REPUBLIC ог ALBANIAASSEMBLY

LAWНо.8906, dated 6.6.2002

юн гкотвствоAREAS

In,reliance with Artic/es 78, 81 paragraph 1 and Article 83 paragraph 1 of theConstitution of the RepubIic of Albania and оп the proposal о! the Council ofMinisters,

ТНЕ ASSEMBLУ OF ТНЕ REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA

D Е CIDE О:

Article 1

Object 01the Law

The object of this law is the declaration, preservation, administrations,rhanagement and usage of protected агеаз and their natural and Ыоlоgiсаl

resources; the facilitation of conditions for the development of environmental tourism,f6r the information and education of the genera! pubIic and for economic рroШs,

direct ог indirect, Ьу the lосаl population, Ьу the pubIic [state] and private sector.

Article 2

Purpose 01the Law

1. The purpose of this law is to provide special protection of importantcomponents 01 natural reserves, о! biodiversity and the natural, as а whole, throughthe estabIishment о! protected агеаз.

2. Protected агеаз аге set to provide the preservation and regeneration ofIlatural habitats, of species, о! natura/ reserves and landscapes.

3. This law regulates the protection о! six (6) categories of protected areas,applied in the territory of the RepubIic of Albania. The categorization 01 areas, statusand level о! protection for each агеа is based оп the criteria of World Center ofNature Conservation.

Article 3

De1inition 01Terms

Within the meaning of this law:1. "Protected агеаз" shall Ье declared land, water, sea and coast territories

139

assigned for protection of biodiversity, culturaJ and natural properties, со­

accompanies, which is managed Ьу legal таппегз and with scientific contemporarymethods

2. "Biological diversity" (hereinafter "biodiversity") means the genetic variety01 species and ecosystems.

2.1 "Genetic variety" means the entirety of genes withJn population(populations) of а given species, wild ог domestic. It incJudes various populations ofthe эате species ог genetic variabllity within а population.

2.2. "Variety of species" теапэ the entirety of specJes, of plants andanimals.

2.3. "Variety of ecosystems" means the entirety of types 01 ecosystems.3. "Terгitorial System 01 ecological sustainability of а landscape" is ап inner

integrated complex of сhэngеd and natural ecosystems, сараЫе to preserve natura\sustainability.

4. "Bio-center" (the center of biodiversity) is the part of the landscape wherelong term conditions for reproduction and life activities of organisms and their паtшаl

community deveJopmentаге provided.5. "Bio-corridor" (bioJogicai corridor) is the segmentation of the landscape

that connects the bio-centers алd епаЫеэ the тigгаtiол of organisms and theircommunities, as well аэ the exchange of genetic data between them.

6. "Habltat" is the environment 01 зоте botanical ог animal individuals, oftheir populations ог communities.

7. "Landscape" is а рап of the territory (including marine and coasta!spaces), with special relief characteristics formed Ьу а fuпсtiолаl integrated complexof ecosystems, including as well elements of civiiization.

8. "Саее", according to this Law, is а hоl10w/suЫегrапеап эрасе тоге thanfive (5) m ,п length, created in пашга! сопошопз under the activity of factors ofinorganic origin.

9. "Vertica! саче" теапз а vertical subterranean зрасе that is deeper thanlive (5) т.

10. "Natural waterfalJ" means relief where water, under the activity of natureforces, without the interference of тап, falls into its own rlver bed from а height поless than оле (1) т.

11. "Сапуоп" means а deep mouth with perpendicular hill slopes created Ьу

physical- naturar processes ол base of which generally run superliclal waters.12. "Important element of the landscape" is а part of the landscape with

environmentaJ, geo-morphological ог aesthetic vaJues that hoJds а typical view of thelandscape ог helps in its ecoJogical sustainabillty.

1З. "Buffer агеа" is the 1imited space, [Iocated] in the outskirts of the pгotected

агеа that serves for the prevention ог bumper of harmful ecological impacts ,п theenvirons and impoгtant efements of а protected агеа.

14. "Ecosystem" is а unit that consists of interaction of organisms with theirenviгonment.

15. "Protected агеа administration" is the state organ charged for theprotection and administration of а certain protected area.

