Prime Ministers of Albania

Mystery - and a thick web of conspiracy theories - surrounds the circumstances under which a small plane with an Italian pilot crashed on Thursday in the Ishem area north of Tirana, leaving the pilot who was flying alone slightly injured.

Prime Minister Edi Rama and Lulzim Basha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party [PD], failed to find an agreement for judicial reform after three hours of negotiations on Monday evening.

The deadline for Albania to complete judicial reforms needed to open European Union accession negotiations is close to expiring, with only one month left before the constitutional changes required for the reform can pass through parliament.

Albanian agencies in charge of property compensation and legalisation are creating a special joint unit to resolve the thorny issue of religious properties.

Albania's parliament is again in deadlock over judicial reforms because of an angry dispute between the parties over ridding parliament of people with criminal records.

Opposition MPs tried to stop the parliamentary session on Thursday by throwing eggs towards Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama.

Kerry met Prime Minister Edi Rama during his three-hour visit to Tirana on Sunday, emphasising the need for Albania to enact the judicial reform package that is currently under discussion in order to boost the fight against corruption.

Rama said during his visit to Jerusalem on Monday that Albania is ready to collaborate with its ally Israel in order to contribute to the country's security.

The agreement also expressed the willingness to cooperate in the fields of energy, agriculture, water management, tourism and culture.

Opposition parties in Albania have vowed to continue with their campaign of street demonstrations until the centre-left Prime Minister, Edi Rama, steps down.

The opposition, led by the centre-right Democratic Party, will lead a new protest on Thursday in front of parliament as MPs adopt a budget for 2016.

BIRN office in Albania had criticised an apparent initiative to restore defamation as a criminal offence in Albania and has called on the government to immediately distance itself from any such move.

On Wednesday, media reports said the government was intending to restore defamation as a criminal offence in the law code.

Albania's Minister of Justice resigned suddenly on Monday, in the middle of presiding over key judicial reforms that the EU considers vital for the country.

Nasip Naco, from the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, a coalition party in the Socialist-led government, resigned after two years in office on Monday.