The Image of Albania as an EU Candidate in the International Press

Abstract

Nowadays Albania is facing one of its greatest challenges: joining the European Union. This attempt could be the greatest quest of the small nation from the Balkans in this century. Unfortunately, the image of the country is overloaded with negative elements: high criminality, economic disaster and trafficking of drugs, army, organs and human beings. On the other hand, we can see the image of a country working hard to attain its goals, which was really successful in managing all the conflicts that have devastated the Balkans since the fall of Communism. The aim of my proposal is to sketch the way in which Albania is presented to the average European audience, both the negative and the positive one. I also try to outline how this image change in time from a very rough to a considerably milder one.