Thanks to their dedication and years of work, the destruction of the wetlands was halted and restoration began. Their singular groundbreaking achievement came on February 2, 2000, when, in response to their proposal, the prime ministers of Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Greece signed an agreement establishing the first transboundary protected area in the Balkans—an agreement that was co-signed by the European Union in 2010. At the signing ceremony, the prime ministers declared that the Prèspa Park would be a model of peaceful collaboration between their countries.
Malakou and Catsadorakis continue to work on the Transboundary Prèspa Park, together with their partners around the lakes. They are also extending partnerships for the protection of Dalmatian pelicans throughout southeast Europe.