Mines still injure and threaten people

TIRANA, July 09 – Five Montenegrin Albanians were wounded, two seriously, when their car hit a landmine near Cerem on the border between Albania and Montenegro. True that the incident happened on Montenegrin soil some 20 meters from the Albanian border on Sunday when the car hit the mine.
It is believed that the mines were since the Kosovo war in 1999 when Yugoslav forces mined the area in a bid to stop Kosovo Albanian rebels from crossing through neighboring Montenegro to Albania to arm themselves. Montenegro was part of the Serb-dominated Yugoslav federation at the time.
In another case some 200 shells up to 30 kilograms heavy were found near the capital Tirana, in Berzhite village, while there was work done for the Tirana-Elbasan new highway.
It is believed that the shells may have remained there since World War II, though it is up to experts to conclude on that.
Albania is declared mine-free but there are still remaining ones here and there.
It was not mentioned whether these mines could have remained from the crazy year of 1997 when all the army depots were open and stolen.
The country hopes to get rid of all excess ammunition next year.
Deputy Defense Minister Ekrem Spahia said that the process would be over in the first half next year. He said that the work was going well and authorities were also closing down open polygons used during the previous time.
During the first half this year they have destroyed 13,000 tons of ammunition and have also sold
2,621 tons.
Spahia said they have still to destroy 25,753 tons of excess ammunition, hoping to complete that until next year.
It is the local budget and also aid from international partners used for that.
Albania became a NATO member in 2009.