Albania

Mine Ban Policy

The Republic of Albania signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 8 September 1998, ratified it on 29 February 2000 and became a State Party on 1 August 2000.^[1] On 18 April 2006 parliament approved Law No. 9515, The Implementation of the Convention on the Ban of Use, Storage, Production and Transfer of the Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction. The President signed the promulgation of the law, Decree 4857, on 10 May 2006.^[2]

Albania submitted its annual Article 7 transparency report on 16 April 2007, covering calendar year 2006. It includes voluntary Form J, which provides details of progress in victim assistance during 2006. Albania submitted five Article 7 reports previously.^[3]

Albania attended the Seventh Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2006, as well as the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2006 and April 2007. On each occasion it made statements on its mine clearance and victim assistance programs.

In April 2006 Albania responded to a request from Landmine Monitor to share its views on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2 and 3. Most notably, for the first time Albania stated that it possesses antivehicle mines with breakwires, but that there are plans for their destruction. Albania also said it has never produced or stockpiled Claymore-type mines.^[4]

Albania is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II on landmines. It participated in the Eighth Annual Conference of States Parties to the protocol in November 2006, but did not submit an annual Article 13 report. On 12 May 2006 Albania gave its consent to be bound by CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war, which entered into force for Albania on 12 November 2006.

Albania completed destruction of its stockpile of 1,683,860 antipersonnel mines on 4 April 2002, more than two years before its treaty deadline, in an internationally funded project carried out under NATO auspices. Albania has opted not to retain any antipersonnel mines for research or training purposes. It has stated that “there were no justifiable reasons for the retention of APM for training or any other purpose.”^[5]

Production of antipersonnel mines in Albania was suspended in 1990 and officially ceased in 1991. Albania may have been a minor exporter of antipersonnel mines in the past. The most recent use of antipersonnel mines in Albania was in 1998 and 1999 in the northeast of the country during the Kosovo crisis.^[6]

Landmine and ERW Problem

Albania has two main explosive threats. The northeast is contaminated by mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) arising largely from the Kosovo crisis of 1998-1999, when forces of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) laid extensive minefields in the border districts Kukës, Has and Tropojë. In addition to antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, the area contains unexploded submunitions and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) resulting from FRY artillery, and at least six NATO cluster strikes which fell within Albanian territory.^[7]

A general survey by the Albanian Armed Forces in 1999-2000 identified 102 affected border areas totaling some 15 square kilometers. DanChurchAid identified five new hazardous areas in 2006, but by the end of the year estimated that just over two square kilometers of contamination remained.^[8] This was one-third less than the end-2005 estimate of over three square kilometers.^[9]

Central Albania is also believed to be contaminated by mines and ERW, resulting from widespread looting of military depots in 1997. Albania had identified 15 “hotspots” contaminated with abandoned explosive ordnance covering some 2.2 square kilometers. In April 2004 it reported these had been cleared but in 2005, 16 ERW incidents caused 21 casualties.^[10] In April 2006, six magazines exploded in military storage tunnels in the southern Albanian village of Dhemblaj, scattering shells to other villages as far as five kilometers away.^[11]

There have been no mine victims in the northeast for several years but mine contamination has hampered development of infrastructure in this isolated, mountainous and impoverished area. The contamination has blocked access to land and water resources needed by a population mostly dependent on subsistence farming and animal husbandry.^[12]

Mine Action Program

The Albanian Mine Action Committee (AMAC), an interministerial body formed in October 1999, serves as the “executive and policy making body for mine action” in Albania.^[13] The Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Defense, met twice in 2006 to consider strategies for strengthening mine action, national management, and objectives for 2007.^[14] The Law on the Implementation of the Ottawa Treaty approved by parliament in April 2006 confirmed the Minister of Defense as the authority in charge of all mine action. A draft mine action law provides for an Albanian Mine Action Council to assume responsibility for overall management of the mine action program.^[15]

The Albanian Mine Action Executive (AMAE), set up at the same time as AMAC, is responsible for coordinating and monitoring mine action activities in Albania, including drawing up a mine action plan, oversight of operator activities, survey and marking, maintaining a database, and accreditation, validation and quality management of mine action.^[16] AMAE has used version 3 of the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), located at the regional office in Kukës, for storing mine action information.^[17]

