EBRD lending Albania 75 mln euro to keep Vjosa River clean

Financing targets the establishment of wastewater treatment systems for streams discharging into the Vlosa river, but also capacity building for municipalities and local business to foster an eco-tourism-oriented approach, Kumbaro said in a Facebook video.

Vjosa River - one of the last wild rivers in Europe - originates from Greece’s Pindus mountain and flows towards southwestern Albania, where it traverses through five counties before flowing into the Adriatic Sea.

In March, the Albanian government declared the river's natural ecosystem a national park, meeting international protection standards. This decision came after a prominent campaign led by high-end outdoor clothing company Patagonia and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, prompted by plans for a hydropower plant in 2016, which were ultimately scrapped.

The 75-million-euro agreement with the EBRD awaits parliament approval, the minister added.

($=0.923 euro)