Albania

Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha (C) chats as he poses with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (L) and Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa prior to the NAC (North Atlantic Council) meeting, on November 19, 2010 in Lisbon, as part of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit of Heads of States and Government held on 19-20 November 2010 in Portugal's capital.

People wait for a boat to leave their flooded houses in Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana, on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanian soldiers load a Greek military helicopter with water for the northwestern areas of Albania that have been isolated for over a week due to the floods, at the Gjader Military Airport in Lezha on December 9, 2010. Five NATO military transport helicopters from Greece and Turkey have been flown into Albania to help the army and local authorities and Italy has sent 25 tonnes of food and clothing to the worst hit areas.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanian Civil defence forces evacuating people from their flooded houses in the city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A man rides his bicycle through a flooded street in Shkodra district, some 75 miles (120 kilometers) north-west of Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

An Albanian stands in a flooded street of Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana, on December 7, 2010. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain. More than 11,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Albania due to floods that have hit the country in the past week, a civil services spokesman said on December 5.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanian Civil defence forces evacuating people from their flooded houses in the city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanian soldiers load a Greek military helicopter with water for the northwestern areas of Albania that have been isolated for over a week due to the floods, at the Gjader Military Airport in Lezha on December 9, 2010. Five NATO military transport helicopters from Greece and Turkey have been flown into Albania to help the army and local authorities and Italy has sent 25 tonnes of food and clothing to the worst hit areas.

An Albanian street vendor sells cigarettes below of the symbolic road signs showing European capitals under the �visa free� sign in Tirana on November 7, 2010. The Council of EU interior ministers is expected to approve visa free travel for the citizens of Albania and Bosnia on November 8, 2010, a decision widely anticipated in formerly iron-clad isolated Albania.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010 shows Albanian soldiers distributing bread in the flooded city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A man rides his bicycle through a flooded street in Shkodra district, some 75 miles (120 kilometers) north-west of Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanian Civil defence forces evacuating people from their flooded houses in the city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

An Albanian stands in a flooded street of Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana, on December 7, 2010. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain. More than 11,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Albania due to floods that have hit the country in the past week, a civil services spokesman said on December 5.

People wait for a boat to leave their flooded houses in Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana, on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanians wade through a flooded street in Shkodra district, some 75 miles (120 kilometers) north-west of Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanian soldiers load a Greek military helicopter with water for the northwestern areas of Albania that have been isolated for over a week due to the floods, at the Gjader Military Airport in Lezha on December 9, 2010. Five NATO military transport helicopters from Greece and Turkey have been flown into Albania to help the army and local authorities and Italy has sent 25 tonnes of food and clothing to the worst hit areas.

Albanians walk next to the symbolic road signs showing European capitals under the �visa free� sign in Tirana on November 7, 2010. The Council of EU interior ministers is expected to approve visa free travel for the citizens of Albania and Bosnia on November 8, 2010 a decision widely anticipated in formerly iron-clad isolated Albania.

A man pushes his bicycle as he wades through a flooded street in Shkodra district, some 75 miles (120 kilometers) north-west of Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanian Civil defence forces evacuate people from their flooded houses in Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows an Albanian man evacuating some goods from his home in the flooded city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanian Civil defence forces evacuating people from their flooded houses in the city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

Albanian soldiers load a Turkish military helicopter with food for the northwestern areas of Albania that have been isolated for over a week due to the floods, at the Gjader Military Airport in Lezha on December 9, 2010. Five NATO military transport helicopters from Greece and Turkey have been flown into Albania to help the army and local authorities and Italy has sent 25 tonnes of food and clothing to the worst hit areas.

An Albanian woman pushing a baby carriage walks by the symbolic road signs showing Europe capitals under the �visa free� sign in Tirana on November 7, 2010. The Council of EU interior ministers is expected to approve visa free travel for the citizens of Albania and Bosnia on November 8, 2010a decision widely anticipated in formerly iron-clad isolated Albania.

Albanians wade through a flooded street in Shkodra district, some 75 miles (120 kilometers) north-west of Tirana on December 2, 2010. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanians sitting on a boat in the flooded city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

A picture taken on December 4, 2010, shows Albanian Civil defence forces evacuating people from their flooded houses in the city of Shkodra. Thousands of people and livestock are being evacuated due to flooding in northwestern Albania. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain.

People sit in a boat in the flooded city of Shkodra, 120 km from Tirana, on December 7, 2010. The government declared a state of emergency in the northwestern districts of Albania following days of torrential rain. More than 11,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Albania due to floods that have hit the country in the past week, a civil services spokesman said on December 5.

Albanian soldiers load a Greek military helicopter with water for the northwestern areas of Albania that have been isolated for over a week due to the floods, at the Gjader Military Airport in Lezha on December 9, 2010. Five NATO military transport helicopters from Greece and Turkey have been flown into Albania to help the army and local authorities and Italy has sent 25 tonnes of food and clothing to the worst hit areas.

Albanian President Bamir Topi (R) and his Kosovar counterpart Fatmir Sejdiu inspect the honor guard before their meeting outside the Palace of Brigades in Tirana on November 3, 2008. Sejdiu arrived for an official three-days visit to Albania for the first time since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17.

