The new Albanian airport under construction near the city of Vlora worries environmentalists. At the heart of their fears is the possible alteration of the ecosystem of the Narta lagoon, near which the port will be built. Flamingos and pelicans nest and laze in the shallow blue waters of this body of water, which rises on the Adriatic coast. 

"This project goes against the laws of nature. Building such vast infrastructures, in an area known throughout the world for its exceptional biodiversity, means blocking the paths of birds and creating major problems for local as well as international populations", said Zydjon Vorspi of the group Protection and conservation of the natural environment in Albania. 

Environmentalists point the finger at the new airport, designed to attract tourist flows in this area of the Balkans, but which paradoxically would jeopardize a natural paradise so loved by some specific categories of travelers who love being in nature. An exceptional sponsor is also the American actor Leonardo Di Caprio, who in March supported an environmental campaign in defense of the Vjosa river, which feeds the lagoon.