That beach that Tirana want to delete.
Catherine Amick
article published by "Il Manifesto"
A corner of paradise. So beautiful as to deserve the nickname "Queen of Albania." And 'the bay of Vlora, on the southeast coast of the Adriatic, a natural habitat for many species of fish and coral. Too bad that in 2004, Tirana has decided to cancel this natural attraction to make way for a mega industrial park of 120 million euro. A flow of cement and steel will clear a pine forest declared National Park a stone's throw from the beach and lagoon Narta, in theory protected the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. What has been emphatically called the biggest investment in Albania's history involves the construction of an industrial park consisting of seven plants including a terminal for the storage and transmission of oil, a refinery and a power plant for conversion conversion gas. World Bank, European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have now expressed interest in financing the project, regardless of environmental impact. Luck had it that in 2005 the Albanian civil society has set up a coalition, the Alliance for the protection of the Gulf of Vlora, to say no to yet another mess of a piece of the Mediterranean coast. First, activists have used against the government, accused of violating the Aarhus Convention on access to environmental information. Appeal won last March. The ad hoc international committee created under the Treaty of Albania felt guilty for not having adequately informed local people about the possible consequences of the project, so as to avoid, therefore, that take place in a shared decision-making processes. Over the last two years, the coalition has also tried several times with un'interlocuzione multiletarali international agencies willing to fund the project. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has chosen infischiarsene the demands of civil society and has already paid the first tranche of $ 37 million. The more collaborative the World Bank, through its independent investigation is taking steps to ascertain whether or not in Vlora will violate environmental and social standards governing the work of the institution until a few months ago led by Paul Wolfowitz and if the environmental impact assessment on which it based its approval of the disbursement of $ 25 million provided by the Bank was made according to the construction canoni.Per now languish, waiting for it to unblock all the funds. But once again not put our hands are stati gli albanesi, protagonisti di una serie di azioni contro la devastazione della loro bellissima baia. Tra campeggi dimostrativi sulla spiaggia di Vlora e manifestazioni di piazza (l'ultima si è tenuta il 9 settembre), la comunità locale sta facendo di tutto per vendere cara la pelle e salvare la sua principale attrattiva naturale. «Siamo pronti alla disobbedienza civile - ha promesso Aleksander Mita, dell'Alleanza -Se il progetto sarà realizzato la spiaggia verrà cancellata, si assisterà all'abbattimento di 30mila pini, importanti siti storici ed archeologici subiranno danni irreparabili e le abbondanti riserve di pesce rischieranno di sparire per sempre». La lotta continua, in attesa che la Banca europea per gli investimenti o the World Bank will strike, withdrawing their funding.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Car Sounds Bad In Stereo
Bank in DRC: development or economic interests?
Luca Manes
article published online by Nigrizia
A Tenke Mining is a huge project for the extraction of copper and cobalt should support the economy of the DRC, according to the European Investment Bank. CRBM complaint: in addition to the environmental impact, the contract is only the interests of Europeans. According to the
Bank European Investment Bank (EIB) is an ideal project to reduce the endemic poverty that afflicts many years the Democratic Republic of Congo. The local government and NGOs in particular - including Italian CRBM - that form the monitoring campaign dell’operato della stessa BEI invece non sono della stessa opinione. Insomma, il Tenke Fungurume Mining Project sta scatenando una serie di controversie che non sembrano destinate a risolversi nello spazio di poco tempo.
Questa volta il nodo della questione non sono solo gli impatti socio-ambientali, che pure sono presenti e di considerevole entità, visto che il progetto comporta la creazione di una gigantesca miniera a cielo aperto da cui dovrebbero essere estratte 115mila tonnellate di rame e 8mila di cobalto.
A lasciare molte perplessità sono soprattutto le modalità contrattuali. Lo scorso maggio l’esecutivo congolese ha annunciato la sua intenzione di rivedere i contratti minerari siglati durante gli ultimi dieci anni, un periodo caratterizzato prima dalla sanguinosa guerra civile che ha mietuto centinaia di migliaia di vittime e poi dall’insediamento di un governo di transizione, rimasto in carica fino alle recenti elezioni. Vari audit della Banca mondiale, diversi studi indipendenti e un rapporto del parlamento congolese hanno messo in discussione la legittimità e correttezza dei contratti, che sono in tutto una sessantina (quello di Tenke è uno dei più importanti).
La Banca Mondiale ha espresso forti dubbi sulle modalità di acquisizione e sui termini del contratto di Tenke, dal momento che, come negli altri accordi, ci sarebbe una pressoché totale mancanza di trasparenza, un conflitto di interessi non dichiarato, payments at least suspect and the introduction of contractual terms that are highly disadvantageous for the Congolese government.
no coincidence that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the export credit agency of the United States, has decided to delay its decision on the financing of Tenke so that we can improve our knowledge on the issue.
