TIRANA, Jan. 16 – Germany on Wednesday presented two grants to Albania worth a total of 8.5 million Euros to help improve the country’s management of the Prespa Lake park and urban canal network in an eastern town, the Finance Ministry said.
Minister Ridvan Bode signed the two projects with the German Ambassador to Tirana, Berndt Borchardt.
The first grant of 3.55 million Euros would fund improved management of the forests and pastures of the park around the Prespa Lake basin which borders Albania, Macedonia and Greece, about 200 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana, according to a statement.
Germany also gave 5 million Euros to improve the urban canal network at the tourist resort of Lake Ohrid in Pogradec, 140 kilometres (84 miles) east of the capital, Tirana.
The Albanian government would also give half a million Euros in this second part of the project of the canal network in Pogradec.
Germany has been one of the main donors to post-communist Albania, contributing 700 million to the Balkan country’s development. Albania ranks first as the country receiving the highest amount of aid from the German government during the post-communist period.
Former policeman arrested for corruption
FIER, Jan. 15 – Mustafa Mustafaraj, 52, a former head of the road police in Fier, was arrested Tuesday after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for corruption while he was on duty, police reported.
Mustafaraj is among more than 30 public officials arrested in recent months for abuse of post or corruption.
