Waste Bill/Opposition: Government is legalizing theft with incinerators

2025-10-02 12:58:00, Politikë CNA

Strong debates have been held in the Committee on Legal Affairs regarding the mandate of the members of the CEC Regulatory Commission and the draft law on integrated waste management.

Opposition MPs accused the majority that this law, in the name of aligning laws with the EU, is covering up and legalizing the incinerator affair.

Democratic MP Oerd Bylykbashi described this law as very important and demanded that before the government presents the draft, this document should be consulted with experts and citizens. For this reason, he has requested time for debate and consultation and not a quick vote in Parliament.

Bylykbashi said that the law pours vinegar on the open cancer against citizens and that the issue has not yet been properly investigated with only peripheral pieces.

" Such an important law requires consensus. This Assembly must start using the maximum time allowed by the regulations, the law must have access, debate and the contribution of experts. The provisions must be harmonious with other laws and the Constitution. If we draft laws at lightning speed, I hope you will change this so that the deputies in Parliament also take their time and a law with 90 articles is not passed quickly, not for the president to approve with pro and con.

This law impacts the daily lives of citizens because it throws vinegar on the cancer of Albanian society.

There you see government corruption and the tentacles of the mafia. This law does not regulate it but is covering up open practices against which the proper investigation has not been started. The issue of incinerators has not yet been properly investigated, peripheral pieces have been caught. We must definitely have the task of harmonizing the law in the Assembly. There are hundreds of millions of euros that are disappearing and people who are going to prison, you are trying to legalize them.

There are 27 decisions within a day. We need a new strategy, but here are hidden the corrupt interests of the government and the criminal interests of the mafia. If there is one sector where the mafia and the government regularly collaborate, it is waste management, said the Democrat MP.

PL MP Blushi, while the Minister of Environment, Sofjan Jaupaj, who was present in the committee and was presenting the draft law, made accusations towards the government and specifically Prime Minister Edi Rama. Blushi addressed the minister, reminding him of his predecessor Lefter Koka, who is in prison for the incinerator affair, and asked him if he would also like to go to prison for Rama.

The MP requested the cessation of payments to incinerators and made it a condition for continuing discussions on a new waste law.

" Edi Rama cannot turn the Laws Commission into a landfill for recycling laws of the garbage mafia.

Edi Rama, the actual owner of the incinerators, should appear in a public hearing before the commission.

A minister before you is in prison for incinerators, are you ready to put Edi Rama in prison?

While payments for ghost incinerators continue, you bring us a waste law. Stop payments for incinerators, admit the scandal, and then we discuss other waste laws.

"The strategy you passed in 2020 talked about 3 incinerators, none exist ," said Blushi.

While Bylykbashi asked for the floor again, he accused Manja of not allowing him to speak.

"Let me finish, enforce the regulations," Bylykbashi told the head of the committee.

"No, you won't finish it, you have a clock that speaks... ", the SP MP replied./ CNA