Albania

TIRANA, Albania Authorities have decided to remove concrete bunkers that were built during the Cold War to defend the country from an attack that never happened, Sotir Zarka, mayor of the coastal municipality of Seman, said on Friday (July 24th). The bunkers have caused five deaths, including two children, and …

Albania’s Council of Ministers decided on Wednesday to freeze all investments, from August 3, due to weakening revenue streams and higher expenditures in the run-up to the recent national elections. With the June 28 parliamentary polls behind them, experts say Albania’s politicians must initiate a candid debate on the local …

Facing a tight EU reform schedule, Macedonia’s prime minister will seek consensus on speeding the neccessary changes in a meeting with political party leaders on Friday. Hoping to promote the rapid passage of related legislation, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has summoned the head of the opposition, Social Democrat’s leader Branko …

ROME, Italy The European Commission (EC) will approve Albania’s request for EU candidate status this summer, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini was quoted as saying by Albanian media on Wednesday (July 22nd). Tirana applied for candidate status in late April. “Albania’s early request cannot stay locked in a drawer … …

TIRANA, Albania The government plans to target less developed regions of the country, particularly in the northeast and southeast, to help low income residents there. At a meeting Wednesday (July 22nd), Prime Minister Sali Berisha instructed his cabinet to prepare a package of assistance measures within a month, aimed at …

TIRANA, Albania Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Sunday (July 19th) said the future government’s goal will be to bring the country closer to EU membership. Berisha said the coalition between his Democratic Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration will focus on pro-EU reforms, and expanding human rights and citizen …

TIRANA Nearly a week after parliamentary elections, Albania’s governing Democratic Party began to assemble a coalition government on Saturday, even as the opposition Socialists decried the move as premature.

GENEVA European citizens will be able to find out what dangerous substances are emitted in their neighbourhoods under an environmental treaty to go into effect in 17 countries in October, the United Nations said on Friday.

BELGRADE Political leaders from southern Serbia say the situation in the region is stable, but the state is ignoring people living in that area of the country.The latest incidents in southern Serbia were enough for Bujanovac Municipal President Šaip Kamberi to accuse the Serbian police of repression in the region. 

TIRANA, Albania The opposition Socialist Party (SP) blamed the government Thursday (July 16th) for failing to meet EU standards for achieving visa-free travel to member countries. Three other Balkan countries did make it onto the so-called White Schengen List.