Rama emphasized that the declaration of the Vjosa National Park had been part of the Socialist Party’s program and stated that the Socialist government has significantly expanded the country’s protected areas.

Regarding Zvërnec, he stressed that it has been classified as a Category 5 protected area and will continue to maintain that status. According to Rama, the protection of biodiversity remains an integral part of the government’s work.

“The Vjosa National Park was part of the Socialist Party’s program. It was not those who now claim to protect it from us who placed it under protection—it was us. We are the ones who expanded Albania’s protected areas from a much smaller footprint than what we inherited.

To speak about protected areas and nature while pointing the finger at the Socialist Party is the height of absurdity. It is a level that can only be reached through ignorance combined with manipulation. It can only be achieved through ill will toward this country.

There is a protest in Tirana aimed at protecting nature. But who is threatening nature and putting biodiversity at risk? People are protesting because they claim Zvërnec has been removed from protected status. But who removed it? When was it a protected area, and what category did it belong to? Zvërnec has been a Category 5 protected area, and it will remain so.

Protecting biodiversity is part of our work as a government. The debate is not whether this area will remain protected or not. The debate is about what kind of Albania we want to develop and what kind of Albania we want to have in five or ten years. How are we going to grow Albania economically?

Tourism is an industry that thrives in countries that respect nature and the environment. If we believe that we can increase Gross Domestic Product, raise wages, and improve living standards without enhancing the quality of tourism, then we are mistaken,” Rama said.