The Bank, however, pulls straight on his way. Has already approved a loan of EUR 100 million and does not intend to give too much heed to the concerns raised by international NGOs, which have questioned the real purpose of the project.
"Having decided sul sostegno al progetto prima del completamento del processo di revisione instaurato dall’esecutivo congolese ci sembra un gesto in contrasto con iniziative basate sulla trasparenza e sul buon governo come quella attualmente in atto su Tenke” ha dichiarato Caterina Amicucci della CRBM. “Un brutto segnale, per di più lanciato dalla banca di sviluppo dell’Unione europea” ha aggiunto l’Amicucci.
Nei prossimi mesi vedremo se la troppa fiducia della BEI sarà smentita dai fatti.
Luca Manes
article published online by Nigrizia
A Tenke Mining is a huge project for the extraction of copper and cobalt should support the economy of the DRC, according to the European Investment Bank. CRBM complaint: in addition to the environmental impact, the contract is only the interests of Europeans. According to the
Bank European Investment Bank (EIB) is an ideal project to reduce the endemic poverty that afflicts many years the Democratic Republic of Congo. The local government and NGOs in particular - including Italian CRBM - that form the monitoring campaign dell’operato della stessa BEI invece non sono della stessa opinione. Insomma, il Tenke Fungurume Mining Project sta scatenando una serie di controversie che non sembrano destinate a risolversi nello spazio di poco tempo.
Questa volta il nodo della questione non sono solo gli impatti socio-ambientali, che pure sono presenti e di considerevole entità, visto che il progetto comporta la creazione di una gigantesca miniera a cielo aperto da cui dovrebbero essere estratte 115mila tonnellate di rame e 8mila di cobalto.
A lasciare molte perplessità sono soprattutto le modalità contrattuali. Lo scorso maggio l’esecutivo congolese ha annunciato la sua intenzione di rivedere i contratti minerari siglati durante gli ultimi dieci anni, un periodo caratterizzato prima dalla sanguinosa guerra civile che ha mietuto centinaia di migliaia di vittime e poi dall’insediamento di un governo di transizione, rimasto in carica fino alle recenti elezioni. Vari audit della Banca mondiale, diversi studi indipendenti e un rapporto del parlamento congolese hanno messo in discussione la legittimità e correttezza dei contratti, che sono in tutto una sessantina (quello di Tenke è uno dei più importanti).
La Banca Mondiale ha espresso forti dubbi sulle modalità di acquisizione e sui termini del contratto di Tenke, dal momento che, come negli altri accordi, ci sarebbe una pressoché totale mancanza di trasparenza, un conflitto di interessi non dichiarato, payments at least suspect and the introduction of contractual terms that are highly disadvantageous for the Congolese government.
no coincidence that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the export credit agency of the United States, has decided to delay its decision on the financing of Tenke so that we can improve our knowledge on the issue.
The Bank, however, pulls straight on his way. Has already approved a loan of EUR 100 million and does not intend to give too much heed to the concerns raised by international NGOs, which have questioned the real purpose of the project.
"Having decided sul sostegno al progetto prima del completamento del processo di revisione instaurato dall’esecutivo congolese ci sembra un gesto in contrasto con iniziative basate sulla trasparenza e sul buon governo come quella attualmente in atto su Tenke” ha dichiarato Caterina Amicucci della CRBM. “Un brutto segnale, per di più lanciato dalla banca di sviluppo dell’Unione europea” ha aggiunto l’Amicucci.
Nei prossimi mesi vedremo se la troppa fiducia della BEI sarà smentita dai fatti.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Home Remedies For Neck Pain
entrain. Send a letter to Astaldi
Nelle prossime settimane la costa Atlantica dell'Honduras tornerà protagonista del reality show "L'Isola dei famosi". Tra i concorrenti quest'anno c'è also Astaldi.La second Italian construction company, in fact, has just signed with the Government of the Central OUNTRY P a contract to begin work on the tourist mega-project "Los Micos Beach & resort center" along the Caribbean coast of Bahia de Tela.Un project strongly opposed by local people, the Garifuna people, which will have a devastating impact on the territory, both in the environmental, social and economico.Secondo Astaldi, we spoke by phone, the tourist project will bring "development, wealth and employment "in the region. The company has also invited us, henceforth, to address our concerns and complaints directly to the customer (the Government Honduras), leaving in peace Astaldi. For this reason, we ask you to help make you feel Astaldi its complicity with a project that is economically, socially and environmentally insostenibile.Inviate letter to Alessandra Onorati, Head of Communications and Investor Relations Astaldi a.onorati @ astaldi.com and Mario Iván Casco, Columbus Astaldi in Honduras, secretaria@astaldi.hn , putting a copy honduras@puchica.org
For more information and to download the text of the letter click here .
