Albnet-Eiti organized on February 5, 2020, a workshop with local government representatives, community members, teachers and students as well as civil society representatives of Ura Vajgurore, Poshnjë, Ciflig etc. The aim of the workshop was training on the implementation of EITI standards by extractive industry which is operating in this municipality as well as strengthening of the capacity and enlargement of the civil society coalition.
During the meeting, the Head of Albnet-Eiti, Anila Hajnaj said that the CSO network is looking to force the government to increase the royalty transferred to the municipalities at least minimum of 25 % to 50 %. The government is in the phase of discussing and preparing a draft with these changes. She said that the municipality of Ura Vajgurore benefits very little from the royalty, even though big extractive companies operate very close from the town.
Hajnaj invited representatives of the community and civil society to join the EITI network in order to raise the community’s voice and help in the management of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens.
Sami Neza, director of the Centre for Transparency and Information, presented some problems related to beneficiary ownership and the EITI draft law which raised the interest of the participants. He informed them about civil society proposals.
The participants stressed that Albpetrol state owned company operating in Ura Vajgurore, does not report how many wells are in operation, avoiding the current payments. A teacher who took part in a meeting said that active wells in the area of Ciflig village pollute the environment near the school, while Albpetrol is not contribute at all in improving the situation of environment around the school.