04 Sep Meetings with the representatives of Berat, Kuçova, Ura Vajgurore and Skrapar Municipalities
On September 2-3, 2019, a series of consultative meetings were organized by AlbEITI National Secretariat and the OSCE Presence in four municipalities: Berat, Kuçova, Ura Vajgurore and Skrapar.
Meetings with the Mayors, Vice-Mayors and staffs of the four Municipalities focused on the process of maximizing local benefits from Royalty as well as the Environmental, Socio-economic and Infrastructure Impact of Hydrocarbon and Mining activities in these communities.
In the Municipality of Berat there are companies operating for 12 Mining Permits (in the extraction of limestone, silicon sand, marble limestone) as well as the company “Shell Upsteram Albania B.V.” in the phase of hydrocarbon exploration; in the Municipality of Ura Vajgurore there are companies operating for 19 Mining Permits for Extraction of Limestone, in the hydrocarbons activity “Sherwood International Petroleum” Ltd and “Albpetrol” sha company; in the Municipality of Skrapar there are companies operating for 28 Mining Permits (limestone, tile limestone, decorative stones, marble limestone, silicon sandstone); as well as in the Municipality of Kuçova are operating hydrocarbon company “Sherwood Internantional Petroleum” Ltd. and Albpetrol sh.a.
In the meetings with the representatives of each of the four Municipalities were discussed the issues related to:
Delivering and maximizing the social and environmental impact of the Royalty on beneficiary communities; Problems related to the environmental effects of extraction activities; Strengthening local capacities for the use of legal instruments in the fight against informality; Following the full procedural steps for removal from the forest-grazing fund of the mining exploitation permit areas in accordance with the legislation in force; Impact of Extractive Industry activities on road infrastructure etc.
During the meetings, Mr. Kamberi emphasized that the AlbEITI National Secretariat focuses on the implementation of the long-term development platform for the Extractive Industry areas, as conceived in the current Government policies.
A priority role in this process is also the capacity building of Municipal staffs for formulating clear local development objectives, as well as preparing concrete projects that need to be coordinated with the central government, in order to maximize the positive effects of extractive activities in environmental, socio-economic and infrastructural terms.
Following the multidimensional communication and consultation with the Local Government, focusing on the Royalty Platform, the analysis stages of the gaps found in local governments regarding the benefits of Royalty (through a SWOT analysis) will be exhausted, wording a Document with proposals on issues related to Royalty; the realization of a National Forum within 2019, and will continue the process of optimizing these issues with the selected pilot municipalities.