AMBO pipeline neglected, Albanian government accused of "national treason"

Tirana, March 4 (AENews) – Albania government asked AMBO’s president Ted Ferguson to move the pipeline outpost from Vlora to another costal point of Albania for “environmental reasons”.

“We asked Mr. Ferguson to move the AMBO pipeline end point from Vlora for environmental reasons”, - deputy Minister of Industry Gjergj Bojaxhi said Thursday in a press conference.

Albanian government also asked AMBO to submit a new environmental impact study, according to Mr. Bojaxhi.

Several Albanian media commented the government’s decision on the issue as “national treason”.

“On route to national treason”, was the title of the editorial by Shpetim Nazarko, owner and director of weekly newspaper ABC in Tirana.

Other newspapers argued that Prime Minister Berisha “has temporarily lost his mind by demoting such a project at a moment when AMBO corp. is asking for final approval by Albanian government before starting works”, said Ilir Kulla from daily “Gazeta Shqiptare”.

“We want to explain to the public opinion that the Albanian government is very interested in the AMBO project, however, AMBO is only an oil pipeline linking the Black Sea to the Adriatic Sea”, said another statement issued by the government today in reaction to accusations from the media.

The new government is not interested in building a large scale industrial zone in Vlora for all the different energy products planned by the former government, Mr. Bojaxhi said. “We do not intend to turn Vlora into an energy back yard for the Balkans”, Bojaxhi said.

Albanian government is now facing some difficult choices between keeping its electoral promises and accepting foreign investors’ plans intending to build in Vlora a thermo power plant, a refinery, oil storage and other energy related facilities.

During his electoral campaign, head of right wing Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, (now Prime Minister) had promised to some environmental groups that his government would block construction of the projected 600 MW thermo Power Plant in Vlora. Environmental protection groups claim that construction of the power plan in Vlora will in turn pollute the city and run away tourists.

Several months ago World Bank office in Tirana had declared that if the government would block construction of the thermo power plant project, they would in turn block financing for electricity infrastructure reconstruction projects.

Meanwhile, other Albanian newspapers have alluded to other reasons besides Prime Minister Berisha’s pronouncement against AMBO based on the argument of environment protection. A comment by Ilir Kulla, Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper, alluded to the idea that Prime Minister Berisha is arguing against the project in support of some Russian interests instead of American ones.

“Blocking the AMBO project means neglecting Albanian interest in order to help our neighboring country” (meaning Greece), Mr. Nazarko of ABC newspaper said. “This is simply national treason”, said he.