ReliefWeb

Accompanied by Interior Minister Lulzim Basha, PM Berisha inspected today the flooded area from the Adriatic Sea high tide in Ishull Shëngjin, Lezha region. PM Berisha assessed that although difficult the situation is being managed efficiently.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha got acquainted from very close with the progress of works for building of the dyke which is expected to normalize the situation and will protect this endangered area from sea level rise. The Prime Minister evaluated highly the devotion and the great job done for building the dyke in the quickest possible way by the construction firm workers and the army units engaged to normalize the situation.

"A new dyke is being built here. The Pacanis Co. and the army units have worked with great devotion and non-stop, just work so that to respond to the created situation as the sea has seriously threatened the area. The dam built, -look at the nearby houses- provides such an important protection. Naturally, this is a temporary dam as another bigger and final one will be built. A joint project is being drafted together with the international bodies so that all the consequences of the global warming and sea level rise get amortized. Thus, we shall not only protect, but we also shall try even to benefit land from the sea in the future. Sea rise has flooded the lagoon," said the Prime Minister.

Answering to whether man has a hand in the damage of the ecosystems, PM Berisha made the following comment:

"No information about this, but it is already confirmed in Tale. Naturally, the wave is a wave, but it's hard to believe that man is not involved. As a matter of fact it's the rarest it can happen, but naturally the wave was very powerful. That was the cause. However, other stands will be adopted in defense of all the seafront because it was the first serious warning. The wave was certainly extraordinarily powerful, but as you saw that it caused heavy damage. Generally speaking, this difficult situation is being efficiently managed. Police and army units, engineering units and others have been extraordinarily efficient. Drainage boards have also joined. Two pumping stations are available and they have generally been in operation. The situation needs constant monitoring time and again although there is a certain status quo, but the truth is that the mountain streams are extraordinarily a concern in foul weather as they happen to be completely unforeseen. No one can imagine what happens with a stream which during summer time dries, but turns into a raging river which floods whole areas. Hence, during this period and winter we shall stay on alert so that to alleviate the created situation. Yesterday I heard on TV: good news for the government and bad news for the people. The good news is that it is snowing and the water discharges are falling and the bad news for the local residents of the North is that they are snowed in. So, it sounds as if these flooded people must have been turkeys and not men."