No agreement between Macedonia and Albania over Dam project

[Soldier of Macedon]

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/24575/1/

Albania and Macedonia have not reached an agreement on concerns that the latter's plan to build a dam on Radika River, Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati has said.

A planned dam in Macedonia has raised concerns in neighboring Albania because it would ebb the water flow of a river into the Drin River that helps produce all of Albania's electricity.

"We are not dealing yet with an issue between states in the strict sense of international law," Bushati said during an interpellation session in the Parliament. "Radika is not an issue between the two states but environmental, energy and economic issue," he added.

In somewhat strange case, Albania is using vast water resources from Macedonia to power its electric grid, while Macedonia is not utilizing the very resources it owns.

Should Macedonia tap into its own resources as planned, this will reduce Tirana's electric outlook. The dams are part of a drive in Macedonia to wean it off the dependence on fossil fuels.

Macedonia's water resource, Macedonia's right to utilise it for its own benefit. A country needs to take of itself first before it can help others. I hope at the very least Macedonia is being financially compensated for the water which Albania is currently taking.

[George S.]

are we talking of literally giving away resources.THe Albanians should be made to pay to use another countries resources.The politicians should be held accountable for any stupid mistakes.

[Daskalot]

My suggestion is to dam up the Vardar, it will produce more electricity than what Macedonia needs currently and would meet even future demand. Water is a resource Macedonia needs to take great care of.
Macedonia needs to go Green, tap into every renewable resource it has. Be it water, wind or solar.

[xhondoe]

Water is regulated by international laws .Water is the most precious resource.Imagine if Nile was deviated from the country where it originated probably war would start.
There has been protest in Albania and Macedonia about this from the people who live there.It would be as if Albania cut Lake Ohrid water supply and run it dry.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Albania should pay for water it takes from Macedonia. Period. And how could Albania cut the Ohrid water supply to Macedonia?

[xhondoe]

Ohrid main supply is from underground rivers in Albania .The Yugoslavs tried to do the same thing before but Enver Hoxha threatened them to deviate the waters in Ohrid.
Water is regulated by international laws if u don't know about laws don't talk like a peasant.No country in the world that have international rivers pays for his water.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Water is regulated by international laws.....

Which international laws specifically relate to this situation?

...if u don't know about laws don't talk like a peasant.

I called you a peasant on the other thread because you behaved like one by making provocative comments. Your attempt to insult me just because I have implied that Macedonia should first secure its resources for herself is a cheap shot. I have no desire to engage in such childish discourse. If that is your intent, then I suggest you disappear from here.

Ohrid main supply is from underground rivers in Albania .

In Wikipedia there are three sources cited for the below paragraph, which appears to suggest that Ohrid is supplied from the Macedonian side, and drained from the Albanian side. That is the opposite of what you're claiming. Can you cite a source that refers to underground rivers from Albania being the main supply of water for Lake Ohrid? I'm interesting to know more about it.

The lake drains an area of around 2600 km² and is fed primarily by underground springs on the eastern shore (about 50% of total inflow), with roughly 25% shares from rivers and direct precipitation. Over 20% of the lake's water comes from nearby Lake Prespa, about 10 km (6.2 mi) to the southeast and at 150 m higher altitude than Lake Ohrid. The water leaves Lake Prespa trickling through underground watercourses in the karstic landscape, where it is joined by mountain range precipitation and eventually emerges in numerous springs along the eastern shore and below the water surface of Lake Ohrid. The water leaves Lake Ohrid by evaporation (~40%) and through its only outlet, the Black Drin River, which flows in a northerly direction into Albania and thus to the Adriatic Sea. The relatively dry, Mediterranean climate and the small drainage basin of 2600 km² (catchment/lake surface ratio of ~7) of Lake Ohrid results in a long hydraulic residence time scale of ~70 yr.

[Big Bad Sven]

A bit off topic but the people who decided to divide lake Ohrid between two countries are morons.

Albania has access to the sea's, has other rivers and lakes and more importantly Lake Ohrid means a lot more to macedonians and orthodox christians then albanians (who are majority muslim or catholic in albania).

The idea of dividing lake Ohrid was idiotic and i would love to know the rational behind it.

[Soldier of Macedon]

A bit off topic but the people who decided to divide lake Ohrid between two countries are morons.

Same goes for the Prespa lakes.

[xhondoe]

yeah all the lakes should have been part of Albania.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Sure.

Anyway, are you going to answer the questions about international laws and underground rivers?

[Gocka]

yeah all the lakes should have been part of Albania.

Except that almost all the villages on the Albanian occupied side of Lake Ohrid are still Macedonians and still identify as such. There are probably more Albanians in the villages around Struga then on the Albanian occupied side of Lake Ohrid.

You know you remind me of almost every Albanian I've ever known.

An annoying little weasel who talks a lot but runs like a coward unless he can outnumber someone 10 to 1. I can almost picture your crooked shiptar nose and that dumb look on your face that you are all born with.

[Big Bad Sven]

yeah all the lakes should have been part of Albania.

The ironic thing is that the smaller towns on that side of albania are populated with macedonians and/or 'muslim slavs'

Pogradec, the largest 'port' city in the albanian side of Ohrid is mainly an orthodox christian population. Even the name of the city is 'old slavonic' and not albanian LOL