What did Belinda Balluku say about the issue of waste that has become one of the headlines in recent days
2024-08-28 18:25:47
TiranaPost
The first reaction from the government was made today by Minister Balluku who said two things: the first is that the issue has been magnified in the media. And the second is that the Port Authority has no responsibility in this delicate story. The transportation of hazardous waste in Albania, Balluku said, has existed since 1998, and according to her, it is justice that will clarify it more.
Balluk's statement: I would call on the media to be careful when analyzing this issue. I would consider it legally complicated. They affect the image of Albania, it would be wise to wait for the decisions that will come out of the processes that have started on this environmental issue, which affects the image of Albania.
The issue of waste and the port of Durrës are two different things because I noticed that the ministries or the Port Authority are involved. The transportation of hazardous waste started in '98, this is to give you facts that there is a real protocol that the Ministry of Environment has informed you about. It is nothing new, there is also transit and export of waste that is coded based on European codes.
The scandal with the hazardous waste has been in the center of attention after it left the port of Durrës bound for Thailand.
800 tons of toxic waste were intercepted by the shipping line MAERSK to be taken to the final destination.
There have been debates about the authorities responsible for allowing the transport of toxic waste, where accusations have been leveled at the Ministry of Transport and the Environment. Which have reacted by saying that they have not given any authorization.
The alert for the shipment of hazardous waste from Albania was issued by the Basel Action Network (BAN), an expert organization in environmental justice issues.
Thai officials declared that they would not accept the ships on their territory and would be turned back.
According to the Basel Convention, the United Nations Treaty that regulates the trade of hazardous and other waste, the containers are repatriated to the country of origin, that is Albania.
Then the international operator Maersk, through a statement, said that the entire amount will be returned to Albania.