16. "Environmental permit" is ап official document that is issued Ьу theenvironmental authority for sociaJ and economic activity which impact or тау impactthe envJronment as рег the requirements provided for ,п the legislation for theenvironment.

140

17. "Representative network of protected агеаэ" consists in the system ofprotected areas in the RepubIic of Albania and within jt ecosystems, habitats andmajor country representatjve landscapes аге selected.

18. "Ecological network" makes up the system of protected areas, known оп

the basis of their representative пеlwогk and connected with bio-corridors. Ecologicalnetworks сап Ье local, regional and inter-regional systems.

19. Wjth "favorite status о! protection of ап ecosystem, habit ог landscape" isimpHed the following:

а) Nalural extensions and surfaces within this ехрапэе аге sustainabIe and ingrowth;

Ь) The structure and special functions, which аге necessary for the long-termmaintenance, exist and тау continue to exist in the пеаг future;

с) Its own typical species owing а favorite protection status.

Article 4

Categories of Protected Areas

1. Important ог endangered parts of the territory shall Ье declared protectedareas, according to the following categories:

а) Strictly natural reserve/scientific reservation/ (Category 1);Ь) National Park (Category [1);с) National Мопитеп! (Category !II);9) Natural managed reservation/area of management of habitats and species

(Category IV);d) Protected Landscape (Category V);dh) Protected area of managed resources/protected ауеа with multi-purpose

utilization (Category VI).2. А buffer агеа тау Ье declared around а protected агеа.

З. For each category of protected areas shall Ье applied а certain level ofprotection.

Article 5

Strictly Natural Reserve

1. Territories по less than 50 hectares with special natural values, tormed Ьу

natural ог easily changeabIe ecosystems, which represent bio-centers and Ыо­

corridors 01 а national and regional importance, shall Ье declared strictly naturalreserve.

2. Within the strictly natural reserve is applied the first level of protection'Nhere shall Ье prohibIted:

а) Cutting of trees and bushesЬ) Utiliza1ion of chemicals and chemical fertilizers;с) Construction of апу kind;<;:) Mining of minerals and peat;d) Hunting and fishing;dh) Light of fjres;е) Grazing, domestic animais' passage and construction of objects for their

141

shelter;ё) EstabIishment 01 recreational, amusement and sports complexes;f) Passage through paths except of the landlord ог the person that uses the

land;g) Circulation with vehicles 01 апу kind with the exception 01 the vehicle 01

protection 01 reservation administration and the fire brigade;gj) Sailing [п boats, сапое апd other means of saiНng;h) Intensive reproduction 01 huпtiпg animals.3. Buffer агеа о! strictly natural reservation тау Ье declared the territ0rY

surrounding the reservation, 100 m width тгогп the reservation border.4. Апу other activity to Ье performed in the reservation ог in its buffer zone shallapply lог environmental permit.

Article 6

National Park

1. Wide territories по less than 1000 hectares, having unique national andintemational vaJues, а major paгt о! which аге лаturаl ecosystems, liШе affected Ьу

human activity, where рlалts, animals and лаturаl physical environment аге о! а

specia! educational and sсiелtiliс importance shall Ье declared national park.2. Within the паtiолаl park is applied the second level of protection where

sha!l Ье prohiblted:а) Land изе with iлtепsivе tесhлоJоgу, wilh mеалs and mаплегs that cause

fundamental changes in blodiversity, structure and functions 01 ecosystems ог thatdamage irreversibIy Ihe land surface;

Ь) Neulralizalion 01 wastes of ап огigiл outside the territory 01 Ihe nationalpark;

с) D[ssеmiлаliоп of пол-соuлtгу animaJs and plants iл case when they Ьгiлg

changes in the агеа biodiversily;9) Intensive reproduction 01 hunting animals with exception of savin!1

reproduction;d) Construclion 01 roads, motor-ways, railways, шЬап areas, йпез of high

voltage and long distance systems о! diesel and gas;dh) Washing and sргiпkliлg 01 roads with chemicals;е) Planting оп lorests with only опе kiлd 01 trees;ё) Light of fires outside the perimeter of аssigлеd places;f) Girculation of mеалs о! transpoгt out of the roads;g) Hunting wilh poisoned food;gj) Mining 01 minerals, stones, peat, wilh exceplion of gravel and sand for the

maintenance 01the park;h) Massive sports and touгism activily oulside the defined places;i) Organization of rallies with automobiles and molorbikes.3. Within this агеа shaH Ье performed only ироп receipt of environmental

permil, activities that aim at:а} The change of natural state 01 water reservations, sources, lakes and

wеtlалds systems;Ь) EstabIishment and fuлсliопiпg о! planls lor miJitary and prolection

purposes;

