Second Environmental Performance Review of Albania

92 Part III: Integration of environmental concerns into economic sectors and promotion of sustainable developmentInvolvement of users and NGOs in the watermanagement processInvolving the end users in water resourcemanagement was the purpose of the 2006 Decision ofNCW, No. 2, which provided for the representativesof water users to account for 30 per cent of NCW’scomposition. In addition, the meetings of RBCs areopen to everyone to attend. However, in practice, thepublic and end user groups, as well as NGOs,participate in the decision-making process to a verylimited extent, or do not have the opportunity toinfluence decisions at all.International cooperationDue to the transboundary character of surface waterand groundwater on the territory of Albania,international cooperation with clearly defined criteriaand responsibilities is essential for sustainable andintegrated water management. In addition, suchcooperation enables financial and technical assistanceto be provided for implementation and monitoringaccording to international standards and procedures.Since the first EPR, some steps have beenimplemented. Based on the DCM No. 635, on theEstablishment of a Government Commission forWater Problems with Neighbouring Countries, themost important agreements and cooperation are asfollows:• The Memorandum of Understanding withMontenegro, signed on 19 June 2010, serves asthe main guideline for the management of thetransboundary water resources;• Cooperation with Greece began in 2001. In2008, both countries agreed to approve the innerregulation related to the Vjosa river basin;• Cooperation with Kosovo (UN-administeredregion, Security Council resolution 1244)regarding transboundary water issues began inSeptember 2010.There are also transboundary projects underway. TheLake Ohrid Project is funded by the World Bank andimplemented by Albania and the former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia. The primary objective of theProject is to develop a basis for the joint managementand protection of Lake Ohrid, from which can bedeveloped cost-effective solutions concerning themanagement and protection of transboundary naturalresources. The Adriatic Sea Partnership (2006-2009)under the lead of the REC addresses all Statesbordering the Adriatic Sea.The project aims to increase donor interest andgenerate further funding and to establish the AdriaticSea Partnership as an operative international body toact as a common platform for regional cooperation toprotect the Adriatic Sea. Another transboundaryproject addresses the protection and sustainable useof the Dinaric karst aquifer system which is sharedby four countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Croatia and Montenegro).6.5 Conclusions and recommendationsAlbania is rich in surface water and groundwaterresources. Much of Albania’s economic activity isdependent on the utilization of water resources. Over90 per cent of energy production comes from HPPs,while agriculture is critically dependent on irrigation.Moreover, the mining, industrial and tourism sectorsare strongly dependent on clean and sufficient freshwater, especially in the dry summer. Water resourcesmanagement in Albania does not meet requirementsdue to, mainly, inadequate and poorly maintainedinfrastructure in each of the water-using sectors andthe absence of institutional coordination.The institutional capacity of MoEFWA has beenreinforced by introducing the GDWA in summer2011, and six river basin agencies have also beenimplemented. However, the institutional structuresfor river basin management, at both national andlocal levels, are still weak, understaffed and unstable.The RBAs have little authority to enforce legal andregulatory procedures, which results in poorcoordination of local sectors in water resourcesmanagement. Local sectors dealing with waterresources management are not coordinated.Recommendation 6.1:The National Water Council should:(a) Upgrade the capacity of river basin councilsand river basin agencies to enable them toenforce legal and regulatory procedures, andensure a sustainable management of waterresources;(b) Strengthen river basin agencies’responsibilities, especially in terms ofcoordination of local sectors, and establishthem as recognised partners in waterresources management at the local level.Concerning the legal framework, the 1996 Law onWater Resources was a first attempt to integrate themain principles of the EU-WFD. Notwithstanding itsgood points, this Law is outdated and is currentlybeing revised.Recommendation 6.2:The Ministry of Environment, Forests and WaterAdministration should develop secondary legislationto establish legal and institutional provisions for