama focused on environmental protection and wildfire prevention, particularly in forest areas with tourism potential.

“We will test several approaches to build agreements with communities involved in tourism in these areas. The Ministry of Environment will partner with a community that can establish an association or joint council. Together, they will take responsibility for additional tasks beyond their regular activities,” Rama said.

Rama said each tourism business would help care for the surrounding area. He added that businesses would also report environmental problems in a timely manner.

“Cleaning the forest makes it less vulnerable to fires. They will also report when a certain amount of waste needs to be removed before it becomes a problem. They can also help stop illegal construction, illegal logging and other activities,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, Rama stressed that communities in areas closely linked to nature must understand that their tourism product goes beyond individual businesses.

“This is only a small part of the larger offer represented by Koman or the Shala River. If that product becomes damaged, no matter how attractive your guesthouse or campsite is, your economic activity will also suffer. Visitors will start leaving places where nature is not protected,” Rama said.

The prime minister said the government is also creating a fund to support such non-profit initiatives.

“This is volunteering because everyone earns their income through their own business. But together, they protect the larger product and the brand. Today, the Shala River is also a brand, and that brand must be protected,” Rama said.

He added that protecting the brand requires preserving nature, maintaining hygiene, regulating construction and cleaning forests to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Rama also described it as a major tragedy when communities and valuable natural areas suffer damage from fires because they are not sufficiently organized to prevent them.

/a.c/