Featuring a painting by veteran Albanian painter Alush Shima from his latest “Small territories of freedom” exhibition on its cover, the magazine offers a critical approach to Albania’s EU integration, also dedicating considerable space to arts and culture
TIRANA, June 5 – Offering a critical approach to Albania’s European Union, but also analysis on current issues and arts and culture, the “Europa” magazine has launched its first issue. A publication of the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), a leading think-tank focused on integration and security issues, the “Europa” magazine has been perceived as a platform promoting an all-inclusive debate on EU integration issues, offering readers analysis and trends on Albania and Europe and dedicating considerable space to art and culture promoting the best Albanian and European values.
The “Europa” magazine will specifically generate a critical approach over the European integration process, and ideas, concepts and paths that must be followed to prepare Albania for European Union membership, AIIS experts say.
“The Europa magazine is a novel and pioneering publication targeting Albanian readers with the aim of encouraging a new, inclusive and critical approach to European integration, providing more space to promotion of European values including arts and culture as well as featuring thoughtful analysis on current developments within the EU,” says Alba ȥla, a senior AIIS researcher.
“Every section of this magazine has been conceptualized, designed and realized having in mind the objective of more critical thinking, open debate and valuable knowledge on EU, integration, European cultural spaces, values and provides the reader with a fresh perspective on both current events and more general trends,” she adds.
Featuring a painting by veteran Albanian painter Alush Shima from his latest “Small territories of freedom” exhibition on its cover, the magazine offers analysis on the top worries of the Albanian citizens based on a nationwide survey by the AIIS, insight on how foreign investors consider the business climate in Albania, the history of contested Albanian elections during transition and the state and society in post-communism. Perspectives on Albania’s EU integration are confessed in views by internationally renowned Albanian writer Ismail Kadare, EU ambassador to Albania Ettore Sequi, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule.
Austrian Ambassador to Albania Florian Raunig also comes in farewell confession as he leaves Albania as ambassador.
A special section has been dedicated to arts and culture with several book promotions, features, poems, and pictures by Jutta Benzenberg.
Readers are also challenged to find captions of photographs or cartoons to win an annual subscription with the magazine. The 120-page magazine in Albanian will initially be published bi-monthly.
