Tirana

The main parties have announced their candidates for the biggest electoral prize that is up for grabs in June's polls - the mayoralty of the capital Tirana.

The left-wing ruling coalition which came to power at parliamentary elections in 2013 has named the current minister of welfare and former social activist Erion Veliaj as its candidate.

Launching his campaign to become the next mayor of the capital, Bojaxhi challenged Albania's two big political parties, the Socialist and Democrats, arguing that they had little to offer the city.

"We have no security in Tirana, are without air and are without clean, unclogged streets," the former minister said.

The zoo in the Albanian capital was shuttered after the video was published online last week by Animal Rescue Albania, a Tirana-based campaign group.

In an open letter to the city's mayor Lulzim Basha, Animal Rescue Albania called on the authorities to close the zoo down and end the cruelty towards the animals kept there.

BELGRADE - The creation of a Greater Albania worries and frightens Serbs, but it should also worry the entire Europe and the world, Serbian Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy Aleksandar Vulin said on Tuesday.

BELGRADE - Serbia cannot and will not be silent about the creation of a greater Albania, Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic stated and called on the EU to oppose this instead of keeping quiet about it and regarding it benevolently.

Several thousand supporters of Albania's opposition centre-right Democratic Party showed their strength in Tirana on Thursday at a rally demanding the resignation of the speaker of parliament, Ilir Meta.

Tom Doshi, a former Socialist Party MP, has caused ructions by claiming that Meta paid an assassin to have him and one other MP killed.

Serbian parliament speaker visits Albania

TIRANA -- Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic and Albanian PM Edi Rama say "both countries are willing to improve cooperation in a new stage of their relations."

TIRANA - Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama agreed in Tirana on Wednesday that both countries were willing to improve their cooperation in the new stage of their relations.

BELGRADE/TIRANA - Serbia and Albania are ready to build friendly relations and cooperate in the regional framework so as to ensure stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans, it was stated at Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic's meetings with Albanian President Bujar Nishani and Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta.

BELGRADE/TIRANA - Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic is on a two-day visit to Albania as from Tuesday, where she will meet with Albanian President Bujar Nishani, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta and Prime Minister Edi Rama.

This is the first visit by a parliament speaker in the history of relations between the two countries, the Serbian parliament said in a release.