Golem Camp of Volunteers, a new initiative to change the image of the coast

The Prime Minister made ​​this appeal at the opening ceremony of the first Camp of Volunteers in the public beach of Golem, in the city of Durres. The camp is an innovation within the new program on “the preparation and good progress of the tourist season,” – the Prime Minister said, stressing that this effort must attend all vacationers who have to treat environment as “their home.”

Auron Tare, Director of the Coastal National Agency, said that the Golem camp of volunteers will be followed by other 9 camps that will stretch across the coastline of the country to serve vacationers and enhance progress of the tourist season. The camps will function as interplay of several executive agencies with civil society, under the direction of the NCA.

“With the attendance of the Prime Minister we will open the volunteers camps, which are planned as a collaboration between the Armed Forces, volunteers, and other members of civil society who want to be part of this action, not only to clean the beaches but also to ensure a successful tourist season, “- Tare said.

The NCA Director announced also the organization of the Sea Film Festival and other entertaining activities for vacationers. Apart from the volunteers, these camps will be served also by a nursery and local structures of the Construction Inspectorate, the National Food Authority and environment ones.

The Prime Minister added that the change will be difficult if citizens are not made aware that they must give their contribution for cleaner beaches. The Prime Minister noted that it is really painful to see that often impressions of foreign visitors and journalists on Albanian beaches are embarrassing to us all. “A magical country where people just soil; wonderful beaches where there is garbage everywhere you look. This must change!” – Prime Minister said with determination.

While pointing out existing problems with the sewage system and the infrastructure, the Prime Minister announced that some very important interventions will start this year in terms of infrastructure concerning the road of Durres beach. Since all of these take time, the Prime Minister continued, “we are here to make an appeal to anyone who spends their time at the beach, either to vacationers or to entrepreneurs and commercial premises, to have an exemplary cleanliness.”

“This is a new program that we are implementing for the first time with the intent to end a very embarrassing tradition that has always put us all as society and as country in a terrible position. We do not want anymore that foreign visitors look at our beaches as dirty, because people throw garbage in the sand and do not care for the environment.

Throughout the first six months of the year the Armed Forces have done a colossal work to clean historical remains.

Now we have come to the stage where we need to get rid of daily waste. And we should do this together and insist that all vacationers little by little be part of this, by taking waste to collection points and not throw it on the beach. This would be a historic victory for a society that expects much more than that from tourism and for a country that seeks to be a well-renowned tourist site. The first obstacle we are facing is garbage and our poor environmental culture. But this can be changed, if we think the same as at home. None of us throw garbage in the middle of the house. Then, why do we do that in our beaches? Everyone must give their contribution and we must help anyone realize that this can no longer continue. This is the major work that these groups will perform in addition to cleaning every square meter.” Prime Minister Rama said during the meeting with volunteers in Golem.

Prime Minister Rama visited a private beach in Golem, the first to have Coast guard towers, a beach library and areas designated for swimming. The Prime Minister praised this beach as a model for the standards our beaches must offer.

The opening ceremony of the first Camp of volunteers in Golem was attended also by local representatives, the Mayor of Durres, Golem and Rrashbull, Vangjush Dako who considered this initiative as a very positive signal towards change.

 “This year’s spirit of cooperation is a good omen to start the turnaround of tourism in our city. Your work, not only to raise awareness, but to deliver tangible results, will help us have a really clean beach, “- ended Dako.