Royal family returns to Albania

Monarchists in Albania have welcomed the return of the exiled royal family.

The return of Leka Zog, the son of former King Zog, was made possible by an amnesty granted this month for his part in unrest during a referendum five years ago on the future of the monarchy.

He was given the presidential pardon earlier this year for possessing weapons during the unrest. Reports from Albania say less than five-hundred people turned out to greet Leka Zog - his supporters had been hoping he would be greeted by a crowd of several thousand.

Leka Zog, who was only two days old when his family fled Albania during an Italian invasion in 1939, has lived in South Africa for much of the past 20 years.

Two-thirds of Albanian voters rejected the restoration of the monarchy in the 1997 referendum.

Former King Zog was deposed by the Communists in 1946.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service