Parliament passes NATO-linked law package

TIRANA, March 26 – In what seemed to be the last legal step taken from the Albanian authorities, the parliament passed Thursday a package of laws and the membership protocol needed ahead of the NATO summit next week.
Albania and Croatia expect to become full NATO members at its Strasbourg-Kehl summit April 3-4 which is to also celebrate the alliance’s 60th anniversary.
Unanimously all the lawmakers from all the political groupings voted in favor of the laws and the membership protocol into the alliance.
The parliament’s hall was fully decorated with blue NATO flags and also some Albanian ones.
Post-communist Albanians have long been so loving toward NATO and polls have shown that support close to 100 percent.
Albania is expecting big celebrations next week for NATO membership.
Tirana is already decorated with NATO flags and other items in a sign of joy.
A big manifestation next week April 5 is to be held at the capital’s main Skanderbeg Square to promote the new membership. Many other events are planned the whole day Saturday next week, including the presence of the international pop group UB40.