The environmental problems inherited from the past and the new ones emerging, put forward the necessity of restructuring and strengthening of the Committee of Environmental Protection (CEP), set up in 1991. At the establishment of the Democratic Government (April 1992) CEP was included in the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection and presently is the main specialised body for the environmental problems in the Republic of Albania.

During 1993, the Government approved the new structure of the CEP, three directorates and legal office, increasing the number of employees into 25. On the other hand some ministries have established sectors or directorates which handle sectorial aspects of environmental protection.

Under the conditions of a complete lack of local environmental protection structures, the Government’ s approval of the establishment of Regional Environmental Agencies (REA) on prefectural level (1994) constitutes a qualitative step forward in the management of environmental problems of the country. During 1994, most of the REAs were complemented with professional personnel and they have already begun to function as responsible bodies for environmental controlling in prefectures, something realised for the first time in the country.

Despite the consideration shown by the Government for the establishment of REAs, not all the districts have helped and supported these institutions in the legislative and other aspects related to their normal functioning. A typical example is the fact that Tirana city, Fieri, Pogradeci and Lushnja districts contrary to the law have not accepted the REAs’ inspectors in the Council of Territory Adjustment, which takes important decisions about environmental protection.

In spite of the above factors, the Committee could have acted more independently and could have had more imposing power for the enforcement of duties and laws related to the environmental preservation and protection, if it would be independent from the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection and have regained the status of a central body, in complete consistence with its interministerial nature and basic functions.

The follow-up of the implementation of the Government’s policy for environmental protection, reflected in the National Environmental Action Plan, the co-operation and co-ordination of the activities of ministries, native and foreign institutions of this field would be more successful if the CEP would be under direct dependence on the Council of Ministers.