With its sites still preserved, Albania seduces nature lovers and travelers curious about discoveries. For four years, environment and tourism have become strategic priorities.
franceinfo: In Albania, you have united tourism and the environment and often, it is contradictory, because it is said that tourism is the first pollution in the world?
Mirela Kumbaro: Effectively, there are two ways of approaching the question. If we consider that these are two hostile sectors, they will remain hostile for life. But if we try to put them together, to reconcile them in the sense of controlling them, it is possible. And that’s what the Albanian government decided to do four years ago. The environment being an absolute priority, but tourism being another priority, very important, strategic as well.
It is a destination to discover absolutely, a Balkan country with 2.8 million inhabitants, which is located opposite Italy, north of Greece, south of Montenegro. To put the country of the eagles in perspective a bit – it is the literal translation of the word Albania and it is also our symbol of the double-headed eagle on our red flag – it is a country which is located on the shores of two seas, the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. A country between seas and mountains, rivers and forests.
It is a country that does not produce fossil energy, zero fossil energy, it is 100% renewable based mainly on hydroelectric power stations, but more and more now photovoltaics, and with very important protected areas, parks national parks in particular, and natural parks. And it is in Albania that Europe’s last wild river is also found. And the environment is above all a major project for the emancipation of society. It’s emancipation, it’s education, the foundation of environmental protection.
You have two great neighbours, Greece, Italy throughout history. How did you live with these neighbors?
They are very, very important neighbors to us. Italy is a historical relationship, a cultural relationship with ups and downs. But it’s a kind of big brother, we share the same sun and the same pleasure of life. And then, after Italy, it is in Albania that we drink the best coffee.
And Greece, then?
The largest Albanian diaspora of the 90s is in Greece. They are our neighbors to the south. We have a lot of contacts, we also have Greek minorities who live in Albania. It’s really an arm towards Italy, the other towards Greece, and which have a particular importance for us. We never feel in competition, neither with one nor with the other. We are complementary.
Like many Balkan or Eastern European countries, you were the country that was impenetrable. It’s been 30 years now. How, in 30 years, have you managed to reach your neighbours?
30 years is nothing in the life and history of a country. 30 years is too short. Albania was completely isolated. The only country that somehow resembles what Albania was under the dictatorship of Enver Hodja is North Korea. In 30 years, we have gone through the transition phase, we are in full development, we are a member of NATO, a member of the OSCE, a member of the Council of Europe, and we have just opened negotiations with the European Union.
The dream of the Albanians when they brought down the dictatorship, the slogan was: we want Albania to be like all of Europe. After 30 years, we say the same thing, Europe is almost a religion for us. And so we strongly believe in it.
Lhe energy crisis looming, how do we experience it in Albania?
We have it lives in a somewhat divided way, as in all the other countries of Europe. Except that Albania kind of planned it right after the Covid period, preparing for a budget that still protects all family homes, From time to time, we are forced to buy on the international market at a price 10 times higher than a year ago. So households do not feel it. The price has not changed for family homes, nor for small businesses. The difference is covered by the state budget.
It is a country that produces 100% renewable water-based energy. It doesn’t make us dependent on either gas or fossil fuels. Investments for solar energy and wind energy are increasingly encouraged.