Albania
Albania
Albania is considered to be the most Western-aligned, pro-EU of the Balkan nations.[1] However, there have been calls to increase Russia-Albanian economic cooperation and secure Russian investment from Prime Minister Edi Rama, as well as an attempt to increase goodwill through branches of the Association of Russia-Albania Friendship.[2] Rama has also been critical of the sanctions regime against Russia .[3] Propaganda claiming that Albanian diasporas have territorial ambitions in neighboring countries have been used to create divides in Macedonia and elsewhere.[4] Additionally, an investigation has been launched into allegations of opposition political parties receiving Russian financial support.[5] As such, Russian disinformation seems to have scapegoated Albania in other countries more than it has directly targeted it. However, Albania has reacted to more nefarious Russian activities, notably expelling two Russian diplomats in 2018 following the Skripal poisoning.[6]
[1] http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR_163_RETURN_TO_INSTABILITY.pdf
[2] http://www.albaniannews.com/index.php?idm=6635&mod=2
[3] Ibid
[4] https://codastory.com/disinformation-crisis/information-war/russian-propaganda-exploits-ethnic-tensions-to-keep-macedonia-looking-inward-not-westward
[5] https://euobserver.com/foreign/141820
[6] http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-expels-russian-diplomats-over-skripal-attack-03-26-2018