Albania could become a participating state in the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission announced midday on Monday 13 June.
On the same day, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, visited the country to advance cooperation between the EU and Albania on disaster prevention, preparedness and response. He was to meet Prime Minister Edi Rama, Defence Minister Niko Peleshi and the Director General of the National Civil Protection Agency, Haki Çako.
“I will hand over the European Commission’s pathway to join the Mechanism to the Albanian Prime Minister”, the Commissioner said in a statement, citing “the great progress made by Albania in strengthening its civil protection capacity”.
Albania has so far been a beneficiary of the assistance provided by the volunteer countries participating in this solidarity mechanism, including last week. The EU coordinated the dispatch of fire-fighting aircraft from Greece to assist Albanian firefighters on the island of Sazan (see EUROPE 12966/27).
To deploy assistance in the EU or third countries, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism requires a formal request for assistance.
For the time being, this mechanism brings together the EU27 as well as Iceland, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, the United Kingdom, Serbia and Turkey. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)