he environment, forests, and nature, will now become part of a new strategic plan for their protection, marking a new phase on the country’s path toward membership in the European Union, through a unified model of administration and sustainable development, based also on the best European experiences.

At the Forum organized on this occasion, “For You, Nature,” attended by Prime Minister Rama, Minister of Environment Sofjan Jaupaj, environmental experts, institutional leaders, international partners, students, and friends of nature, the technical presentation of the sustainable nature development platform was delivered. The platform aims to strengthen protected areas and ensure the sustainable development of forests as a national asset, directly linking this vision with the EU integration path.

Prime Minister Rama said that the reform of the forest and nature management model would begin with the restructuring of the National Agency of Protected Areas and the National Forestry Agency, merging them and creating synergy between the two.

Prime Minister Edi Rama:

This is a very good moment to take stock, to look back while we all remain focused on one of the most challenging aspects of the negotiation process, the environment. Undoubtedly, the way protected areas are viewed, treated, and promoted is a strategic part of the broader context that relates to the nature surrounding us. And looking back, there are many reasons to be proud of where we stand today.

A decade ago, we had to take two very radical measures to ensure a necessary turning point, at a time when illegal logging and illegal hunting had become real wounds spreading across Albania’s natural landscape. Today, we can proudly see the results of the two moratoriums which at the time sparked debate and were met with skepticism, both in terms of forest regeneration and the restoration of fauna in Albania.

On the other hand, protected areas and natural territories were under continuous pressure from illegal construction and all kinds of pollution. I am pleased that today the balance shows a significant decrease in environmental crimes, substantial control over the territory regarding protection from illegal construction, and a marked reduction in pollution. But none of these issues have been eliminated, and ensuring a successful progression in this negotiation process, precisely because it affects our future, requires far better and safer forest management.

For this reason, together with the Minister of Environment and the Ministry’s team, we are engaged in a reform process of the management model for forests and nature. This reform must begin with the restructuring of the National Agency of Protected Areas and the National Forestry Agency, merging them to create synergy between the two, forming a single agency that manages protected areas and forests comprehensively.

This also relates to the need to standardize forest management across the entire territory, because today management is fragmented, with models that are not coherent with one another.

The establishment of a national biodiversity monitoring system, a mechanism that guarantees planning based on scientifically gathered data, is another key aspect that we believe this reform will ensure.

We face another major challenge, one we all witness, especially during the summer season when temperatures rise sharply, the challenge of wildfires. This is why we must intervene more boldly with reforms and dedicate far greater attention to forests each year. Likewise, the need to strengthen our reforestation capacities grows every year, because as we have seen, no one anywhere has found a cure for wildfire.

For this reason, we are allocating new financial resources to introduce new technologies, increasing planting capacity through drone-based reforestation which provides precision and efficiency. These initiatives are already budgeted for the coming year, and as we build the base this year, we will increase funding and expand reforestation intensity in the years ahead.

Another necessity arising today is the expansion of public nursery capacities. By cooperating with municipalities and supporting the new National Agency of Protected Areas and Forests, whether it will ultimately be named this way or in another order, the goal is to establish its own fund and a network of nurseries.

In this direction, we have also intervened legally to introduce a new measure, already in force, requiring all builders in Albania to contribute to the green fund based on the square meters they construct.

Another essential element is strengthening technological capacity in seedling production. There are now new opportunities in this field, and the Ministry’s plan is to utilize them fully, including the vast potential of artificial intelligence.

Time has also clearly shown, and we must show this even better to people, communities, and society, that protected areas do not necessarily hinder economic development or income growth. If managed wisely and creatively, and if administered properly in terms of revenue collection, as seen with the new electronic ticketing systems, revenues from protected areas can be substantial and can serve as an important source of income.

We can proudly say that Albania now has more than one million hectares included within protected areas, over twenty percent of the entire territory. But stating this generally is not enough, what matters is going deeper into this territory and identifying in detail how every part of it holds economic development potential without requiring interventions that do more harm than good in the long run.

The National Agency of Protected Areas has quadrupled its revenues in just the last three to four years. Yet, when we look at where this revenue comes from, it becomes clear the potential is much greater, because around seventy percent of the increased revenues come from just three sites, The Blue Eye, Kune Vain, and Mount Dajti. And they come from these locations not simply because of visitor flow, visitor flow existed before and exists in other areas too, but because electronic revenue management has created a qualitative leap. This makes the expansion of this system across the entire territory essential.

I will not go further. I only want to say that in the coming years, which coincide with the historic moment of our EU membership effort and our declared objective to close technical negotiations by two thousand twenty seven, the focus on the environment, on forests and their management, on protected areas, and on strengthening a new nature based sustainable economy will be far greater than ever before. This is because the environmental negotiation chapter is perhaps the most difficult of all, requirements are maximal, standards are maximal, and although we have made extraordinary improvements, we remain far behind when measured against where we must arrive in a very short time.

I want to thank everyone who contributes in this field. I want to thank all who are here as friends, partners, and supporters of the Ministry of Environment’s team, not because of the Ministry itself but because of a shared cause. And I trust that the Minister and his team will find new ways to open more communication channels and build more bridges with the community dedicated to the environment.

Let me close by saying this, in our need to grow the economy, create better jobs, modernize infrastructure, and everything else, the need to protect the environment often creates tension. Environmental advocates may seem disruptive, and in fact, they are disruptive, but necessarily so. I want everyone to know that I personally have great respect for them. And despite the inevitable friction that arises when different perspectives collide, the pressure of these interest groups is essential and healthy for society, and very useful for the government.

I do not say this simply to be polite, but to underline how important it is for this community to remain active and vocal. Even though their raised voices create tension, at the end of the day, creating tension is part of why they exist, is it not?

So, I thank you all and hope that sooner rather than later, we can meet again to review the first steps of this reform implementation, raising forest management to a completely new level, based on the best European practices. Fortunately, we have friends and partners from countries where forest management is not management but an art. I am referring both to friends present here today and others who cannot attend but always stand ready to help, as is typical of environment lovers, who, if you ask for help, are always ready to assist even to tie your hands and feet with blades of grass.

Thank you very much.