142

с) Scientific, research and monitoring pгograms;

9) Scientilic, research, archeoJogical, paleontologicaJ activities and to саггу

such discoveries. -d) Utilization and temporary storage 01 agricultuгal chemicals; "dh) Апу other activity that is по! prohibited explicitJyЬу the paragraph 2 01 this

Article.4. The park protection administration тау approve:а) Grazing апd passage 01 domestic animals and estabIishment 01 huts ог

temporary settings юг their shelter;Ь) Рlасеmепt of data and adveгtisement boards, от signs and posters;с) Sailing in boats, сапое and other теапз 01sailing;9) Non-m ilitary Ilights with helicopters, balJoons, delta planes, etc;d) Circulation and рагkiпg 01 vehicles out 01 the roads and parking places;dh) Mountain climbing, skiing, camping and light of йге outside the delined

places;е) Planting of trees, IruiHrees, seeds and fungi.ё) Performance of activity 01 seasonal touгism structures which does not

ultimately occupy land.5. When the park protection adminislration notices that the ршрозе 01

declaring the park а national park has Ьееп infringed тау limit ог stop temporarily thecirculation 01 vehicles, hunting and fishing and апу other permitted activities.

6. ВиПег агеа 01 national park тау Ье decJared the territory surгоuпdiпg thepark, 50 m width погп the park border.

Article 7

Natural Monument

1. Natuгal юггпапоп (including pecuJiar trees) 01 а suгlace up to 50 hectares,paгticular geological and geo-morphological топпайоп, а mineral deposit ог а гаге

and endangered species ог 01 а special, scientific, aesthetic value and importanceshall Ье declared natural monument.

2. Within а natura! monument shall Ье applied the lirst level of pгotection.

З. 'П compliance with the level 01 protection 01 the агеа the Minister 01Environment in со-орегайоп with the Minister 01 Terriloгy Adjustment and Tourismand the Minister 01 Local Government and DecentraJization, 'Shall approve separaterules юг the passage 01 vIsitors (touгists) effective 10г а short period 01 time.

Article 8

Caves as Natural Monument

1. Caves shall Ье declared natuгal monuments.2. Entering into caves, exploration and study of caves shall Ье made with

permit from the Mlnistry 01 Environment which is granted оп the proposal 01 therespective 'осаl authorities to specialized scientific institutions and non-lor profitorganizations, in compliance with their recommendations.

З. The discovery 01 new caves and the results 01 Iheir exploration shall Ье

notified in detailed герогtз to the Ministry 01. Environment. The Ministry [01

143

Envlronment] delivers а сору of the героп to the Academy of Sciences, universitiesinteres1ed поп-тог рroШ organizations and to the respective юса! authorities. Th~explorers shall Ье acknowledged апс provided to the right of exploration authorship.

4. Caves тау Ье visited, uШizеd for curative and tourism ршрозез only аНег

Ьееп adapted for such activities оп authorization and under supervision of regionalenvironmental agencies and relevant tourism structures of lhe [оса] government;State ог private subjects provided with environmental permit тау perform preparationand utilization of the caves. The Соипсil 01 Ministers shall determine rules, criteriaand procedures, the rights and obIigations for giving in use of caves. Exploration,authorized entry and апу utilization of caves shall provide their protection апо

neatness, conservation of micro climate, water regime, ecosystems, geological andgeo-morphological features, of archeological and paleontological discoveries and ofthe creatures.

