Ice Bucket Mania Sweeps the Balkans

As in many other countries, the "ice bucket challenge" has taken hold among celebrities and politicians in the Balkans.

The speaker of Albania’s parliament, Ilir Meta, together with his wife, the MP Monika Kryemadhi, are the most senior politicians in Albania to have completed the challenge, which collects funds for the deady disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS - usually known in Britain as motor neurone disease.

A terminal illness, it is characterised by muscle spasticity and atrophy, difficulty in speaking, swallowing and breathing. Most diagnosed victims have less then four years of life left, and only 4 per cent survive longer than 10 years.

Challenged by Kosovo pop singer, Adelina Ismajli, who had previously undergone the watery ordeal, Meta posted a video on YouTube.

In it, he can be seen in a yellow short and blue T-shirt on the seaside, pouring a bucket of iced water over himself . Together with is wife they have reportedly donated $160 to ASL.

In Serbia, Cedomir Jovanovic, leader of opposition Liberal Democratic Party, was among the first politicians in this country to drench himself in ice cold water for a good cause

However, Jovanovic did not draw attention to ALS,  but instead said he would donate money to a shelter for homeless children.

Other local celebrities have since followed his example and poured buckets of freezing water over themselves. Most, however, failed to mention why they took part in the initiative, including Serbian Eurovision winner, Marija Serifovic and singer Jelena Karleusa.

Serbian tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic have also joined the global action.

The ice bucket challenge has become a phenomenon in Romania as well. Several celebrities...