The problems of environmental pollution are great all over the country. But in such cases when there are incidences for discharges beyond the norms allowed in the environmental permit of various operators, the institutions must carry out the on-site inspection. This is the only act to be taken when such a situation is referred to for any operator.

Environmental activists continue to emphasize that the cause of the problem of air pollution in Elbasan, remains the company Alb-Chrome.

The denunciation of the environmental activist, Ahmet Mehmeti of the Elbasan Ecological Club, made on MCN TV, refers to an air pollution from dust about 7 times higher than the norm. The cause of this situation is the lack of filters and non-compliance by the company with the conditions of environmental permits for air pollution.

Meanwhile Prof. Dr. Mihallaq Qirjo, director of the Environmental Resource Center, told MCN TV that the shadows of suspicion for self-declaration of discharges by operators are strengthened by the lack of on-site inspection.

The State of the Environment Report 2020 presents the pollution in Elbasan at levels below the allowed norm, where in only 23 days the pollution is greater than the norm. The measurements referred to in this report belong to the city center (the measuring station is in front of the Elbasan district building). No other measurements are referred to.

The report is a newly released document. The fact that there was no inspection referred by the Environmental Inspectorate shows that there is a lack of data on the pollution situation in Elbasan. It is not fair that for weak points like Elbasan, not to be given priority in terms of air pollution.

The law that applies in Albania is based on the self-declaration of discharges. There may be room for abuse, but we must also have the logic that a serious business can not manipulate data because the cost up to its closure and prosecution can be very high.

In a European country no one could have imagined that data could be manipulated. If he has happened to manipulate the data and has not been inspected, this paves the way for abuses.

At the National Environmental Agency, we have the register where the largest discharge contributors report their discharges.

Air pollution constitutes an environmental crime provided by the criminal code, article 201, amended by law no. 44.

The interview of Prof. Dr. Mihallaq Qirjo for MCN TV.