Meeting between the SPP and Albanian authorities in Korcha, Albania concerning the SPP’s “LIFE project” and the sluice reconstruction in Micro Prespa.

On Friday 7May 2004, a meeting between the SPP and the Albanian authorities competent for water management in the Prespa region, was held in Grand Hotel, Korcha, Albania. The purpose of the meeting was the presentation of the SPP’s project work on the sluice reconstruction in Micro Prespa, carried out within the context of a EU-funded LIFE project titled “Conservation of priority bird species in Lake Mikri Prespa, Greece”. On behalf of the SPP, present to the meeting were Ms. Myrsini Malakou (Director), Mr. Antonis Rigas (LIFE project co-ordinator), Dr. Giorgos Parissopoulos (technical advisor) and Mr. Dimitris Tzavaras.

The participants from Albania were representatives of: the Albanian parliament, the Prefecture of Korcha, the Korcha District Council, the Progri Commune, the Water Enterprise, the Korcha Forestry Service, the Prespa NP, the Water User Association, and the NGO Friends of Prespa Lake.

Following a two-hour presentation of the relevant studies and structure plans and subsequent questions about the sluice project, the hydrology of the streams and the construction work in specific all participants congratulated the SPP for its positive efforts.

It is important to note that the Albanian Prefecture officials were especially aware of the damage already conducted in Micro Prespa due to the approximately thirty-year old diversion of the Devolli river running through Albania which serves irrigation purposes, but were also anxious for the economic future of the Korcha plain. In order to address the latter, the SPP promised to stress the need for a solution of the Devolli problem and the irrigation of the Korcha plain in all international forums, and through the Prespa Park Co-ordination Committee (PPCC) in particular.

The meeting was organised by Dr. Spase Shumka, member of the Prespa Park Secretariat on behalf of the Albanian NGO PPNEA, after a request by Mr. Zamir Dedej (Ministry of Environment, Albania) at the Fifth Regular Meeting of the PPCC in Lemos , Greece (13-15 November 2003).