Mitro Çela recalls the story of the Dalmatian pelican with Sokol Olldashi

2026-06-09 09:08:00, Opinione Mitro Çela

CURLY PELICAN

-In the citizens' protests against Rama and Berisha, another symbol emerges: the curly pelican.

(And flamingos. In many foreign press chronicles the protest is called: "The Flamingo Revolution.")

Years ago I wrote an essay about the Dalmatian pelican.

The Fier - Vlora road was planned to be built with European Union funding.

The road project was done. The funds were calculated.

A delegation went to Brussels to sign the release of funds.

It was chaired by the Minister of Transport, Sokol Olldashi.

When the Albanian minister was waiting to sign, Brussels experts objected.

A conversation with surrealistic notes took place between the minister and an expert.

Minister:- What is the reason you refuse to sign?

Expert:- Curly pelican!

Minister: - What is this nonsense?! We came to Brussels for the road, you talk to us about wild birds?!

Expert: - Mr. Minister! Keep your cool! Your Deputy Minister of Environment, Taulant Bimo, has written that rare birds breed in the Narta swamp, near which the Fier - Vlora road will pass.

With EU money, we cannot allow the "shooting" of the Dalmatian pelican!

It would be an inhumane act!

The Europe of the ideals of Mitterrand, Kohl, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair will not and will never allow the right to life, a God-given right, to be abused for the innocent Dalmatian pelican!

God bless the birds and wild animals that live in Albanian lands!

In a fit of anger, the minister called Berisha.

I have no information about the conversation.

I know the consequences, according to the story of the Deputy Minister of the Environment, Taulant Bimo...

-Midnight. I was lying in bed. The phone rang... It was the Prime Minister!...

Without much tact, he invited me to come to the office.

The Prime Minister got straight to the point:

- Have you written any letters to Brussels lately?

-No!

-Think carefully!

I lost my mind... I said again: "No!"...

-You didn't write a letter about the Dalmatian pelican?

I remembered... My heart skipped a beat...

A few years ago I published a book about rare birds that breed in Albania.

Among them is the Dalmatian pelican.

"The book will apparently have fallen into the hands of some EU expert," I told the Prime Minister.

"A compromise must be found," Berisha said, laughing. "Please, write a letter to Brussels..."

-That same night, says Taulan Bimo, I "wrote" a diplomatic letter about the values ??and importance of the Dalmatian pelican for the fate of Albania.

I proposed the idea: The Fier-Vlora road should be built, if the necessary corrections are made to the project for the protection of the Dalmatian pelican...

After several networks were added to the project, Brussels experts were convinced and approved the funds for the construction of the road...

Whoever doesn't believe my story, let them take the road to Vlora.

On the highway, near Panaja, like a ghost in the middle of the field, several netted ambushes have been built.

Comment:

The debate took place in 2006.

The EU as an institution has not moved from Brussels. Even ideas about the environment have not been "erased". They have been concreted - one of the conditions for EU membership.

The experts of the 2000s have retired. So has the leadership.

Young experts rest on their laurels.

They remain silent when they know that Vlora airport is an "enemy" for the migration of flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans.

They make noise about the Zvërnec and Narta projects, which "shoot" the environment.

What about the EU leaders? Some anonymous. Some without an author. Some originating from small countries—Luxembourg, Malta.

Former deputy ministers dismissed. Former MPs without careers. Former “Yes” members./ CNA