In protest outside Ministry of Energy, Kaçinar residents demand halt to hydropower project
Photo: Kaçinar residents protesting hydropower project, in front of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.
Dozens of residents from Kaçinar in Mirdita gathered in front of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy today, demanding an immediate halt to the construction of four hydropower plants by “Shpërdhaza-Energji.” The protesters allege the concession was granted based on forged documents and say they were never informed about the project.
Why is this important: The controversy highlights deepening tensions between rural communities and energy developers in Albania. It raises urgent concerns about environmental protection, transparency in concession practices, and the impact of infrastructure projects on protected areas.
Context: Standing outside the ministry in Tirana, residents carried signs reading “Water is our life.” Organizers said the community’s most vital resource—its river—is being diverted without consent.
“They want to steal our water, the most precious resource,” said one protester. “We were never notified, and the concession is illegal. All institutions have been informed. This must stop.”
The villagers demand that the Ministry suspend all construction activities until a full investigation is conducted. They also addressed the same request to Prime Minister Edi Rama, insisting that no work continue until judicial authorities rule on the case.
What else: Protesters have laid out three clear requests.
- Immediate suspension of all construction by “Shpërdhaza-Energji” in Kaçinar.
- A full legal review of the company’s documentation.
- Activation of oversight bodies—IMKT, the Ministries of Environment and Infrastructure, and the State Police—to investigate and stop the works.
The hydropower project targets the Shpërdhaza River Canyon, a legally protected natural monument. Locals argue that the construction will devastate the environment and harm agricultural life in the region.
“The canyon is in a protected zone. These plants will destroy our economy, our environment, and our way of life,” said one resident.
Prosecutors in Lezha have already received two formal complaints from citizens. They allege forged signatures and serious procedural violations in the original 2018 concession granted by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
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