Albanian President sends back the waste import bill to Parliament in a fresh blow to the Rama Government

The Albanian President Bujar Nishani has returned the controversial waste import bill back to Parliament refusing to decree what has caused widespread protests in Albania. The decision is a fresh blow to Edi Rama’s ruling majority and gives fresh hopes to environmental groups.

The bill would allow the import of recyclable waste into Albania to feed what the Government of Edi Rama calls a recycling industry which employs 30,000 people. Those against it say the law is not designed to recycle Albania’s waste but to serve the narrow interests of a mafia-linked industry.

Nishani returned the law, only two days after he met with Industry representatives and members of the Recycling Society of Albania who had asked him to decree the law.

President Nishani argues in his official reply to Parliament that the Waste Integrated Management Law nr. 92/2016, goes against European Commission Directive 2008/98/EC and that it is not a demand deriving from the Stabilization Association Agreement between Albania and the EU, as previously argued by those in favor of it.

Further, the Albanian President argues that the Law goes against Article 59 of the Albanian Constitution which sanctions that Albanian State authorities ‘should aim for a healthy and eco-friendly environment for today’s and future generations’.

President Nishani has also reminded Edi Rama’s ruling majority that the European Commission has repeatedly pointed out through its annual progress reports that Albania does not have the necessary capacities in managing recyclable waste while the planning, coordination and the implementation of waste management policies is progressing slowly while administrative capacities remain limited.

After it was repealed by Edi Rama in 2013, the bill was brought back to Parliament amid huge controversies and accusations against the Government.

Civil society and environmentalists protested at the lack of transparency with which the bill was prepared and raised the red flag on the pollution such waste would cause to a poorly maintained Albania.

The opposition accused Edi Rama of serving hidden mafia interests alleging that the law will be used to bring other more toxic materials into the country. The same Democratic Party had voted in favor of such law a few years back.

The return without decree from the President signals a fresh battle at parliament, which in the last vote barely gathered 63 MPs out of the total 140 to approve the bill. The opposition, and several members of the ruling socialists including their smaller ally LSI were against the importing of recyclable waste from abroad.

Albanian Environmentalist Sazan Guri says that the devil lies in the details of this law which normal people would never be able to understand. The law according to Mr. Guri ‘brings trash to Albania, not recyclable waste‘.

The Parliament can technically ignore the President’s decision and go ahead for a second vote. Albanian PM Edi Rama, uncertain to have the needed number in Parliament, will be reluctant to go ahead as previously planned.