Albanian government

The Albanian government is proposing to pass a special law to allow it to award a concessionary contract to the "China State Construction Company" to help build a highway to Macedonia.

The ?8.5-million contract between the Socialist-led government of Albania and the British company Crown Agents - signed last year - has not delivered any boost to customs revenues, the Albanian government has admitted in a Letter of Intent to the International Monetary Fund, adding that the contract would continue.

The Albanian government has signed an agreement with the World Bank on a loan of USD 150 M.

...

"Visit to be planned in coordination with Belgrade"

BELGRADE -- Albania's Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said on Thursday that the program of Edi Rama's visit would be drawn up in coordination with the Serbian authorities.

This will be done "with mutual respect, trust and by taking advantage of the best practices out there," he said.

BELGRADE - Albania's Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said on Thursday that the programme of Prime Minister Edi Rama's visit to Serbia would be drawn up in coordination with the Serbian authorities, with mutual respect, trust and by taking advantage of the best practices out there.

BELGRADE - Education ministers and their deputies from Southeastern Europe, including Serbia's Education Minister Srdjan Verbic, gathered in Tirana on Monday for a conference organised by the European Training Foundation (ETF) and sponsored by the Albanian government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The Albanian transport ministry told BIRN on Tuesday that negotiations over awarding a concession for the use of the Shengjin port to China have been going on for the past few months.

BELGRADE - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama will pay an official visit to Serbia in September, which will be the first time an Albanian high official has come to Belgrade in the past 70 years, the Belgrade-based daily Danas reported.

Albanian PM to visit Belgrade in September - daily

BELGRADE -- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama will pay an official visit to Serbia in September, the Belgrade-based daily Danas has reported.

It will be the first time an Albanian high official has come to Belgrade in the past 70 years, added the paper.

The International Religious Freedom Report for 2013 published by the State Department says societal discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice remains widespread in the Balkans.

Victims of most abuse, including cases of physical violence and vandalizing places of worship, are usually members of smaller religious groups, it says.