5. For caves, сапуопз and walerfalls shall Ье applied lhe firsl level ofprotection.

6. Caves, canyons and natural waterfalls аге по! encircled with buffer areas.

Article 9

Managed Natural Reservation(Агеа of management of habitats and species)

1. Territories that represent bio-centers and bio-corridors of local ог regiona!importance or агеаз with plants, animals, minerals and paleontological discoveries, inparticular protected ог areas that аге utilized for study, educational and culturalpurposes shall Ье declared natural managed reservation (агеа 01 management 01habitals and species)

2. Within the агеа of management 01 habitat and species is applied the thirdlevel 01 protection:

а) Change 01 natural state of water reservations, resources, lakes andwetfands systems;

Ь) Chemicals storage;с) Circulation and parking of vehicles out 01the roads and parking places;9) Collection 01plants, minerals, paleontological discoveries and stones;d) EstabIishment and functioning 01 plants тог military and protection

purposes;dh) Placement 01 data and advertisement boards, signs and posters with

exception 01 those that indicate the objective of reservation protection;е) Mountain climbing, skiing, camping and light 01 fire outside the defined

places.З. Activities set forth in paragraph 2 of Article 5 of this Law and апу other

activity, which is not prohibited Ьу this Article, shall Ье performed upon receipt ofenvironmental permit.

4. ВиНег агеа of management 01 habitats and species тау Ье declared theterritory surrounding the агеа 01 management of habltats and species, 50 m width1гот the агеа border.

5. As 1ог the tourism utШzаtiоп 01 natural formations of this reservation, theMinister of Environment and the Minister 01Territory Adjustment and lourism as wellаз the Minister of Local Government and Decentralization shall арргоуе sustainabIe

144

and controllabIe rules for passage of visitors (tourists) only 10Г limited period 01 timeobserving protection measures 01 third level.

Aгticle 10

Protected Landscape

1. Territories larger than 1000 ha, 01 а harmonious and we!l-formedlandscape of а developed characteristic relief, of а variety of ecosystems, mагiпе ог

ground, of historical monuments shall Ье declared protected monument.2. Within а protected landscape is applied the fourth level of protection where

shall Ье prohibited:а) Planting of forest with only опе kind of trees;Ь) Neutralization of waste and light of fires outside the perimeter of assignedplaces; с) Dissemination of animals and non-county originated plants;у) Hunting with poisoned 100d;d) Construction of motorways, sailing сапа'в and игЬап areas;dh) Circulation with vehicles out о! roads. This rule shall Ье not аррйес for

state vehicles and agricultural and forestry machinery, йге brigade vehic!es,ambulances, water management and veterinary services machinery;

е) Organization of rallies with vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles.3. Activities that change the utНizаtiоп о! territory, constructions, use о!

chemicals and pesticides, treatment of sewage waters in farms for агеаз !arger than2 hectares and апу other activity which is not prohibited expficitly Ьу paragraph 2 о!

this Article shall Ье peгformed only upon receipt of епviгопmепtаl permit and Ьееп

approved Ьу the Territory Adjustment Council 01 the RepubIic of Albania.

Article 11

Protected Area 01 Managed Resources

1. Агеаз which include wide, re!atively remote and uninhabited territoriesdifficult {о ассезз ог regions which аге stillless inhabited and Ьееп under continuousргеззuге to Ье populated and utilized widely and where their папэтоппайоп forintensive use is unc(ear ог inadequate shall Ье declared protected агеаз о! managedresources.

Limited access to these агеаз means that these агеаз normally will requirecontrol, which will Ье dependant of pressures to access and utllize the агеа.

2. This category тау Ье used even for those protected агеаз Ьу legislationbutnot Ьееп used yet for апу reason.

3. Within а protected агеа 01 managed гезошсез shall Ье appJied the 10urthlevel ог protection.

Article 12

Forests, Waters and other Natural Properties within Protected Areas

1. Forests [Iocated] in protected areas shall Ье excluded from classification аз

10rests for utilization.

145

2. Management of forest and forest property, of waters and water property, авwell as other properties in state ownership located inside а protected агеа shall Ьеperformed Ьу the administration of агеа protection. The administration such activitiesshal1 exercise directly ог through ап autnorized subject.

З. Wnere these properties аге in private ownership they shall Ье managedапс utilized Ьу the owner and legal user provided that this management is incompliance with агеа гпапапегпегв plan approved Ьу the Ministry of Environment.

