Belinda Balluku

 A major power outage hit Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania and most of Croatia's coast on Friday, disrupting businesses, shutting down traffic lights and leaving people sweltering without air conditioning in the middle of a heatwave.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during his election campaign rally in Istanbul, Turkey, 07 May 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/TOLGA BOZOGLU

An oil well in the Kucova oil field of Albania. Photo: Nensi Bogdani/BIRN

"There are signs that show that we might be near a very very important discovery of oil and gas that will have a large impact not only on the future of our country but will play a role even in the future of energy in Europe," Rama said.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced his new cabinet following the April 25 elections, creating a new record in the country by giving women 12 of the 16 posts in his team.

Albanian Minister of Transportation and Energy, Belinda Balluku, on Friday said the situation at Albania's main airport was returning to "normality" after a work stoppage by air traffic controllers over pay brought operations grinding to a halt.

"Starting from 9am today, operations at Rinas airport in Albanian airspace are going back to normality," Balluku wrote on Facebook.

Albania deployed army and police forces at the country's only international airport on Wednesday after protesting air trafficker controllers halted inbound and outbound flights.

The air traffic controllers were not allowed to enter the airport. The prosecution has opened an investigation into allegations of "abuse of duty". Police issued restraining orders for three of them.

Prime Minister Edi Rama on Friday axed seven of his 14 ministers after a year of popular protests against government policies.

Rama summoned the National Assembly of his governing Socialist Party in Tirana and insisted that the changes were "not the result of failures".