Basha continues to seek Arab funds

TIRANA, Nov. 16 – Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met on Wednesday at Bayan Palace with Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha and his accompanying delegation visiting the country.
Basha handed over to the Kuwaiti premier a medal of Honorary Citizenship of Tirana as an appreciation to his efforts in promoting bilateral relations in all domains.
Kuwait has been the donor of the funding for the new Tirana Skanderbeg Square and many other projects in the tiny western Balkan country.
Both Basha and his predecessor Edi Rama, also leader of the country’s main opposition Socialist Party, have tried to keep warm contacts with Kuwait and other Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, where they likely see a source of funding for many of their projects in a cash-driven country.
Basha insisted and also made this visit in an effort to keep warm contacts with Kuwait, which likely was not pleased with the changes in the plans for the Skanderbeg Square that started a year ago with Rama.
Rama had planned it to be turned into a totally pedestrian area that would be used once a year for Muslim festivities. Basha changed it and this week opened it back up to traffic, though adding its final destination would be likely set next year when a total project of the capital’s center would be introduced.