Albania wants funds from NATO, EU to destroy old munitions

20/07/2008

TIRANA, Albania -- Albania on Friday (July 18th) requested financial aid from EU and NATO member states to destroy about 100,000 tonnes of old weapons and munitions that endanger the population. Albania's defence ministry will need about 33m euros to destroy the weapons and ammunitions in 25 storage depots, Defence Minister Gazemend Oketa said to NATO countries' ambassadors in Tirana. Oketa predicted completion of the process by 2015. A series of explosions at a munitions depot in Gerdec on March 15th killed 29 and injured 300. (Makfax, A1 - 18/07/08)