Mirela Kumbaro
Albania’s ‘Wild River’ Vjosa Declared a National Park
Albania's Tourism and Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro announced on Monday that the River Vjosa, its banks and the land around it are now a national park with a size of 12,727 hectares.
"We have today the final decision to declare the River Vjosa, the last wild river in Europe, a national park," Kumbaro said.
Albania Registers Sharp Increase in Visitors from Serbia
The Albania Institute of Statistics, INSTAT told BIRN that the number of Serbian citizens who entered Albania in 2021 doubled in comparison to 2020.
According to INSTAT's figures, in 2017, 63,785 Serbian citizens entered the country. This rose to 70,878 in 2018 and remained steady at 68,436 in 2019.
Albania Experts Dispute Plan to Lease Historic Sites
The Albanian Culture Ministry plan to lease cultural monuments for up to 20 years has sparked a fierce debate about possible damage to historic sites.
Some heritage experts say the decision was not transparent, was decided without a proper debate and could result in damage to monuments, as has happened in past.