Prime Minister Sali Berisha on vacation in Drimades, Himara

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, has come together with his family in Drimades (Dhermi) to spend summer holidays.

For some time the Prime Minister Berisha, haspassed holidays in the Ionian coast of Himara particularly while he was President of Albania during the years 1992 - 1997, has welcomed by villagers of Drimades inhabited by the ancient Greek popullation.

It is not known that Berisha has scheduled meetings in Drimades with political VIP but sources say that he will meet in a meeting with the Mayor of Himara Vassil Bollano.

The Albanian government has invested in infrastructure Himara several million euros funds, especially for roads that lead to public beaches. But However, a joint project of the World Bank and the Albanian government is expected to resume after a decision imposed by World Bank General Director immediately after the destruction of the village Yale in 2007.

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Albanian FM says Kosovo status dispute won't hinder bolstering ties with Serbia, Cyprus

By: The Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus - Albania's foreign minister says his country's recognition of Kosovo won't impede improving ties with Serbia and Cyprus which do not.

Ilir Meta says Albania backs Kosovo's entry into the European Union to bring about regional stability. He says despite some EU states' refusal to recognize Kosovo "everyone agrees" that it will eventually join the bloc "as the whole western Balkans is going to be."

Meta thanked his Cypriot counterpart, Markos Kyprianou, on Thursday for his offer to help further Albania's own EU membership ambitions.

Kosovo, with its majority ethnic Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Some 69 countries, including the U.S. and most EU states, have recognized it.

Analyst: Serbia needs compromise

1 August 2010 | 09:46 | Source: B92

BELGRADE -- Political analyst Predrag Simić said that the visit of Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas to Belgrade can be seen as an effort to ease tensions. Even though Greece does not have that much influence within the European Union, its membership does have enough weight to try and ease the current tensions between Belgrade and Brussels. Simić said that he expects EU officials from other countries to be visiting Belgrade as well in the coming days in order to preserve good relations with Belgrade and try to find a way to move the stances of Belgrade and Brussels closer to one another. “The question is whether Serbia wants to find itself facing the European Union and mobilizing votes of the world against votes from the organization it wants to join. If Serbia is not able to do this, it would be a serious blow. I think it would be best for Serbia to reach a compromise in the next month and to agree on an approach between Belgrade and Brussels at the UN General Assembly,” Simić told B92. “As we see, the EU is still divided on the Kosovo issue and it appears that the visit of the Greek minister is an effort to get two speeding trains onto parallel tracks which should lead them to a compromise. For Serbia, a loss or a win in relations with the EU is not what it really wants to receive,” Simić said. Droutsas stated on Saturday that the EU has yet to submit a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly regarding its stance on the Kosovo issue, while Serbia sent its draft resolution several days ago.

Greek Apache Accident Kills Two Crew

Greek Apache Accident Kills Two Crew

Tragedy struck the Hellenic Army Aviation Corps today when an AH-64DHA Apache attack helicopter crashed during what may have been a test flight. Details of the crash are still sketchy but the two crewmembers have been reported killed. A fire broke out immediately following the crash. The helicopter appears to have crashed within the military base perimeter of where it operated.

The helicopter belonged to the 2nd Attack Helicopter Battalion based in Megara, near Athens. This is the second accident involving the Apache helicopter. The first happened in 2008 to an older A+ model which also killed both crew. That accident took place during a night exercise simulating an attack on a battalion of Hawk SAM missiles.

Greece’s AH-64DHA helicopters only recently became operational after a three year delay in their acceptance by the Greek side.