4. Provisions for interventions against bugs and diseases that саиэе

damages in forests ог water of рготестес areas shaJl Ье applied only with approval ofadministration of the respective агеа and in the level determined Ьу it.

Article 13

Declaration Md Management 01 Protected Areas

1. Declaration of а protected агеа and of its ЬиНег агеа эпаll Ье made ау

decision of the Council of Ministers оп the proposal of the Minister of Environmentироп receipt of орипоп from юса! government organs, specialized institutions, поп­

for рroШ organizations and from private owners in case their estate аге included inthe protected агеа.

2. Council of Ministers approves the procedures for proposal and declarationof buffer and protected areas. The Ministry of Environment shall ргераге them [theprocedures] in reliance with criteria of blodiversity convention, re1evant guidelines ofЕшореап Union and national environmental plans and strategies.

З. Апу natural ог juridical регэоп shall have the right to ask for the Ministrythat his own private territory ог рап of own natural objects to Ье declared ог includedin опе of the categories of protected агеаэ.

Article 14

Declaration of Protected Areas

1. Тпв proposal to declare а protected агеа а! least shall include thefollowing:

а) Justification тог the estabIishment of а protected агеа, how it supportsobjectives of administration plan of representative network of protected агеаэ,

advantages and disadvantages of а protected агеа estabIishment and proposedcategory of protection; .

Ь) The results of consultation process with civil society stakeholders, inparticular the approval Ьу the local municipality within and around the proposed агеа

includil1g received comments and retlection into the proposal;с) А physical observation of the proposed place;9) Ап environmental impact assessment including activity processes and

categories, which сап threaten the biodiversity and other features of proposedlocat\on jncluding the surrounding areas;

d) Аl1 observation of the social and economic impact оп 'осаl population that.includes the utilization of proposed агеа and the potential impact of protected агеа inthis utilizatiol1;

dh) А description 01 compensative measures that might deem necessary (о

146

Ье taken 'п order to address the transfer of propeгty and the rights of usage ofbiodiversityelements.

2. State organs shall take temporary measures for protection andadministration case Ьу case.

Article 15

Management Plans of Protected Area

1. The Ministгy of Епviгопmепt, other state organs апd local gоvегпmепt ог iп

соllаЬогаtiоп with third paгties shall ргераге mапаgеmепt plans for each protectedагеа.

2. AII management рJапs of protected areas, which аге not prepared Ьу theMinistry of Епviгопmепt, shall Ье endorsed Ьу this Ministгy iп order to assureconlormity with objectives of this law ог of other related lal,l/s.

3. Management рlапs of protected агеа will Ье incorporated in governmentalpolicies, рlапs and programs related to it as well as 'п the national, геglопаl ог localdecision-making.

4. Мапаgеmепt plans 01 protected area will iпсludе at least the fоllоwlпg:

а) Objectlves of management of protected area;Ь) Mechanisms апd diгесtiоп authority either of 1heMinistry 01 Environment ог

of the other state огgапs ог of other organizations ог natural and juгldical persons;с) Processes and categories о' activities which threaten or аге menacing to

the protected агеа and its suгrounding areas inclusive;у) Regulatory ог administrative measures necessary to avoid ог lessen the

identilied threats;d) Permitted activities within the protected агеа;

dh) The righ1 [adequate] activities for surrounding areas including bufferareas and beyond;

е) Сопditiопs тог control of tourism and other services;ё) Data оп [оппег ownership 01 the ground and rights to use biodiversity

elements withiп it Including traditionallifestyle of population or local communlty;{) Conditions to develop traditional lifestyle actlvities, 01 the агеа ог 01 the

biodiversity elements wlthin it provided that they do not oppose [contradict] withobjectives of administration of protected агеа;

g) Conditions to share profits from estabIishment and administration о'

pгotected агеа, 'п paгtlcular with local communities and populations;gj) Conditions 10г scientiflc research, inventory and monitoring;h) Financial resources those pгofitabIe inclusive;i) Апу other special conditions for the mentioned агеа.

