Edi Rama

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.

"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.

Ahead of parliamentary elections in June, Prime Minister Edi Rama has been taking to Facebook to say he will help people to find jobs, but he hasn't delivered on his employment promise from the previous polls four years ago, economic experts told BIRN.

Albania's Minister of Justice, Ylli Manjani - from the junior coalition party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI - has accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of sacking him for speaking out against corruption.

Protests have been held and petitions launched by members of the Albanian diaspora in several cities around the world, calling for the immediate release of guerrilla turned politician Ramush Haradanaj, who was arrested in France last week on a Serbian war crimes warrant.

Representatives of Macedonia's ethnic Albanian parties on Saturday in Skopje signed a joint declaration that will serve as a platform for their furture participation in any government that is formed following the December 11 general election.

Albania has become a major cannabis growing region. The police seem to have no power over the situation. Is the Balkan nation losing the battle against the illegal drug trade? Lindita Arapi reports from Albania.

Prime Minister Edi Rama's plan to bring top European art and music to Albania is meeting headwinds, as some criticise the cost and complain that local art is being shadowed.

The debate followed the world-famous Vienna Philarmonic Ensemble performance in Tirana early in January alongside an announced exhibition of art from Italy.

Representatives of three of the four main Macedonian Albanian parties met Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati in Tirana on Thursday.

Albania's Constitutional court on Thursday opened the way towards the vetting of around 800 judges and prosecutors in terms of their professional ability, moral integrity, and level of independence from organised crime, corruption, and political officials after dismissing objections to the new "vetting law'.