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has supported capacity-building of Albania’s mine action program since 2002.^[18] In 2006 UNDP continued to provide technical, victim assistance and quality management advisors to support the development of national capacity for mine action management. UNDP’s support was due to end in December 2006; the victim assistance advisor’s position closed then but the rest of the program was extended for one year.^[19]

AMAE has issued technical safety standards for mine action operations, based on International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). The new mine action law, drafted in 2006, regulates mine action in accordance with international standards; the law was approved by the Council of Ministers in March 2007.^[20] DanChurchAid has its own standing operating procedures that are approved as part of the accreditation process.^[21]

Strategic mine action planning

In December 2006 AMAE presented a National Mine Action Plan for Completion Fulfilling the Obligations Under Article 5 of the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Treaty 2007-10. The plan set out a vision of “an Albania free from mines by August 2010,” where “the borders are securely managed without the threat of landmines and ERW.” To deal with the remaining mine threat up to 2010 the plan called for a National Clearance Capacity of six demining teams, that will require diminishing international support. DanChurchAid-managed National Clearance Capacity will execute clearance activities according to the mine action plan in 2008 and 2009.^[22] The completion plan envisages that after 2010 this clearance capacity will be integrated into the Albanian Armed Forces’ explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capacity.^[23]

Demining

As in 2005, DanChurchAid was the only mine action operator in Albania in 2006. It implemented the Humanitarian Mine Action project (funded by the US, UK and Germany through the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance, ITF and by private donors) and the National Clearance Capacity project (funded by the European Commission through UNDP/ITF). The resources deployed for both projects in 2006 included 11 demining teams, three battle area clearance teams, two mine detection dog teams, an impact survey team and one dog support team.^[24]

DanChurchAid maintained managerial and financial oversight of the National Clearance Capacity. In addition to the program manager responsible for oversight, DanChurchAid in 2007 also retained a senior technical advisor for final quality assurance. With these exceptions, mine action capacity in Albania is nationalized, with local staff carrying out all implementation.^[25]

In 2006 DanChurchAid completed an impact survey of the Kosovo border, results of which included the identification of five minefields inside dangerous areas not previously recorded.^[26]

Mine/ERW Clearance

DanChurchAid released a total of 1,380,928 square meters in 2006, including 240,532 square meters through manual clearance, 11 percent more than the 214,109 square meters cleared manually in 2005. This increase was achieved by the addition of two demining teams and easier access to sites cleared in 2006. In addition, 905,812 square meters were released as a result of technical or impact surveys.^[27]

DanChurchAid received 38 clearance tasks in 2006 and completed 31 of them, suspending seven because of bad weather. It completed clearance of all but one of the high and medium priority tasks.^[28]

HMA = Humanitarian Mine Action; NCC = National Clearance Capacity; AXO = abandoned explosive ordnance

The ITF reported different clearance data: it reported that in 2006 the DanChurchAid/HMA project cleared 252,023 square meters (destroying 514 mines and 415 UXO) and the DanChurchAid/NCC project cleared 223,093 square meters (destroying 373 mines and 781 UXO).^[30]

For 2007 DanChurchAid and AMAE decided the objective of releasing some 500,000 to 700,000 square meters could be achieved with reduced capacity of four demining teams and two battle area clearance teams; the latter were to be trained so that they could undertake demining later if needed. It was decided not to use any mine detection dog assets in 2007.^[31]

Summary of Efforts to Comply with Article 5

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Albania must destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but no later than 1 August 2010. Albania aims to complete mine clearance operations by 2009. Albania is included in the UNDP Completion Initiative which supports States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in fulfilling their Article 5 obligations. Albania’s completion plan re-statesAMAE’s determination to complete clearance of all known mine contamination by 2010 and details the means being developed to achieve this.^[32]

Mine Risk Education

In 2006 as in previous years, mine risk education (MRE) was conducted by two organizations: the Kukës-based NGO Victims of Mines and Weapons Association (VMA-Kukësi) and the Albanian Red Cross supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).^[34]

