Albania to destroy old ammunition by 2013

TIRANA, Albania -- Defence Minister Arben Imami said on Monday (April 12th) that the country plans to have all old ammunition destroyed by 2013 under a new dismantling effort in Elbasan and Polican, financed by Denmark. In need of dismantling are more than 90,000 tonnes of ammunition inherited from the communist regime.

After a ceremony to inaugurate the effort, Danish Ambassador Karsten Ankjaer Jensen said that by destroying the ammunition, Albania will separate itself from its past. More than two years ago, an explosion at a dismantling depot in Gerdec outside of Tirana, killed 26 people and left hundreds homeless.