Gogu: Strengthening Human Rights Standards Is Key to Albania’s EU Path
Toni Gogu met with Mattias Guyomar in Strasbourg. During the meeting, the two officials discussed the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. They also reviewed the execution of rulings issued by the European Court of Human Rights and the progress of Albania’s justice reform. Furthermore, Gogu described the …
Gonzato: Protecting Refugees Is a Moral Duty and Part of Albania’s EU Journey
Silvio Gonzato took part in an event marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. UNHCR Albania, Albania’s Ministry of Interior, and other partners organized the event in Tirana. During his remarks, Gonzato stressed that the Refugee Convention remains a cornerstone of international protection for people fleeing persecution, violence, …
Headline: Gogu: Follow the Money to Fight Organized Crime
Justice Minister Toni Gogu took part in the informal meeting of the Council of Europe’s Justice Ministers. He spoke during a panel on the role of financial intelligence in combating money laundering and financial crime. During his remarks, Gogu stressed that the main challenge today is not collecting financial information. …
EU Enlargement Commissioner: Albania Takes Important Step Toward EU Membership
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Albania has recently made significant progress on its path toward European Union membership. According to Kos, Albania met the Interim Benchmarks Assessment Report (IBAR) requirements on the rule of law. As a result, the country can now begin the process of closing …
European Parliament Reaffirms Support for Albania’s EU Path, Says Schieder
Andreas Schieder said the European Parliament will reaffirm Albania’s strong commitment to the European Union. Speaking during a plenary session of the European Parliament, Schieder praised Albania’s progress in the accession process. He noted that the country opened all negotiation clusters within just 13 months. In addition, Albania recently achieved …
Kosovo and European Commission Review EU Support and Reform Progress
Kosovo and the European Commission held the annual meeting of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Monitoring Committee. The meeting focused on the implementation of EU financial and technical support for Kosovo. In addition, participants reviewed reforms that support Kosovo’s path toward European integration. Since 2007, the European Union has …
Germany Reaffirms Strong Support for Albania’s EU Membership
Ferit Hoxha met with Günter Krichbaum during his visit to Luxembourg. The two officials discussed Albania’s path toward European Union membership. They also reviewed the current momentum of the EU enlargement process. Furthermore, Hoxha said they exchanged views on the opportunities created by the renewed focus on enlargement across Europe. …
The False Civil Society and the Real One
In Albania, real civic society is no longer in donor-funded conference rooms. It is in the streets. By Mrika Temali Tirana Times, June 16, 2026 – Thirty-five years after the fall of communism, Albania offers a bitter paradox. The European Union, Western governments and international foundations have spent millions indeed …
UEFA Inspects Albania’s Stadiums Ahead of EURO U-21 2027
UEFA representatives continued inspections in Albania as preparations advance for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2027, which Albania will co-host. First, UEFA experts visited stadiums over a four-day inspection tour. They assessed technical and operational readiness for the tournament. They focused on lighting systems, backup generators, security measures, and other …
Housing prices continue to rise as tourism drives property market demand
TIRANA, June 16 – Housing prices in Albania continued to rise during 2025. At the same time, transaction volumes fell in the second half of the year. The Bank of Albania said the trend requires more time and data to determine whether it reflects a slowdown or a correction after …
TIRANA, June 19 – The National Library of Albania took part in the Annual Conference of Directors of European National Libraries in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the European National Libraries network brings together national libraries across Europe. The conference aims to strengthen institutional cooperation. In addition, it promotes innovation and supports the …
TIRANA, June 19 – The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Public Information held a hearing with Pavol Szalai, representative of Reporter Without Borders, on the media situation in Albania. Meanwhile, Szalai leads the organization’s Central Europe office, which covers Albania and other Western Balkan countries. He said his visit …
Tirana, June 19 – Prime Minister Edi Rama gave an interview to Italian news agency Adnkronos in Rome during the FII Priority Europe investment forum organised by the FII Institute. Meanwhile, Rama commented on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s view that the Italy-Albania migration agreement paved the way for later …
TIRANA, June 19 – Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj said the government has decided to end the Fuel Transparency Board. The mechanism had operated for several months to monitor and regulate fuel prices in the market. Speaking after the government meeting, Ibrahimaj said the decision followed a period …
TIRANA, June 18 – The government has not yet approved a final project for a possible tourist resort in Zvërnec, Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said. Speaking after the government meeting, Ibrahimaj said the process remains in the study and design phase. She added that no final project has …
TIRANA, June 19 – Defence Minister Ermal Nufi took part in the 35th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels, where defence ministers from NATO member states and partner countries discussed the latest security developments and the situation in Ukraine. Following the meeting, Nufi said Albania reaffirms its …
Albania’s women’s national football team learned their opponents for the first and second rounds of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 play-offs on Thursday. Following the draw at UEFA headquarters, Albania will face Wales in the first round. If the Albanian side advances, it will meet the winner of …
TIRANA, June 19 – July has brought increased activity to travel agencies in Kukës as emigrants return for their summer holidays. Agency staff report stronger demand for bookings and travel services from people visiting their families during this period. Meanwhile, agencies have also recorded growing interest from local residents planning …
TIRANA, June 19 – The government has approved three new laws on European companies, Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj announced. She said the measures aim to align Albanian legislation with European Union standards and strengthen cooperation between Albanian and European companies. Ibrahimaj said the package is part of a …
TIRANA, June 19 – As the summer tourism season begins, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports continues to focus on the management of public coastal areas. In Kavaja’s public beaches, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja conducted site visits and spoke with residents and visitors about the implementation …