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Albania's government has designated the Vjosa River in the southern part of the country as a national park, marking a victory for environmentalists who have been fighting for years against plans for hydropower plants along the waterway.

Albania's Tourism and Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro announced on Monday that the River Vjosa, its banks and the land around it are now a national park with a size of 12,727 hectares.

"We have today the final decision to declare the River Vjosa, the last wild river in Europe, a national park," Kumbaro said.

In an interview with BIRN, a German ecologist warns of what Europe risks losing if dams get the better of the 'unique' Vjosa River running through Greece and Albania.

Twenty environmental organisations have called on the Albanian government to declare the river Vjosa - one of the last "wild" rivers in Europe - a national park. The request was sent on Wednesday to the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Blendi Klosi,

More than 30 local and international environmental organisations are urging the Albanian government to stop the project to build an airport in Vlora, saying it will cause huge damage to the environment of the internationally protected Vjose-Narte area in southwest Albania.

Albania on Monday faced a fifth day of severe floods, which have forced 600 families from their homes and left more than 4,700 households suffering flood-related damaged.

No new deaths as a result of floods have been reported since an electrician from Albania's state-owned energy company, OSHEE, lost his life while trying to restore power connections.

They lie scattered on Greek mountains, enveloped in myth about strange creatures and stories created by locals in the past. These blue gems decorate the green and sometimes white backdrop of alpine meadows, enhancing the beauty of Greek mountains. They are to be found on hard-to-reach mountain peaks mostly on the Pindus range, on the mountains of Epirus and W. Macedonia.

The prefecture of Ioannina has a jaw dropping natural scenery and numerous significant monuments that make the area one of the most intriguing destinations in Greece.

Bridges bring people and cultures together. The stone bridges of Greece are mostly built in rugged landscapes and stand as architectural masterpieces of superb craftsmanship. They are associated with legends, with local traditions and sometimes even with tragic stories. The rocky paths of Epirus take us past some well-hidden historic stone bridges.

Greece, a land of gods and nymphs, has a number of exquisitely beautiful places that appear to have come out of a fairy tale. Here are some of Greece’s most haunting places that you won’t believe actually exist.
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Melissani Cave, Kefalonia