Tirana airport partially reopens despite air traffic control strike

Albania’s sole airport, in the capital, Tirana, reopened for essential and emergency flights on Thursday after a strike by air traffic controllers, with commercial flights expected to resume on Friday, a government official said. About 70 air traffic controllers went on strike on Wednesday after their monthly wages were halved to around $2,490 due to a 57% reduction in air traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the strike, the government took over the control tower. A Reuters reporter saw armoured vehicles and police there. Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku announced a resumption of emergency flights for Thursday, and commercial flights for Friday morning.<br/>