(L to R, front) Bosnian minister of Security Sadik Ahmatovic, Belgian state secretary for immigration and asylum Melchior Wathelet, Albanian interior minister of Lulezim Basha and EU commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom pose with other EU interior ministers and EU commissioners on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The EU agreed today to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the possibility of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

Belgium's State Secretary, Melchior Wathelet addresses journalists during a press conference in Sarajevo, on November 12, 2010. Wathelet arrived on a one-day official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina for a series of meetings with the country's top officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning visa-free travel to European countries, and potential consequences in case of systematic abuse of the newly adopted visa-free travel regime for Bosnia and Albania.

German Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere (L) and Swiss Federal advisor Sommaruga Simonetta talk prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 19: (L-R, TopRow) Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Latvia's President Valdis Zatlers, Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski, Romania's President Traian Basescu, Slovakia's President Ivan Gasparovic, Slovenia's President Danilo Turk and EU Council President Herman Von Rompuy, (MiddleRow) Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Joseph Harper, Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic, Czech Republic's President Vaclav Klaus, Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves , France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greece's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George A. Papandreou, Hungary's President Pal Schmitt and Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, (FrontRow) Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov, Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme, Albania's President Bamir Topi, Portugal's President Anibal Antonio Cavaco Silva, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, US President Barack Obama, United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and Spain's President of the Government Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pose during the official family photo of the NATO Summit 2010 at Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) on November 19, 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal. The two day summit will address issues including a new strategic concept for NATO. Britain and the US will also seek an agreement to hand over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to local forces over the next four years.

(FromLTopRow) Italy's President of the Council Silvio Berlusconi, Latvia's President Valdis Zatlers, Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski, Romania's President Traian Basescu, Slovakia's President Ivan Gasparovic, Slovenia's President Danilo Turk and EU Council President Herman Von Rompuy, (MiddleRow) Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Joseph Harper, Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic, Czech Republic's President Vaclav Klaus, Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves , France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greece's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George A. Papandreou, Hungary's President Pal Schmitt and Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, (FrontRow) Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov, Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme, Albania's President Bamir Topi, Portugal's President Anibal Antonio Cavaco Silva, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, US President Barack Obama, United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and Spain's President of the Government Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pose during a family picture after the NAC (North Atlantic Council) meeting on November 19, 2010 in Lisbon, as part of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit of Heads of States and Government held on 19-20 November 2010 in Portugal's capital.

Belgium's State Secretary, Melchior Wathelet addresses journalists during a press conference in Sarajevo, on November 12, 2010. Wathelet arrived on a one-day official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina for a series of meetings with the country's top officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning visa-free travel to European countries, and potential consequences in case of systematic abuse of the newly adopted visa-free travel regime for Bosnia and Albania.

Swedish Minister of Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billstrom (L) and Austrian Interior minister Maria Theresa Fekter talk prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

Spanish Interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba arrives for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson delivers a speech during a press conference following the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The European Union agreed on November 8 to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the threat of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson delivers a speech during a press conference following the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The European Union agreed on November 8 to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the threat of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson delivers a speech during a press conference following the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The European Union agreed on November 8 to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the threat of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

(FromLTopRow) Italy's President of the Council Silvio Berlusconi, Latvia's President Valdis Zatlers, Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski, Romania's President Traian Basescu, Slovakia's President Ivan Gasparovic, Slovenia's President Danilo Turk and EU Council President Herman Von Rompuy, (MiddleRow) Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Joseph Harper, Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic, Czech Republic's President Vaclav Klaus, Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves , France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Greece's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George A. Papandreou, Hungary's President Pal Schmitt and Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, (FrontRow) Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov, Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme, Albania's President Bamir Topi, Portugal's President Anibal Antonio Cavaco Silva, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, US President Barack Obama, United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and Spain's President of the Government Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pose during a family picture after the NAC (North Atlantic Council) meeting on November 19, 2010 in Lisbon, as part of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit of Heads of States and Government held on 19-20 November 2010 in Portugal's capital.

German Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere (L) and Swiss Federal advisor Sommaruga Simonetta talk prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

German Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere (L) and his Hungarian counterpart Sandor Pinter talk prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson delivers a speech during a press conference following the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The European Union agreed on November 8 to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the threat of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

Swedish Minister of Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billstrom (L) and Austrian Interior minister Maria Theresa Fekter talk prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

Spanish Interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba arrives for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

Finnish Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors (L) and EU commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström talk prior to a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

(From L) Belgian minister for Home Affairs Annemie Turtelboom and Belgian State Secretary for Immigration and Asylum Melchior Wathelet take their seats prior to the start of a Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. Beginning with asylum and migration matters, the Council is expected to take a decision on visa liberalisation for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine the situation of the Common European Asylum System.

EU Home Affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Belgian State Secretary for Immigration and Asylum Melchior Wathelet (unseen) give a joint press after the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. The EU agreed today to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the possibility of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson delivers a speech during a press conference following the Justice and Home Affairs Council on November 8, 2010 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. The European Union agreed on November 8 to extend visa-free travel rights to Albania and Bosnia but with a tight monitoring system and the threat of suspending the privilege in case of abuses.