Hillary Clinton collected honors and awards
with regularity while she served as secretary of state as well over the
two years immediately after she left that post. Since she launched her
presidential campaign in April 2015, the primary honors she as been
awarded have been the endorsements of her fellow Democrats from many walks of life.
Over the past week, however, she was honored by a town in Albania which erected a bust in recognition of her work for Albanians.
The
Mayor of Saranda Florjana Koka, centre , poses with other local
dignitaries after a ceremony unveiling a bust of U.S. presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton in honor of her contribution in the
international arena for the Albanian nation in the town of Saranda
Albania Thursday, June 30, 2016. (AP Photo)
SARANDA,
Albania (AP) — A bust of U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
was unveiled Thursday in the main square of Albania's southernmost city
of Saranda to honor what officials say is her contribution to Albania in
the international arena.
The
Saranda city council decided unanimously more than a month ago to erect
the bust to depict Clinton's "dimension as a woman in politics, as a
representative of the old Albania-U.S. friendship, for her contribution
to the Albanian nation in different historical moments." Their efforts
were aided by a local non-governmental organization and city hall.
Saranda
Mayor Florjana Koka said Clinton's bust was a way of sending thanks "to
the American people and government for what they have done for the
Albanian people and nation." She specifically mentioned Clinton's
involvement with the Albanian community's issues in the United States,
her promotion of the role of women, her denunciation of the Serb
genocide and protection of Kosovo's independence.
French
President François Hollande endorsed Hillary Clinton in a newspaper
article published Thursday, likening Republican Donald Trump’s nativist
bombast to anti-immigrant movements across Europe.
Hollande said
“the best thing the Democrats can do is to get Hillary Clinton elected”
in the article, published Thursday in France’s Les Echos
newspaper. The socialist president also said electing Trump “would
complicate relations between Europe and the U.S." and agreed with the
notion that it would be dangerous.
Trump’s isolationist rhetoric
likely sounds familiar to Hollande, who faces strong opposition from
Marine Le Pen, the outspoken leader of France’s National Front party. Le
Pen, a vocal immigration opponent, has called for France to follow in
the footsteps of the United Kingdom and leave the European Union.
