Tirana

A massive US-led military exercise including 28,000 forces from 26 nations, including the United States, NATO countries and their allies, started this week, and will conduct exercises in more than 30 training areas in 12 countries during April, May and June, including Western Balkan countries.

Rama promised to fight corruption and organised crime, reform the healthcare and education systems, create 300,000 new jobs and accelerate EU integration.

Paradoxically, instead of moving the country forward, his premiership has become a major setback for the country.

The head of the Albanian Media Council has criticised the behaviour of the Mayor of Tirana's security detail after a video published by Ora News media outlet showed a journalist being physically stopped from putting questions to Mayor Erion Veliaj.

Braced

Albanian citizens cast their votes at a polling station in Tirana, Albania, 30 June 2019. Albanians headed to the polls for local elections. EPA-EFE/MALTON DIBRA

Family members of Albanians held in Syria urge the government to help their repatriation on 14 September 2020. Photo: Nensi Bogdani/BIRN

Prime Minister Edi Rama presents candidates Luljeta Bozo (left) and Najada Como. Photo: Edi Rama/Facebook.

"If you put them on a scale, for me he has more positives than negatives," Bozo told Albania's Public Television after being asked what she thought about Hoxha and the damage he did to the country.

According to the investigation file seen by BIRN, prosecutors have identified a total of 96 instances in which votes were bought for the Socialist Party candidate and eventual winner, Muharrem Rama.

Immediately after Greece announced the expansion of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea from 6 to 12 miles, some in Albania started playing the same old, tired tune: "Greece is making a grab at our seas."

Greece's conservative government has submitted a bill to parliament to extend the western limit of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 nautical miles, following negotiations with its regional neighbors Italy and Albania.

BIRN presents its selection of photos of some of the events and processes that marked a difficult year.

Battle Goes on With Deadly Virus

A medical worker wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) attends a patient at the Covid-19 hospital in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 December 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/MARKO DJOKOVIC.