(4 Apr 1997) Natural Sound
Tirana's military academy reopened on Friday, with a ceremony attended by the country's Defence Secretary and Chief of Staff. The academy had been shut since March 12 when it was looted and ransacked by a mob.
At today's ceremony around 200 cadets, while colleagues demonstrated the training they're undergoing before joining the planned multi-national force.
The dilapidated academy was severely damaged in last month's attack, with the looters taking all the weapons inside.
The Albanian army set foot in its training academy for the first time in three weeks on Friday. It was a ceremonial "re-opening" of their headquarters since it was forced to close down after being ransacked by a mob of looters.
Around 200 cadets lined up in the parade ground where they saluted the Albanian flag and sang the national anthem.
The ceremony was attended by Albania's top military brass - including chief of staff, Adem Copani and the State Secretary for Defence, Ali Kazazi.
After basic repairs instructors and cadets were able to return to the classroom - and the training field.
The dilapidated buildings housing Albania's military training school are still severely damaged following the attack. A mob - believed to be supporters of President Berisha's Democratic Party - looted the academy of its weapons and smashed windows and furniture.
After the ceremony, officers wasted no time in putting the troops through their paces. They were out in the nearby training grounds for a whole range of exercises in preparation for the daunting task ahead - working alongside the multinational force being deployed in Albania to try and restore law and order.
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