Latest News from Albania
Albania Moves War on Cannabis to Borders
In the first two months of 2017, police have prevented more than a dozen smuggler attempts to transport tons of cannabis into Italy or Greece, shifting their focus from a war against cannabis cultivation to a fight against its export.
An official Albanian State Police source told BIRN on Friday that the fight against drug smuggling attempts is a top priority at this time of year.
Albania: Protesters Converge On Tirana, Demand Resignation of Edi Rama
Thousands of demonstrators converged in Tirana to demand the resignation of Albania's Socialist prime minister.
The protesters, led by the opposition Democratic Party, pitched tents on February 18 outside Prime Minister Edi Rama's office to demand his resignation and for a caretaker government to take power and guarantee free elections.
Albanian Opposition Calls Citizens to Anti-Government Rallies
Albania's main opposition party the Democratic Party, PD, will gather citizens from across the country in the capital Tirana for anti-government protests on Saturday afternoon, four months ahead of parliamentary elections set for June 18.
"Four years of arrogance, abandonment, and chaos," was the message carried by the party's promotional video for the protest.
Albania's PM Rama: Albania, Kosovo Will Have Joint Embassies
"Sooner or later, Albania and Kosovo will have joint embassies abroad," stated Albanian PM Edi Rama, reported BGNES.
"If anyone sees in this fact the idea of a Great Albania, this is their problem. This is not a matter of a Great Albania," said Rama.
According to Rama, the establishment of joint embassies will be done in view of cutting expenses.
EU gets wake-up call as Gazprom eyes rival TAP pipeline
Gazprom's bid to tap into a pipeline meant to wean Europe off Russian gas threatens to undermine a pillar of European energy policy and slow plans to develop rival deposits in the east Mediterranean.
As the European Union struggles against the "iron embrace" of Russian pipelines, it has made opening a new Southern GasCorridor to carry gas from Azerbaijan by 2020 a priority.
UK Officials Embarrassed by Albanian Convict's Return
Media revelations that a convicted killer from Albania is living in Leicester, central England, and running a lucrative car wash business have drawn angry protests from Conservative MPs and embarrassed Theresa May's government, which claims to have adopted a "deport first, appeal later" to foreign criminals.