23 November 2008 Tirana — The construction of a nuclear station in Albanian is an undeniable reality. The creation of the National Agency for Natural Resources, which will be under the authority of the Ministry of Economy and Energy, is another indication that this station will soon be built in Albania. The internet page of this state agency is not accessible yet, but it appears on the pages of international energy agencies, in which it says that the main focus of this agency will be the nuclear energy. The main task of this agency will be to compile a detailed report about the dangers of building a nuclear station close to the country’s borders and deep into the country. With this report, the agency will identify the negative effects of such a station for Albania and for the surrounding countries. This report will be presented to the Ministry of Economy and Energy, which will inform the government within 10 days about the findings of this report. The ministry will launch studies about the effects on a nuclear station on the environment and population. The findings will be sent to the International Nuclear Stations Agency [probably International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)] with the headquarters in Vienna.
On the other hand, Albania has been preparing the legal framework for the execution of nuclear projects and to show its commitment in this respect. It seems that these preparations are part of the talks that will take place in Albania between Prime Minster Berisha and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on 2 December. During his last visit to Tirana, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that contacts had been established with Albania regarding the transmission of energy to Italy through an underwater transmission line. Last Thursday [ 20 November], the Italian ambassador to Albania denied the existence of any specific project in cooperation between Italy and our country.