All MRE activities during 2006 took place in the mine-affected northeast. A study undertaken for AMAE in 2005 had recommended that MRE also be conducted in the vicinity of ERW hotspots in the central part of Albania.^[35] In June 2007 the Albanian Red Cross initiated a one-year MRE project focused on the hotspots, distributing MRE leaflets.^[36]

Some 30,000 people received direct MRE in 39 mine-affected villages in northeast Albania in 2006.^[37] AMAE planned to reduce coverage in 2007 to 22 villages, due to a drop in casualties and clearance of some mine-affected areas.^[38]

Albania’s 2007-2010 completion plan includes integration of MRE into the Albanian school curriculum.^[39] Due to a lack of funding a pilot project for MRE in schools in the Kukës area did not start as planned in 2006, but was expected to receive funding in 2007.^[40] In 2006 UNICEF produced student and teacher MRE manuals for the project, but ceased funding MRE in Albania after April 2006. Funding for the extended program to train teachers in MRE throughout Albania and particularly in the ERW hotspot areas remains uncertain.^[41]

AMAE coordinates MRE activities as mandated by the National Mine Action Strategy and the 2007-2010 completion plan.^[42] MRE is said to be based on IMAS.^[43] There were in total four MRE/community liaison staff and 75 local and volunteer instructors, mostly VMA village committee members, in Albania in 2006.^[44]

Landmine/ERW Casualties

In 2006 no new mine/ERW casualties were reported in Albania.^[45] In contrast, in 2005 there were 23 mine/ERW casualties, 21 in ERW hotspots in the central region and two in the northeast where casualty rates have declined since 1999.^[46]

However, new casualties were reported in 2007: on 6 June two girls and two boys were injured when a hand-grenade they were playing with exploded in Shkodra region.^[47]

As of April 2007 the AMAE database contained information on 272 mine/ERW casualties in Kukës district since 1999: 34 people were killed and 238 injured; 20 were women and 72 were children. Men of working age were the largest group of casualties. The most common activities at the time of the incident were: grazing animals, collecting wood and crossing the border (79 casualties, 29 percent), farming (57, 21 percent) and demining (22, 8 percent).^[48]

By May 2007 AMAE had recorded 480 ERW survivors from the hotspots in the central region, including four survivors (all male aged 15-20 years) from incidents in 1997 that were identified for the first time in 2007. Approximately 40 percent were children.^[49]

Data Collection

Landmine/ERW casualty data is stored in the IMSMA database at the AMAE regional office in Kukës. Data collection is conducted using standardized IMSMA incident reports in coordination with AMAE, VMA-Kukësi, DanChurchAid, the Albanian Red Cross, National Demilitarization Center and anti-mine committees in the affected villages; data is shared with stakeholders. IMSMA was accessible only in Kukës in 2006, however, IMSMA version 4 was to be accessible in Tirana in September 2007.^[50]

The VMA-Kukësi community-based rehabilitation program maintains a database on the needs and status of 238 registered mine survivors, which is used for the analysis and planning of assistance. The database is updated on a regular basis in collaboration with the Institute of Primary Healthcare in Kukës; the data is also shared with the physiotherapist in Kukës.^[51] The National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center in Tirana maintains a patient database of some 400 amputees including mine/ERW survivors, which AMAE planned to enter into IMSMA, with other new data sources by September 2007; more training and staff may be needed to complete the project.^[52]

In January 2006 the National Demilitarization Center undertook a survey of ERW casualties in the central hotspots for the UNDP Mine Action Program. As of April 2007 the data required more detailed verification.^[53] A subsequent report recommended that the AMAE and partners should conduct standardized data collection of ERW incidents outside Kukës region.^[54] In 2007 the Albanian Red Cross began a project to survey ERW incidents.^[55] By March 2007, 10 sub-branch coordinators and 32 volunteers were trained to collect data in IMSMA and to complete needs assessment forms in Shkodra, Vlora, Berati and Dibra.^[56] In 2006 the ICRC reported that incident surveillance needed to be strengthened and integrated into the national system during 2007.^[57]