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5-BvLSUSeOC_HmY803uV3ACbg1BJfM9aWXtjsLnPRw2ikJrtnm9zMidpj4G1eAPY1a87OhEvWZCP8ACS_rvG4M2HgQw7QhQI0stIRoLRRhoEIxeQi98ur7HRxqmKJe89BBxlKlTBRXop/s320/AStaldi+spa1.jpg)
Nelle prossime settimane la costa Atlantica dell'Honduras tornerà protagonista del reality show "L'Isola dei famosi". Tra i concorrenti quest'anno c'è also Astaldi.La second Italian construction company, in fact, has just signed with the Government of the Central OUNTRY P a contract to begin work on the tourist mega-project "Los Micos Beach & resort center" along the Caribbean coast of Bahia de Tela.Un project strongly opposed by local people, the Garifuna people, which will have a devastating impact on the territory, both in the environmental, social and economico.Secondo Astaldi, we spoke by phone, the tourist project will bring "development, wealth and employment "in the region. The company has also invited us, henceforth, to address our concerns and complaints directly to the customer (the Government Honduras), leaving in peace Astaldi. For this reason, we ask you to help make you feel Astaldi its complicity with a project that is economically, socially and environmentally insostenibile.Inviate letter to Alessandra Onorati, Head of Communications and Investor Relations Astaldi a.onorati @ astaldi.com and Mario Iván Casco, Columbus Astaldi in Honduras, secretaria@astaldi.hn , putting a copy honduras@puchica.org
For more information and to download the text of the letter click here .
Monday, September 3, 2007
Salvation Bracelet Scripture
Vlora sentenced to death
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwVJeLyHo52D0rcHrINfF4J8-mfQxpF1iWr4IgSNdUaPUeKkH1yb-H2U29sxDgkEJ0j9kKZ7QWVQRSKjVNjs4c2k0z3XXD0YF-LSCZGj_GWl_KQCxcQcmXcCLdtKQsDdlJ0w5XCbU3rLb/s320/vlora7.jpg)
Vlora, known as one of the most beautiful bays in the south-eastern Adriatic and renamed "the Queen of Albania" has been sentenced to death. In 2004, the Albanian government has approved the largest investment in history: an industrial park of 560 acres to be built near the beach, on a pine forest and national park near the lagoon Narta, also protected under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands.
The EIB, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and World Bank have offered to finance the project despite the devastating impact that it acts on a single site, such as the Bay of Vlora. The project includes seven facilities for the storage and transmission of oil, a refinery, a thermoelectric power plant for the conversion of the gas conversion. The construction of terminal storage of hydrocarbons was naturally entrusted to an Italian company "The Italian-Romanian oil", rather with an agreement beneficial to businessmen close to the Italian environment Arcore, which provides an exclusive dealership for 30 years with right of renewal for an investment of 12 million.
In 2005, associations and citizens have joined together to form the Alliance for Protection of Vlora Bay "and have quoted the Albanian government for violating Aharus Convention (Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation Decision-making Access to Justice in Environmental Matters).
Following a long investigation and articulate, March 23, 2007, the Commission appeals the Aarhus Convention has declared the Albanian government responsible for not acting in accordance with the principles of the Convention. During these two years the NGO coalition has tried to converse with the EBRD and the World Bank asking to freeze their lending until the Committee had not completed the investigative work. The dialogue with the two institutions has not led to anything and the EBRD has provided to deliver a first tranche of funding.
On April 30, 2007, the Alliance has submitted a request for assistance from the World Bank's inspection teams. Dell'elegibilità After examining the appeal, the request was granted July 18, 2007.
This October, an international delegation of activists will travel to Vlora
to give visibility to each other and to support organizations that Albanians are fighting to save the bay.
The EIB, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and World Bank have offered to finance the project despite the devastating impact that it acts on a single site, such as the Bay of Vlora. The project includes seven facilities for the storage and transmission of oil, a refinery, a thermoelectric power plant for the conversion of the gas conversion. The construction of terminal storage of hydrocarbons was naturally entrusted to an Italian company "The Italian-Romanian oil", rather with an agreement beneficial to businessmen close to the Italian environment Arcore, which provides an exclusive dealership for 30 years with right of renewal for an investment of 12 million.
In 2005, associations and citizens have joined together to form the Alliance for Protection of Vlora Bay "and have quoted the Albanian government for violating Aharus Convention (Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation Decision-making Access to Justice in Environmental Matters).
Following a long investigation and articulate, March 23, 2007, the Commission appeals the Aarhus Convention has declared the Albanian government responsible for not acting in accordance with the principles of the Convention. During these two years the NGO coalition has tried to converse with the EBRD and the World Bank asking to freeze their lending until the Committee had not completed the investigative work. The dialogue with the two institutions has not led to anything and the EBRD has provided to deliver a first tranche of funding.
On April 30, 2007, the Alliance has submitted a request for assistance from the World Bank's inspection teams. Dell'elegibilità After examining the appeal, the request was granted July 18, 2007.
This October, an international delegation of activists will travel to Vlora
to give visibility to each other and to support organizations that Albanians are fighting to save the bay.
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