5. Management plans of protected areas will Ье revised and elaboratedperiodically in compliance with time needs.

Article 16

Duties of Ministry of Environment for Declaration of Protected Areas

1. The Ministry 01 Епviгопmепt shall:а) Formulate and pubIish plans of areas which will Ье declared protected after

147

receipt of opinlon of local government organs;Ь) Give pubIic notice for the approved protected агеаз, natural monuments,

protected trees, specially protected species oi plants and animals, mining andpaleontological piscoveries determining in details conditions for their protection;

с) Авргомев and аппоипсез plans for management of protected агеаз аз wellаз programs tor protection of particularly endangered species of plants and animals,for water воцгсев and artificial and naturallakes in these агеаз.

2. Plans о. managements and programs of protection shall Ье formulated incollaboration with managing institutions and owners of objects located in protectedагеаз.

З. Owners and изегз of land which will Ье declared а protected агеа аз wellаз апу individual ог authority having interest in the агеа shall have the right ofobjection the objective to declare [that агеа] а protected агеа. Objections shall Ьеsubmitted in writing to the Ministry of Environment within thirty (3О) days from thedate of objective announcement.

4. The Ministry of Environment shall review objection5 in а month and паШу

interested [parties] аЬои! the decjsion taken. Against the Ministry decision theinterested [parties] have the right of арреаl in the district court within 15 days.

5. From the notification of the plan about declaring а territory а protected агеа

until entry into force of the decision which declares that [territory] а protected агеа,

owners and изегз 01 land, forest5, pastures shall Ье prohibited to intervene ог

damage the state and natural values of the territory Ьееп proposed for protection.

Article 17

Implementation 01 Management Plan

1. Management plans and protection programs shall Ье implemented Ьу theadministration of агеа protection.

2. То follow ир implementation of management plans in protected areas shallЬе estabiished management committees. Composition, functions, duties andresponsibilities of these committees shall Ье determined Ьу decision of Council 01Ministers.

З. То impJement management plans institutions pubIic ог private, juridicalpersons 'осаl ог foreign, non-for рroШ environmental organizations тау Ье engagedapplying rules and procedures of competing and bidding.

Article 18

Ownership in Protected Areas

1. Protected areas shall Ье declared territories that аге pubIic, municipal,communal property and in 5pecial сазез private property.

2. Owning to 5pecial interest of nature and biodiversity protection incomposition of protected агеаз shall Ье included private lands, forests, pastures, etc,in эпу сазе with the сопзеп! of the owner.

. 3. Territories and private objects, included in protected агеаз shall remainprivate property. They shall Ье administered and used Ьу the owner ог Ьу the Jegaluser only according to requirements of management plan of the area, endorsed Ьу

148

the Ministry of Environment.4. Owners of the ргорепу of which is included within the territory of protected

агеа after entry in 10 force of this law shall have the right of administration and use oftheiTргорепу in accordance with requiremenls of management plan. In сазе ownersdisagTee they shall have the right of compensation in value or in taking алойтег landor тау se" their land to the state 'п conformity wilh legisla1ion 'п force.

5. Natural monuments Ьееп pubIic ргорепу are not transferred.

Article 19

Users of Protected Areas

1. Owners of the property of which is included within the territory of protectedarea аз well as users of this property participate in planning, protection and use ofnatural геэоцгсеэ 01 the area. They shall Ье obIiged to collaborate wilh administrationof the area and implement with exactness rules, management plans and programsdrafted for sustainabIe development of the агеа.

2. Activities and constructions in protected areas shall Ье performed оп!у inconformity with requirements of Ihis law, in compliance with managementplan and upon receipt of enviтonmental permit. Constructions completedor in progress contrari!y with this law shall Ье subject of Law по. 8405dated 17.9.1998 "Оп Urban Planning" and its amendments.

З. Social and eeonomic aclivities, projects that aim to Ье implemented in а

protected area shall Ье provided with environmental permit, uponsubmission of relevant study and the comp/ete report оп environmentalimpact assessment.

4. АН state, private апd tourism construction shall Ье made оп the basis ofstudies and general adjuBtment plans endorsed Ьу the Territory Аdjustmепt Соuпсil

01 the RepubIic of АIЬапiа.5, The аdmiпistгаtiоп of protected area, епviюпmепt inspectors, /оса/

government огgапs iп collaboration with the State Роliее and with Сопstгuеtiоп

Police shall halt implementatjon 01 projects апd activilies with impact оп епviгопmепt

апd that in contradiction of management plan of area.6. Juridical and паturаl регsопs, that perform permitted activities within the

territory of protected атеаэ aHer епtгу iп force of this law shail Ье obIiged to епtег intoа contract with managing iпstituliопs in order to exercise their activity, glviпg relevantрауmепt [to managing iпstitutiопs}.