AMAE provided the Institute of Statistics of Albania with casualty data in March 2006 and the Institute is expected to collect casualty data by 2008.^[58]

There are 75,000 to 90,000 Albanians with disabilities.^[59]

Survivor Assistance

Mine/ERW survivors are a small proportion of people with disabilities but many of them live in the poorest regions of Albania, limiting their economic prospects and access to assistance.^[60]

Poor medical care and widespread poverty pose significant problems for many people with disabilities in Albania.^[61] The government officially covers healthcare costs but many people have to pay hidden costs to obtain the health services they require.^[62] The majority of mine/ERW survivors live in northeast Albania where some 70 percent of the population lacks access to basic health services.^[63] Capacity was increased through provision of supplies and equipment in 2006 and 2007. Emergency care is available through a community-based rehabilitation network and specialized services are available in several cities in the Kukës district as well as in the capital, Tirana.^[64]

Overall, the capacity of the physical rehabilitation system in Albania is inadequate, and largely dependent on international support. People with physical disabilities including landmine/ERW survivors may receive insufficient treatment. Not all types of prosthetic devices are available. Measures to improve capacity and staff expertise were being undertaken in 2006-2007. The majority of ERW survivors from hotspot areas have received very little support and many amputees have never obtained prostheses. AMAE analysis of ERW casualty data from hotspot areas recommended that Albania’s mine action program should provide medical and rehabilitative support for ERW casualties from the rest of Albania, but no progress was reported as of April 2007.^[65]

People with disabilities rarely benefit from employment services, partly due to very high unemployment in Albania, especially in the Kukës region, but also due to discrimination. Most mine survivors worked in the agricultural sector prior to the incident and continued this work afterwards. Psychosocial support, vocational training and income-generation activities for mine survivors and their families are provided in the mine-affected districts of Has, Kukës and Tropojë. Counseling services are not widely available and not socially accepted; staff and capacity are lacking.^[66]

Albania has legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities; however, there was discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, education, access to healthcare and other state services.^[67] All people with disabilities are entitled to a pension; the amount depends on the level of disability. The draft Bill to Empower and Regulate Mine Action in the Republic of Albania, approved by the Minister of Councils in March 2007, specified that “…any civilian who has survived a landmine accident shall be entitled to the same benefits as a ‘labour invalid’.”^[68] AMAE continues to actively lobby for passage of the new law.^[69] As of 29 June 2007 Albania had not signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. However, AMAE reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed Albania’s commitment to becoming a signatory.^[70]

Progress in Meeting VA24 Survivor Assistance Objectives

At the First Review Conference in Nairobi, Albania was identified as one of 24 States Parties with significant numbers of mine survivors and “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate services for the care, rehabilitation, and reintegration of survivors.^[71] Albania presented its 2005-2009 objectives at the Sixth Meeting of States Parties in November-December 2005.^[72] At the Seventh Meeting of States Parties in September 2006 and the Standing Committee meetings in April 2007 the victim assistance expert presented refined objectives and more information on Albania’s plans to achieve the objectives, as well as detailed progress reports.^[73]

These presentations demonstrated an integrated and coordinated approach to survivor assistance linked to disability and development issues, which is driven by the needs of survivors and affected communities. Objectives were presented that were capable of being achieved in a timely manner, and points where additional capacity was needed were identified. Some of the revised objectives repeat initiatives completed in 2006. Several of the revised objectives had later deadlines than originally planned, such as data-sharing with ministries and the implementation of disability legislation; others have been grouped together or have been removed.

