"Nature must be protected"/ Fourth day of protest in Korça, Swiss tourist joins citizens

2026-06-08 19:41:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Nature must be protected"/ Fourth day of protest in Korça,

For the fourth day in a row, citizens, environmental activists and supporters of the nature protection cause have gathered in Korça to oppose the tourist project planned to be built in the Zvërnec area. Protesters have demanded more transparency about the project and have raised concerns that interventions in one of the country's most important ecosystems could bring irreversible consequences for the biodiversity and natural resources of the area.

While in previous days the protest has gathered mainly Albanian citizens and activists, this time the attention was drawn by the presence of a tourist from Switzerland, who decided to join the rally to express his support for environmental protection. He has been in Korça for several days on vacation, but after becoming aware of the debate and opposition that the project in Zvërnec has caused, he decided to be present at the protest.

"Nature must be protected"/ Fourth day of protest in Korça,

The Swiss tourist indicated that he was informed about the protest through Albanian news and media, while emphasizing that, although as a foreign citizen he does not consider himself part of the political debate in Albania, he feels a moral obligation to support any initiative aimed at protecting nature.

" I was informed by the news and newspapers. I am here on vacation and I am in Korça, and I read that there is a protest. I am from Switzerland. For me it is the third day that I am in Korça. I do not have the right to protest in a foreign country, but I am here to support the people here ," said the tourist.

He said that during his travels in Albania he has visited some of the most famous natural areas of the country. Just the day before, he had been to Prespa e Vogël, where he had seen pelicans up close, an experience he described as rare and impressive. Speaking about the natural beauties of the country, the tourist focused on his recent visit to Prespa and his experience in Zvërnec.

" Yesterday I was at Lake Prespa, and yesterday I saw pelicans flying, and it was something extremely beautiful. And last year I was in Zvërnec and there I saw pelicans. And it is a very, very beautiful nature, there are many places in Albania that are very beautiful. And for this reason, also because the people here have a very good heart, I am here for a vacation ," said the tourist.

According to him, Albania possesses extraordinary natural resources that constitute a value not only for the country, but also for the foreign tourists who visit it every year. Precisely for this reason, he said that every development project must take into account the preservation of the environment and not violate natural balances. He emphasized that economic development and nature protection should not exclude each other, but go hand in hand.

"And for this reason I hope that people have the opportunity to say something against this project in Zvërnec, because in Switzerland we have learned that economic development and nature protection should go hand in hand, and at a level that the two should not be opposites, that both are very important. For this reason I hope that Albania has the opportunity to go by law and maybe this project will go by law ," he said.

As he prepared to continue his journey towards the Albanian coast, the tourist did not hide the love he has developed for the country. He said that this is not his first visit, but the fifteenth time he has traveled to Albania, a country that, according to him, continues to surprise him with its natural beauty and the hospitality of its people. Finally, he confessed the special connection he has created with Albania and the Albanian language.

" Tomorrow I'm going to the coast, and maybe I'll be in other places, or in Tirana. I like Albania a lot. It's a very beautiful country and I really like being here. I'm just here for vacation, I'm a real tourist! I've learned Albanian during Covid, and so far, this is my 15th time in Albania, and I travel to all the places, in the mountains and on the coast ," said the Swiss tourist.

The protest in Korça is expected to continue in the coming days, while the organizers demand that the voice of citizens be heard and that any decision-making regarding protected areas be carried out through broad public consultations and respect for environmental standards.