Adriatic coastline with newly independent Kosovo

The Rreshen-Kalimash Highway

Albania will seek a new  €250 million commercial loan to finance the construction of a highway connecting its Adriatic coastline with newly independent Kosovo, the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday . The170-kilometre highway, which will link the port of Durres with Albanian-majority Kosovo, is the country’s biggest public works project in decades. Albania has spent €328 million already this year on the road, some 89 percent of its capital expenditure budget.

“The Albanian Government represented by the Ministry of Finance is requesting an offer for financing of various capital expenditure needs for the year 2009,”  the ministry said in a statement. “Proceeds… will be used in accordance with the priorities defined in the National Strategy for Development and Integration.”

Albania had originally sought to finance the road with revenues from the privatization of public companies, but negotiations for the sale of Albanian Power utility, valued at around €102 million, have stalled. Almost 200 million of the cost has been raised as syndicated commercial loans at high interest rates, attracting criticism from international financial bodies concerned about the country’s monetary stability.

There is no clear estimate of the total cost of the road, which opponents have slammed as a white elephant that will fail to return on the huge investment. Experts think Albania will need to invest another €250 million to complete the project, due to be finalised in the summer of 2009.

The project has already been tainted by a corruption scandal involving former Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha, who is charged with abuse of power and breaking tender rules relating to the project. The charges filed against Basha indicate that one particular 60-kilometer section of the highway will cost Albania over €1 billion.

Kejsi Tola talks to public

Right after winning the 47th edition of Festivali I Kenges thus being named as the 2009 Albanian representative in the Eurovision Song Contest, sixteen year old Kejsi Tola spoke to Shekulli about herself, her song and her plans for Moscow.

Me merr ne enderr, the 2009 Albanian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest will be performed in English, according to Kejsi Tola. It is a love song about the longing between two people who are in love but can’t be close to each other, so they meet in their dreams. The English lyrics have not been penned yet.

Kejsi is just sixteen years old and started singing at the age of 10. She has won many awards in prestigious festivals in Albania such as the Voices of the youths, Tirana Festival and Festival of children. She is also the winner of Friday night fever, the Albanian edition of Idol, the same as Anzeja Sahini and Luiz Ellis who also went on to win FiK and represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest. The young Albanian artist has been trained as an opera singer: “I study Canto, in fact classical music, and I’m in a great dilemma as to what to do; should I continue studying classical music or pop? But what I can say is that I will always remain with music, I couldn’t imagine my life without it.” But when it comes to the genre closer to her heart, it is undoubtedly pop: “I think that pop music is the genre that suits me best. Besides that I can also sing rock and many other genres, but I find myself coming back to pop.” she confesses.

After she won Festivali I Kenges, Kejsi received criticism for “not moving much on stage: “It’s true, but that was mostly because of my emotions and the responsibility of performing in such a large spectacle. It was the final night after all.”, the young singer admits.

Besides being very young and consequently inexperienced, Kejsi is said to be shy by nature so she would like to be accompanied by more people on the Eurovision stage: “Of course I’d like to have some sort of performance, because my song is a rhythmic one and one that is strong all around. I think it would be nice to have something besides just me on the stage; it would be a great plus. A performance will help especially as people think that I’m shy by nature, but I don’t know, that’s just how I am.” she says.

Currently, Kejsi Tola is working on her entry. The song has to be cut down to three minutes to conform with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest and a new radio version is being prepared. An album is not included in her immediate plans, although she has been promised one by Top Channel: “If I’m given the opportunity to record an album at the moment I believe that I’ll wait some time, because I don’t want my songs to be recorded in a hurry, but would rather wait and make an album of songs from various festivals I’ve been competing in. Besides, I’m still young, and I know I will have plenty of time for albums in the future.” says Kejsi.

A very special thanks to Liridon Mustafa for the translation and Altin Hazizaj, president of OGAE Albania, for the inspiration.
Kejsi Tola – Më merr në ëndërr

Unë jam e jotja çdo ditë që kalon
Unë jam me ty kur larg të kam
Edhe një çast nëse ti më mungon
Unë mbyll dy sytë të ndjej pranë

Asgjë më shumë jo, nga ty nuk kerkoj
Asgjë më shumë se sa një çast
Kur ti je larg vetëm ty të mendoj
Unë mbyll dy sytë
Mbyll dy sytë të ndjej pranë
Të ndjej

Sa herë ti, ti më fton
Sa herë më merr ti në ëndërr
Jo, jo, ti mos më zgjo
Nga kjo magji e dashurisë

Sa herë ti, ti më fton
Sa herë më merr ti në ëndërr
Jo, jo, ti mos më zgjo
Nga kjo magji e dashurisë

Më kërko në pafundësi
Më kërko unë do vij

Kejsi Tola – Take me in your dreams (Translation by Liridon Mustafa)

I am yours with every day that goes by,
And I’m with you, when you are far
And if for a moment you’re not with me,
I close my eyes and feel you near
I don’t ask anything more from you,
Nothing more than just this moment
When you are far I can only think of you,
I close my eyes
I close my eyes and feel you, feel you near
Every time you invite me,
Every time you take me into your dreams
No, no, don’t wake me up,
From this magic of love
Search for me in endlessness,
Search for me and I’ll come

source : http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12797