Albania received support from the victim assistance specialist of the Mine Ban Treaty Implementation Support Unit (ISU) in 2006-2007.^[74] A victim assistance workshop in Tirana on 11-12 April 2007 attended by AMAE, relevant ministries, the ISU and others reviewed the plans to meet the victim assistance objectives. It concluded that while good progress had been made, effective implementation of the ambitious objectives and continued coordination among stakeholders were still in the initial stages and needed continued attention.^[75]

Albania provided information on survivor assistance activities in its Article 7 report for 2006.^[76]

Survivor Assistance Strategic Framework

With the long-term goal of building sustainable national capacity, AMAE coordinates victim assistance activities in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Kukës Hospital, Institute of Primary Healthcare, the National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center, Albanian Red Cross, VMA-Kukësi, ICRC, UNDP, the Slovenian Institute of Rehabilitation and the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF).^[78]

Victim assistance activities in Albania are in accordance with the third strategic objective of the UN Inter-Agency Mine Action Strategy 2006-2010, that “[i]ntegration of mine action needs into national development and reconstruction plans and budgets” should be a priority in providing assistance to national authorities. Survivors are directly involved in mine action. AMAE, despite not having reached complete national sustainability, uses existing structures through partner agencies and monitors projects to ensure adherence to international standards and identify priority gaps. An assessment in Kukës district recommended: linking all aspects of mine action to national and local government to ensure sustainability; including mine/ERW survivors in advocacy; and including socioeconomic reintegration projects in IMSMA to measure progress and make comparison with original impact surveys possible. Survivor assistance projects are, where possible, integrated within the larger framework of the Kukës Rural Development Initiative and the National Disability Strategy. Survivor assistance achievements in 2006 and January-May 2007 were consistent with the remaining goals of the 2003 integrated victim assistance strategy.^[79]

The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities is responsible for issues relating to people with disabilities and for developing the National Strategy on People with Disabilities, which was finalized in September 2006.^[80] The strategy aims to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities through health services, education, employment, vocational training, capacity-building, legislation and accessibility, but does not mention mine/ERW survivors specifically. However, the AMAE contributed to the strategy, and informs mine survivors of the strategy and their rights.^[81] Since 2006 there has been a National Council for the Affairs of People with Disabilities headed by the Deputy Prime Minister.^[82]

At least 380 services were provided to mine/ERW survivors in 2006, including 28 medical, 273 physical rehabilitation, 48 psychosocial and at least 31 economic reintegration services. Two survivors received medical care through Night of 1000 Dinners funding. At the National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center 231 prosthetic/orthotic fittings were carried out, including 13 for survivors.^[83] At the Prosthetic Support Center 120 device repairs were carried out. A total of 20 survivors received rehabilitation services at the Institute for Rehabilitation in Slovenia. VMA- Kukësi provided support to nearly all its mine survivor members: 72 survivors received physiotherapy, 48 orthopedic services, 48 counseling, 53 training on prosthetic maintenance, 31 economic reintegration and an unspecified number of children received catch-up classes. In addition, 26 sight-impaired survivors were screened and 10 assisted at the private Russian IGLI Clinic.^[84]

Thirty village nurses in the mine/ERW-affected Kukës district provide emergency first aid. Trauma surgery is available at Kukës Regional Hospital, Krumë (Has), and Bajram Curri (Tropojë) Hospitals. Difficult cases are evacuated by air to the National Trauma Center at the Central University Military Hospital in Tirana. Corrective surgery, only available at the Mother Theresa Hospital in Tirana, is reportedly sufficient to address current needs.^[85]

The National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center in Tirana is the only major prosthetics center in Albania. In Kukës there is the Prosthetic Support Center. Kukës Rehabilitation Unit was scheduled for completion by March 2008. There is one physiotherapist each at Kukës Regional Hospital and Bajram Curri Hospitals.^[86] Staff from Kukës Regional Hospital provide home visits to mine survivors.^[87]

The National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center has limited technical capacity; some survivors are referred to the Institute for Rehabilitation in Slovenia.^[88] In 2006 it was reported that the center has “been deteriorating over the last few years to unacceptable levels.” A new building was planned for 2007.^[89] Raw materials and equipment, funded by the European Commission, for at least two years’ work arrived in December 2006.^[90]

Most clients at the National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center and Prosthetic Support Center are mine survivors; many need frequent repairs to their devices due to the difficult terrain. This highlights the high need for adequate local rehabilitation facilities in mine/ERW affected regions.^[91]

