After nearly a decade and a half, Lake Skadar National Park has received a new vessel to be used for supervision, control, and conducting scientific research. The vessel, worth around €36,000, was procured through the EU project “Skadar/Shkoder Lake Watershed – a Transboundary Biosphere Reserve”, carried out under the Montenegro–Albania Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014–2020.
EnvPro: Environment Programme, the Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro, the EDEN Centre from Albania, and the Regional Unit Shkodër/National Agency for Protected Areas of Albania (NAPA) participated as partners within the project. The project’s aim was the conservation and sustainable management of one of the most valuable ecosystems in the region – the Lake Skadar Basin.
Marinela Đuretić, Director of the Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro, highlighted that numerous activities were implemented within the project.
“We are particularly proud that the project has provided a new vessel for Lake Skadar National Park – the first since 2010. The procurement of such an important working asset is of special significance for the Protection Service, but also for other services of the national parks. It will enable us to conduct more efficient supervision, monitoring, and research, which are essential for nature protection and the development of sustainable tourism. I want to thank the European Union and all partners for their support, as this project shows that through joint efforts we can secure a better future for Lake Skadar and the local communities that depend on it,” said Đuretić.
Damjan Ćulafić, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and the Northern Region Development, stated that the project represents an important step in strengthening cross-border cooperation between Montenegro and Albania.
“The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and the Northern Region Development, as the nominating authority for UNESCO’s Cross-Border Biosphere Reserve in the Montenegrin part of the basin, strongly promotes the synergy between the protection of natural values and the sustainable development of local communities. This paradigm of preserving biodiversity and natural habitats lies at the heart of modern environmental policy, enabling us to safeguard unique landscapes and natural wealth for future generations,” concluded Ćulafić.
The project “Skadar/Shkoder Lake Watershed – a Transboundary Biosphere Reserve”, worth €453,000, lasted 30 months.
Source: Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and the Northern Region Development