Article 20

Monitoring of Protected Areas

1. Ministry of Епviгопmепt shall formulate objectives of monitoring ofprotected агеав, direct their organization and realization and elaborate and pubIjshmопitогiпg results. 2. In the implementation of mопitогiпg programs the Ministryshall engage public or private iпstitutiопs in complianee with rules and procedures 01Competing апd bidding. Subject Ьееп engaged in mопitогiпg shall submit to theМiпistгу the mопitогiпg results.

149

З. Subject that performs permitted activity in protected агеаэ shall Ье obIigedto monitor in accordance with requirements of агеа monitoring program and publish

the results [data] of this monitoring.

Article 21

Filing and Marking of Protected Areas

1. Ministry of Environment sha!! determine the таппег of marking protectedareas in the field and оп the тарв.

2. For marking of protected areas shall Ье used the етЫет of the RepubIicof Albania.

З. Ministry of Environment shall notify respective geodesic and mappingorgans about апу declaration, change ог removal of status of апу protected агеа,

4. Protected areas shall Ье filed in the central filing system of the Ministry ofEnvironment, which will Ье created using the data о! relevant state institutions andother specialized institutions.

5. Ministry of Environment shall formulate and endorse rules forestabIishment, functioning and use of central filing system.

6. The central filing system [э ореп to the pubIic and апу опе сап access itupon permit and in ргезепсв of ап authorized officer.

Article22

Removal and Change of the Status о! Protected Area and its buffer zone

1. The status о! protection of а protected агеа sha!l Ье taken away ог

changed, according to this /aw when circumstances and objective of giving suchstatus have changed.

2. Тле ending of status of а protec1ed агеа shalJ Ье made оп decision ofСоипсil of Ministers ироп co!!ection of opinions from specialized institutions, юса!

government organs, поп-тог profit organizations and from owners when their estatesаге part of а protected агеа.

з. Ending of status of а protected агеа shall end the existence of its ЬиНег

агеа, too.4. Рroроэаl for ending the status of а protected агеа snall inc!ude the

fо!!оwiГ\g:

а) Justltication for status ending;Ь) Environmental impact assessment that reflects Ihe impact оп the exislinQ

categorization of the protected агеа, biodiversity and local communities ог

populations;с) The description of Ьитрег measures;9) Results of processes of co-ordination and consultation with civil society

stakenoIders particular/y witn populations ог communities within and around theprotected агеа including comments and reflection оп the proposal.

150

Article 23

Protected дгеа Administration

1. State authority charged with administration 01 protected агеа

(administration 01 protected агеа) shall Ье estabIished Ьу decision of Council 01Ministers.

2. Composition, duties, responsibilities and functioning of administration ofапу category of protected агеа shall Ье approved Ьу the Council 01 Ministers.

3. With entry Into force 01 thls law the a/ready estabIished structures ofadministration of protected areas shall Ье gradually taken over Ьу institutionsdetermined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article.

4. Ministry of Environment upan approval Ьу the Council of Ministers тау

take over 'п administration-pratected агеаэ and under its authority the агеа

administration.

Article 24

The Right of Visit in Protected Areas

Апу опе shall have the right of visit in protected areas provided that he shallпопог legal rights of the owner ог user of the land, legal obligations deriving from thislaw, rules set Ьу the агеа protection administration and апу other laws, which setforth legal obIigation юг ргорепу protection.

Article 25

Activities in Protected Areas

1. Within protected агеаэ тау Ье performed economical, social, tourism,research and scientific, etc in accordance with requirements 01 this law.

2. Central government and 'осаl government organs shall promote andsupport initiatives, projects, programs and activ1ties aiming at improvement 01 naturalandecological indicators 01 а protected агеа ог positively impact оп these indicators.

3. Within protected areas activities тау Ье performed only upon priorprovision 01 environmental permit ог upon approval of агеа protection authority inсаееэ when this is ап explicit requirement 01 this law.

