Albania

The Dutch government has decided to donate 3m euros to Albania in order to help the country to recover after the catastrophic earthquake last year, Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in his Twitter account.

"The Netherlands stands stands next to Albania in the aftermath of the earthquake and will donate €3 million for reconstruction efforts. ", he wrote

The centre-left government of Albania under Edi Rama has caused a new storm by saying it wants to give the police the power to conduct surveillance to stop crimes without obtaining court permission. The change forms part of a proposal sent by the government to the parliament for approval.

"The proposed new wave of enlargement, which has been on the cards for years but has also stalled on several occasions, notably due to opposition from France, is evidently supposed to give a new impetus to the EU in the wake of Brexit.

The damage caused by the devastating earthquake that struck Albania on the morning of November 26 last year was estimated at more than EUR 985 million. The figure was announced by Agriculture Minister Bledi Çuçi in his latest damage assessment report on January 30, BGNES reported.

This is the latest in a series of articles about the demographic crisis facing Central and Southeast Europe.

See also: Bye-Bye, Balkans: A Region in Critical Demographic Decline

Prosecutors in Albania summoned a mayor for questioning on Thursday over a video filmed by a security camera from above, showing someone apparently snorting cocaine.

Pressure is growing on the Albanian government over its "anti-defamation" laws, after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, CoE, said it had asked its advisory body, the Venice Commission, for its opinion.

Artur Metani, Albania's High Inspector of Justice, at parliament on January 20. Photo: Malton Dibra/LSA

Metani, 46, has had a career in state administration, including stints working for the cabinet of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He has also previously served as adviser to two presidents and is the brother of Socialist MP Eglantina Gjermeni.

Never-ending accession

French President Emmanuel Macron, 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/MICHEL EULER / POOL MAXPPP OUT

Greek holdings in Albania have shrunk rapidly, bringing to an end decades of dominance amid financial crisis, homegrown Albanian ambition and a difficult investment climate.