- Title: ALBANIA: ALBANIANS PROTEST AGAINST PLANS TO IMPORT EUROPEAN GARBAGE.
- Date: 11th June 2004
- Summary: (CEEF) TIRANA, ALBANIA (JUNE 8, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: OFFICES OF THE PRIME MINISTER 0.06 2. GV: POLICE CORDON OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER OFFICE 0.14 3. CU: CLOSE OF POLICE 0.26 4. GV: WIDE OF PROTEST BY "MJAFT" ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION, 0.37 5. MCU; PEOPLE HELDING PLACARDS AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND 0.46 6. ANTI-GOVERNMENT SIGN 1.02 7. MCU: WOMEN WAVING FLAGS AND PEAKING TO PRESS (NO SOUNDBITE) 1.42 8. VARIOUS: PEOPLE RELEASE BALLOONS MADE FROM GARBAGE BAGS, VARIOUS OF PROTEST (6 SHOTS) 2.46 TIRANA, ALBANIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. LV/GV: GARBAGE WASTELAND IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF TIRANA, PEOPLE GOING THROUGH GARBGE (4 SHOTS) 3.34 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th June 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TIRANA, ALBANIA
- Country: Albania
- Reuters ID: LVA8JXASPGS0RD56131ZFXFWTLWD
- Story Text: Albanians protest plan to import Europe's garbage.
Several thousand Albanians protested on Tuesday
(June 8) against plans to import waste from Italy
for incineration near the capital Tirana, saying they did
not want their country to become the rubbish bin of Europe.
Albania is struggling to cope with the avalanche of
plastic bags, bottles and other waste that has swamped the
country -- one of the poorest in Europe -- since processed goods
became widely available after the collapse of communism.
Villagers from a site marked for a waste-treatment
plant, school children and even members of Prime Minister
Fatos Nanos Socialist Party gathered in front of government
offices to voice their anger at the plan.
We want to say stop to turning Albania into the garbage
bin of Europe, Kreshnik Spahiu, who heads a consumer
organisation, told the rally.
AlbaniaBeg Ambjent, part of Italian group Sorain
Cecchini, has proposed building the plant to treat local
garbage for free, on condition that it could also import
1,400 tonnes daily from nearby Italy.
The government has yet to formally approve the
agreement for the 180 million euro ($221 million) plant,
which would also produce electricity.
Protesters threw eggs at effigies of Nano and tourism
minister Bashkim Fino, who signed the preliminary deal. Some
protesters carried inflated garbage bins, others the
Albanian flag with a skull and crossbones painted on it.
"We want to clean up Albania and oppose the import of
garbage from abroad", journalist Xhemal Mato told
Reuters.
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