TIRANA, Albania — Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday pushed Albania to enact a major package of judicial and legislative reforms, backed by US money that also is intended to help the Balkan nation take in Iranian refugees from Iraq.

Kerry, returning to the United States from a four-day trip to Germany, made a brief stop in Albania’s capital to urge the government and opposition parties to support the package now pending in Parliament. Kerry said the reforms represent a significant step forward in Albania’s bid to join the European Union.

The changes include the creation of an anticorruption court and prosecutor’s office as well as an investigative body similar to the FBI in the United States. Washington has provided $20 million in aid for the reforms and $5 million more is budgeted this year.

Albania has also committed to relocate thousands of members of the exiled Mujahedeen-e-Khalq opposition group.

ASSOCIATED PRESS