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Rama: We will not allow the wild behavior of a minority to damage Albania’s reborn tourism

Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced a new package of legal punishments for all those persons or subjects who throw garbage on the street. He says that the “wild behavior” of a minority cannot be tolerated, which through such actions damage the image of “Albania reborn by tourism”. The head …

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Burned tens of hectares of forest, two arrested in Himare

Two people have been arrested as suspected perpetrators of arson in Kudhes village in Himare.  They lit a fire on a rented forest area, with the aim of regenerating the pasture, and as a result dozens of hectares were burned in the territory of Kudhës village. Meanwhile, a forest inspector …

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Flux in the Port of Vlora, over 1000 people have arrived this morning

About 1400 people and 320 vehicles have arrived this morning at the Port of Vlora with two ferries of the Brindisi-Vlora line.  The weekend marked another influx in the Port of Vlora. From the information of the port authorities, in the first two weeks of August, about 30% more passengers …

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Analysis: Continued detention of elected mayor strains Albanian-Greek relations

TIRANA, Aug. 16, 2023 — The arrest and three-month-long pretrial detention of Fredi Beleri, the elected mayor of Himara, a coastal town in southwestern Albania, has ignited a diplomatic row between Albania and Greece and has prompted scrutiny on political influence on Albania’s justice system.  Beleri is a key figure …

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Multiple arrests made in high-profile corruption case linked to hospital sterilization concession

TIRANA, Aug. 17, 2023 – In a significant move that follows years of public accusations on ruling party officials, Albania’s Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has made several arrests connected to a contentious hospital sterilization concession granted eight years ago. Among those arrested were former Deputy Minister …

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Op/Ed: The Beleri case as bellwether for democracy in Albania

By GENC POLLO The standard definition of a political prisoner is “someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner’s detention”. If it still holds Albania might have gotten one. Fredi Beleri, who ran on an opposition ticket in the local …

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SPAK-Guardia di Finanza Operation, six arrested on drug trafficking

New details have been revealed from the international anti-drug operation developed by the Albanian police in cooperation with the Italian Guardia Di Financa and the American DEA. Journalist Xhensila Kodra reports that the 4 rafts left on Tuesday afternoon from Patoku, while the sailboat left from Montenegro.  More than 20 …

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Father and son arrested for cannabis cultivation

Father and son were arrested this Wednesday morning for cannabis cultivation in Lazarat village.  The 51-year-old and the 28-year-old were caught by drones used in the operation, tending to the 50 cannabis plants they had planted in the yard of their apartment. The drug was seized as material evidence while …

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“We will punish anyone who violates the law”, Balla visits injured policeman in Himara

The Minister of the Interior Taulant Balla and the Director DVP Vlora Ermal Muçaj were present at the Vlora Regional Hospital, to visit the Police officer, who is receiving treatment at this hospital, after he was stabbed yesterday evening during the out-of-hours intervention to prevent the escalation of a conflict. …

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Teen died as two Jet Skis collide in Himara

A 16-year-old man who was driving one of the two Jet Skis that collide on Tuesday afternoon on the beach of Llamani in Himare has died. The 16-year-old was transported to Tirana but could not survive. Initially, it was reported that they jumped from the cliff into the sea, but …