The Network of the Vjosa / Aoos River Ecomuseum opposes the planned diversion of the River
Tirana, 22 March 2014
The World Water Day is celebrated annually on the 22nd March and aims to focus global attention on water and the sustainable management of water resources. This year the selected theme is Water and Energy which raises awareness on the interdependence between the two and the need to use integrated approaches and solutions in order to achieve greater economic, social and environmental benefits. The Vjosa / Aoos River Ecomuseum and its cross border network, in support of local communities and stakeholders, are taking this opportunity to reassert their strong opposition to the planned diversion of the Aoos River in Greece which violates the principles of sustainable development and will irreversibly damage the river, its biodiversity, the livelihoods of the populations in both Greece and Albania and the area as a whole.
The Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (Med-INA)- the Ecomuseum’s lead partner- along with WWF Greece, Callisto, the Management Authority of the Northern Pindos National Park and the Municipality of Konitsa which will be directly affected by the diversion, have already taken legal action against the proposed diversion which has been submitted to the Greek Council of State. This legal action is firmly supported by the Albanian network of the Ecomuseum and it is hoped that the result of this procedure will be the complete and long-term withdrawal of any diversion plan on the Aoos.
The Aoos River originates from the northern slopes of the Pindos Mountain range in Greece; it joins with two of its main tributaries and then flows into Albania where it travels 190 km before it discharges into the Adriatic Sea. The greater Aoos area, part of which belongs to the Northern Pindos National Park, is an important conservation spot with a wealth of aquatic and terrestrial habitats and many species of endemic and protected flora and fauna. The relationship of local populations with the river and the surrounding environment has given rise to a rich cultural heritage and traditions. At the same time, the river and its tributaries constitute an invaluable water resource for both sides of the border which depend mainly on agriculture and moderate tourism. The Vjosa / Aoos River Ecomuseum aims to protect and promote the area’s natural and cultural heritage on both sides of the Greek-Albanian border.
The planned diversion will transfer 70Χ106m3 of water per annum from the hydrological basin of the Aoos River to the Ioannina basin, for the purpose of energy creation and enrichment of the Lake of Ioannina with water. This would come in addition to approximately 10x106m3 of water that are already being retained annually and supply the Hydroelectric Station at the sources of Aoos whose effects are evident in terms of water capacity. The environmental cost of the construction and operation of the planned diversion work is greater than any potential benefit as the construction site of the damn is located within the Northern Pindos National Park, the planned works violate among others the EU Water Framework Directive and the amount of energy produced will not exceed that of three wind turbines, to state some of the reasons.
