TIRANA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- All online public services and government websites in Albania were closed on Sunday following a synchronized cyber attack from outside the country, the Albanian National Agency for the Information Society (AKSHI) said in a press statement.
"In order to withstand these unprecedented and dangerous strikes, we have been forced to close down government systems until the enemy attacks are neutralized," the statement read.
According to AKSHI, the agency has been forced to close down the official websites of the government including the website of the Prime Minister's Office, of the country's Parliament, as well as the governmental portal e-Albania, which is used by all Albanians and foreign residents for public services.
"The national agency is currently working together with the Microsoft team, the Jones Group International team, and the teams of Albanian companies in the ICT field to prevent this cyber attack from damaging or compromising the Albanian systems of information," added the statement.
As of May 1, the Albanian government has decided to close the majority of civil state offices across the country that provided several services and documents to the citizens, giving this major role to the governmental online portal e-Albania. ■