Brussels, 10/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - Albania will submit its application to join the EU before 30 June, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has announced. In an interview with AFP, Berisha says that he has received the “green light in principle” from the Czech Presidency of the EU. “We agreed on submitting the request” before the end of June, but the precise date has yet to be decided, he said. The Czech Presidency rejects all talk of any “agreement” with Tirana on its submitting an application in the near future. Diplomats say that, on the contrary, at the meeting with Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha in Brussels on 24 February, the EU troika encouraged Albania not to rush headlong into applying, but rather to concentrate its efforts on reform and holding the legislative elections on 28 June. (H.B./transl.rt)