Article 26

Objectives of Representation Network of Protected Areas

General objectives of representative network shall Ье:а) {о preserve directions of present and future development of the country

through conservation and when песеээагу through restoration of ecosystems,habitats and representative landscapes as well аэ integration 01 their managementinto gоvеrnmепt po/icies, рlапs, programs and activities at national, regional andlocallevel;

Ь) То provide sustainabIe use 01 biodiversity elements through inclusian ofо

151

local communities in decision-mak'ng and апу other act'vilies rerated to protectedагеаз, inclus've of defin'ng and marking of агеаз, formulation of integratedmanagement plans and direction of protected агеаз.

Article 27

Development, Planning, Co-ordination and Direction of RepresentationNetwork

1. Ministry 01 Environment sha!! co-ordinate the estabIishment ofrepresentative network о! protected areas.

2. Planning, co-ordination and direction o1representative network shall Ье

specified 1п а management plan 01 the network which shall periodically Ье elaboratedand Ье in disposal 01 state organs and civil society.

3. Management Plan 01 representative network shall contain the following:а) Network objectives;Ь) Each protected агеа share of соппйшпоп iIl achieving objectives of

representative network and objectives of ec%gica/ network;с) Lack of coverage of all valuabIe areas from representative network;с) Action plan to implement and further develop the representative network.4. Budgets supportfng the estabIishment of representative network аз well аэ

those supporting protected areas shall Ье provided fгom state financial resources andfrom donors.

Article 28

General Provisions for Protected Areas

The estabIishment of protected areas shall Ье made in conformity withmanagement plan of гергеэептайуе network 01 protected агеаз and ecologicarnetwork management plan 01 the соцгпгу.

Article 29

Objectives 01 Ec%gical Network

Albanian ecological network shall Ье estabIished (о mаiпtаiп ог restore а

favorabIe protection status of есовувтегпэ, habitats апо !andscapes.

Article 30

Elements of Ecological Network

The folJowing forms ecological network:а) It5 own central агеа of wor.ld, regiona! and national importance for

protection of blodiversity, which include half-natural and natural habltats апdlandscapes. The centraf агеа includes efements of representative network 01protected area;

Ь) Corridors го improve the connection of central areas supporting movement

152

of species;Ь) Restoration and rehabilitation агеаз;

9) Buffer агеаз to support and protect ecological network form outer impactsand where within these агеаз shall Ье promoted ecological and sustainabIedevelopment.

Article 31

Development, Planning, Co-ordination and Direction of Ecological Network

1. Ministry 01 Environment shall co-ordinate the estabIis11ment of ecologicalnetwork.

2. Planning, co-ordination and direction of ecological network shall Ье

specified in а management рlап of the network which shall periodically Ье elaboratedand Ье in disposal of state organs and civil society.

3. Managemerit plan 01 the network de1ines:а) Network objectives;Ь) Contribution share of each element 01 network to achieve such objectives:с) Network deficiencies;9) Action plan to achieve objectives.4. Management plan of network shall Ье endorsed Ьу сеовюп 01 the СоипсН

of Ministers.5. Government policies, plans and programs аз well аэ decision-making at

national regional and locallevels shall аззиге the integrity of ecological network.

Article 32

Sanctions

1. Violatlons 01 ргомвюпв of this law, which does not constitute criminaloffense, shall constftute administrative согшасеппоп.

2. Types of contraventions and measures as well аз authority observingcontraventions апс decide оп relevant measures shall Ье determined Ьу decision ofthe Council of Ministers.

Article 33

By-Iaws

The Council of Мiпistегs and re/evant ministries аге геsропsiЫе to enact Ьу­

laws 'п аррliсаtiоп 01 this law.

Article 34

Abolitions

Articles 12,20 paragraph 2, 37 paragraph 2 and 41 of Law Nо.762З, dated13.10.1992 "Оп Forests апd Forestry Service Police", аз well аз Articles 8 letter "с",

153

1О and 13 of Law No.7875, dated 23.11.1994 "Оп Protection of Wild FаtJПа andHunting" аге repealed.

Article35

This law is effective 15 days after pubIication in the Official Jошпаl.

CHAIRMANServet РёllurnЫ

154