The new Free Ukraine street. Photo: Erion Veliaj.

Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj wrote about Twitter on Monday that the street where the embassies of Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Kosovo are located in the Albanian capital is now called Free Ukraine Street.

“Serbia’s war on Kosovo and Russia’s war on Ukraine defined our generation. The street will define our city,” Veliaj said.

“All embassies will have to change their business cards,” he added.

There has been no reaction from the Russian embassy in Tirana so far, but on Monday Russia included Albania on a list of what it called “enemy states”.

By unanimous vote, @CityOfTirana The Council approved the street name “Free Ukraine” in Tirana 🇦🇱❤️🇺🇦

The sign is now

The street crosses a row of embassies, where there are 4 embassies: Ukraine, Russia, Serbia and Kosova

All will live/work in an address in free Ukraine pic.twitter.com/XRklyjfBjN

— Erion Veliaj #EYC2022 🇪🇺🇦🇱 (@erionveliaj) March 7, 2022

On February 27, Albania joined EU sanctions against Russia, including freezing the assets of more than 650 people and a complete ban on Russian flights.

Economic sanctions include measures in the areas of finance, energy, transport and technology. Albania has also joined the EU and Britain in closing its airspace to all Russian-registered aircraft, excluding only cases in which flights must take place for emergency, humanitarian or medical.

Albania has joined the EU in imposing sanctions on the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and members of the Russian National Security Council.

“The economic sanctions include restrictive measures in the areas of finance, energy, transport and technology. In total, these restrictive measures will apply to 654 people and 52 entities,” said Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka.

Albania’s honorary consulate in the Albanian city of Kharkiv was demolished by Russian missiles on Sunday, and Xhacka said “the perpetrators should be held accountable”.

Albania’s parliament on Monday approved a resolution supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The vote on the resolution was unanimous.

A deputy from the Social Movement for Integration, SMI party, Petrit Vasili, demanded that the resolution include a request to parliament for the Albanian government to “withdraw Albania from the Open Balkan initiative”, which includes Serbia, as well long that “Serbia maintains its support for Russia”. His suggestion was not approved.