Improvements to the rehabilitation and prosthetic-orthotic capacities in Albania were undertaken through the project Access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Albania-Phase I (2006-2008), launched in May 2006 by the ministries of health and education in cooperation with Handicap International (HI). In 2006 six prosthetic-orthotic technicians from Kukës Hospital, Tirana NOPC and from Pogradec prosthetic-orthotic workshop started a physiotherapy bachelor degree at the Faculty of Nursing in Tirana.^[92]

VMA-Kukësi is the only local NGO providing survivor assistance in Kukës region. It provides psychological support, economic reintegration, medical and rehabilitation services, as well as informing people with disabilities of their rights and the resources available to them. In 2006 a new vocational training program provided English and/or computer skills.^[93]

The Tirana-based Albanian Disability Rights Foundation provides rights training, counseling and legal services. It runs a wheelchair workshop employing only people with disabilities, including mine survivors. The Foundation included a funding appeal for a project to raise awareness of mine/ERW survivors’ rights in the UN 2007 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects.^[94] In 2006 a National Disability Council supported by the European Disability Forum started a two-year project to support national umbrella disability organizations in the western Balkans.

In this reporting period the Albanian government increased its financial commitment to survivor assistance (see below).

Funding and Assistance

Landmine Monitor identified international donations totaling $2,298,716 (€1,829,751) for mine action in Albania in 2006, as reported by three countries. This is a substantial decrease from 2005 ($5,316,712 provided by three countries and the European Commission).^[95] International donors in 2006 were:

• Germany: €200,000 ($251,260) to DanChurchAid for mine clearance;^[96]
• Slovenia: SIT1,107,003 ($5,756) for mine action and coordination;^[97]
• US: $2,041,700 via ITF, consisting of $1,475,000 to DanChurchAid for mine clearance, $188,000 to VMA-Kukësi for MRE, $210,000 to HI for victim assistance, and $168,700 to support NOPC and the Kukësi and Tropoje hospitals.^[98]

France reported contributing €38,137 ($47,912) for victim assistance in Southeast Europe in 2006, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia; amounts for each country were not specified.^[99]

The 2006 end-year review of the UN’s Portfolio of Mine Action Projects reported that Albania received 52 percent ($4,241,767) of funds requested through the appeal process in 2006 from donor states, the EC, UN agencies and unidentified sources.^[100]

The ITF allocated $3,336,558 (11.6 percent) of its funds in 2006 to mine action in Albania, a substantial increase from 2005 ($1,816,174). Some 87 percent of ITF funding for Albania in 2006 was spent on mine/ERW clearance, 11 percent on victim assistance and 2 percent on MRE. Donations were received from the EC, Germany, Slovenia, UK, US and several NGOs and private donors.^[101]

The 2007 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects included 13 projectappeals for Albania totaling $2,947,666, of which $43,000 had been funded at the time of publication (November 2006).^[102]

National Contribution to Mine Action

In 2006, AMAE reported mine action funding from the government of $233,000. In addition it has partially funded phase 1 of Access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation project, on an ongoing basis (amount not specified). In early 2007 the Ministry of Health provided $35,000 to enlarge the Kukës prosthetic repair workshop. In April 2007 the government allocated $250,000 for rebuilding the National Orthotic-Prosthetic Center in Tirana, after this failed to gain international support in 2006.^[103]

National contributions to the mine action program from 2001 to 2006 were reported as $1,566,075.^[104] Albania assesses the value of its contributions to mine action as totaling over $1.8 million from 1999 to 2005. Additional in-kind contributions valued at over $100,000 per year included helicopter support and, since 2005, explosive materials, as well as $200,000 per year for victim assistance.^[105]

The mine action law approved in March 2007 states that “the costs of AMAE will be funded from the national budget, supplemented by international donations and funding, where available.”^[106] Albania’s national completion plan 2007-2010 was budgeted at $7,177,174, of which $2,676,525 had been funded as of December 2006, including $1,190,000 from the government and $1,486,527 from international donors. Albania reported that fulfillment of the plan depended on availability of funding for the plan’s annual activities; “reduction in funding in any year would push the target date beyond August 2010, calling for a request for extension of clearance deadlines.”^[107]