Albania

Foreign Affairs Minister Ilir Meta, declared on Monday that Albania would move to strengthen its ties with Serbia, describing the country as an important partner for regional stability in the Balkans. “The strengthening of our relationship with Serbia is an important priority for our regional policy,” said Meta, speaking during …

All state shares in the Albanian public companies will be privatized in the next four years, said Albanian Economy Minister Dritan Prifti. Prifti said the ministry was making inventories and assessments in the companies concerned.

Albanian Parliament postponed the ratification of the Albanian-Greek Maritime Border Agreement after the opposition parties lodged an initiative for reviewing of the document at the Constitutional Court.

A European Parliament, EP, committee supports the call of special rapporteur for visa issues, MEP Tanja Fajon, for the acceleration of visa liberalisation for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania, once the two countries meet established criteria. Members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs also supported Fajon’s …

The campaign for the first Kosovo local elections since the province unilaterally declared independence in February last year will begin on November 15. 74 parties, coalitions and citizens’ movements are taking part in the ballot. They include 37 Kosovo Albanian and 21 Serb lists.

Croatia will testify before the International Court of Justice on behalf of Kosovo in December, a move daily Novi List believes will sour relations with Serbia. Croatia’s appearance before ICJ will not be taken lightly by Belgrade, and that Zagreb is steeling itself for a negative reaction. 

Albania has continued to make some progress in strengthening its government structures. At the same time, it needs to further strengthen the capacity, coordination and strategic planning for EU integration, reads the European Commission’s 2009 progress report for the country.

India’s public is appalled at Albania’s request for transfer of remains of humanist Mother Teresa from India to Albania. The Mother Teresa Humanitarian Mission in India claim that Albania did not accept Mother Teresa during communist-era and that now such a request should be rejected. The reactions in India came …

Albania’s opposition Socialist Party staged a rally in Tirana on Saturday, calling for a recount of the ballots from the June 28 parliamentary elections. The rally was attended by several thousand party supporters and was also backed by several minor opposition parties and various civil society groups. Socialist leader Edi …

Albanian Academy of Science has finally come up with its own stance on the newly-published Macedonian encyclopedia which triggered an avalanche of reactions in Albania.