Dear reader,
“Out of the €1.15 billion total pledged, the European Union including the Commission, its Member States and the European Investment Bank announced €400 million for the reconstruction of Albania. The European Commission has pledged €115 million from the EU budget. This includes a first €15 million grant to reconstruct and rehabilitate key public buildings such as schools”, Read on..
The International support will make it possible to overcome the damages rather fast but this must not divert attention from an even more needed EU decision. Quite right, the expected European Council decision to opening membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.
Speech by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the conference on the inclusion of Western Balkan countries in the European Union:
Please click picture or here to read Edi Rama´s blunt analysis of the situation in the EU and of Albania as a candidate country. Don´t miss it.
Kosovo: 12 years of independence :
Kosovo´s non resident ambassador to Denmark H.E. Mr. Beqë Cufaj attended on February 20. the reception on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence arranged by Kosovos consulate in Copenhagen.
The accusations by the DP dismissed as totally unfounded.
The plans for the new National Theater: The Tirana prosecution has dismissed the accusations by the Democratic Party (non parliamentarian opposition) against Bjarke Ingels as totally unfounded. The rationale that the Danish architect has passed an irregular benefit received from Fusha ltd to the prime minister and the mayor is in the context of assumptions and unsupported by any serious evidence or circumstance. In the case of the value obtained by Bjarke Ingels as a reward for the work performed by him for the realization of the project, this is not considered to be an unlawful gain as it is an income derived from a work actually performed and based on an agreement between project manager and architect.
This is why membership negotiations must start:
In 2019 the EU commission recommended that the EU Consilium should say yes to membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia as both countries according to the Commission have lived up to the Copenhagen Criteria. Now a 2020 report is expected soon and it will no doubt repeat the 2019 recommendation as the reform process has not stopped. On the contrary. Read the 2019 report.
That´s all for now,
Albanian Honorary Consul
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