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Erdogan Congratulates Kosovo’s New President, Pledges Stronger Ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has congratulated Kosovo President Justina Shiroka-Pula on taking office, expressing confidence that bilateral cooperation will continue to grow. In a congratulatory letter, Erdogan said cooperation between the two countries would further strengthen regional peace and stability. He conveyed his best wishes on behalf of the …

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Rama Meets Luxembourg Prime Minister: Direct Flights to Albania Starting March 2027

Ahead of the intergovernmental conference, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, focusing on bilateral relations and Albania’s path towards European integration. In a social media post, Rama announced that starting in March 2027, Luxembourg will have direct flights to Albania operated by the …

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Rama from Luxembourg: Albania to Close Another Chapter in EU Accession Negotiations Today

Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced from Luxembourg that Albania will close another chapter today as part of its negotiations for accession to the European Union. The head of government expressed optimism about the progress of the process, emphasizing that the goal is to close as many chapters as possible …

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PM Rama: Albania has taken another step towards its place in the European Union

Albania has closed its fourth chapter in the negotiations for accession to the European Union. During the intergovernmental conference with the EU, Prime Minister Edi Rama described this as another step forward on the path towards European integration, emphasizing that the government’s objective is to accelerate the process and close …

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Students protest outside Ministry of Education, tensions with police

Students and young people gathered outside the Ministry of Education in Tirana on Tuesday to protest against problems in the education system and the challenges facing young people in the country. The protest began at around 2:00 PM, with participants holding banners and calling for better conditions at universities, greater …

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Albania–Italy: National libraries sign cooperation agreement to preserve cultural heritage

Albania’s National Library has signed a cooperation agreement with the National Central Library of Florence, with support from the Italian Cultural Institute in Tirana. The agreement aims to strengthen ties between the two institutions and promote the preservation of library and documentary heritage. At the signing ceremony, Italian Cultural Institute …

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EU enlargement accelerates as Albania closes another negotiating chapter

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the European Union’s enlargement process was gaining momentum. She confirmed that Albania was expected to provisionally close another negotiating chapter today, covering enterprise and industrial policy. The decision was due during the 10th Albania–EU Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Montenegro provisionally closed three …

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Albania’s Prosecutor General and media regulator sign agreement to combat digital piracy

Albania’s Prosecutor General, Olsian Çela, has met with Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) Chair Armela Krasniqi and signed a memorandum of cooperation to establish and operate a task force against digital audiovisual piracy. Under the agreement, AMA will report suspected criminal offences to the competent prosecution offices. The authority will also …

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Private operators account for 92.7% of Albania’s rail freight transport

Private operators accounted for 92.7% of Albania’s rail freight transport, measured in tonne-kilometers, in 2025, according to the national statistics agency INSTAT. The figures appear in its report, “Transport in Figures 2025”, which highlights the dominant role of private companies in the sector. Rail freight transport reached 17 million tonne-kilometers …

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Transparency Board sets new fuel price caps

Albania’s Transparency Board has set new fuel price caps, effective from 14:00 on October 13. Diesel may cost no more than ALL 219 per litre at retail and ALL 207 per litre at wholesale. Petrol prices may not exceed ALL 196 per litre at retail and ALL 184 per litre …

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Albania PM Defiant as Protests Spread to Provincial Cities

After the capital endured a third night of violent clashes between student-led protesters and police, Edi Rama vowed not to bow to the demands for him to quit. Original post Here

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Week in Review: Bad Deals and Scandals

Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week takes a look at salacious tales making unpleasant headlines, political deals being mooted and insiders spilling secrets. Original post Here

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Albania’s construction sector grows 36% in four years, among Europe’s fastest expansions

Albania’s construction sector expanded rapidly between 2020 and 2024, ranking among Europe’s fastest-growing markets. The latest Eurostat data show that real construction activity rose by 36% over the four-year period. Eurostat measures construction’s gross value added in real terms, using comparable prices and 2020 as the base year. Albania’s index …

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Albania beat Turkey 4-2 in second futsal friendly in Tirana

Albania’s national futsal team secured a 4-2 victory over Turkey in their second friendly match in Tirana, bouncing back after losing the opening encounter. Shqipron Brahimi opened the scoring for Albania, giving the home side an early boost. Ermir Kryeziu then delivered an impressive performance, scoring twice, while Qendrim Bakia …

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Archives Donate Rare Documents to Albanian Alphabet Museum in Bitola

The General Directorate of Archives (GDA), in cooperation with the Historical and Diplomatic Archives of Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will donate reproductions of rare documents related to the 1908 Congress of Manastir to the Museum of the Albanian Alphabet in Bitola, North Macedonia. The initiative will support …

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Albania marks 68 years of UNESCO membership, highlighting its cultural and natural heritage

Albania joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 68 years ago, becoming part of an international effort to protect cultural and natural heritage around the world. UNESCO safeguards invaluable heritage sites that bear witness to human life and activity across the centuries. The organization has 194 member …

News
Albania’s Interfaith Council calls for peace, justice and national dialogue amid rising tensions

The Interfaith Council of Albania has issued a public statement calling for peace, justice, responsibility and national dialogue. The appeal comes as the country faces protests and rising tensions. Representatives of Albania’s official religious communities urged authorities to take citizens’ and students’ concerns seriously. They called for concrete and transparent …

News
INSTAT: Albania’s tourism growth slows sharply in August despite rise in hotel occupancy

Albania’s hotels and other accommodation facilities recorded a sharp slowdown in tourism growth during the peak summer season. Both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased at much slower rates than a year earlier, according to the country’s statistics agency, INSTAT. The number of visitors staying in Albanian accommodation rose by …

News
Japanese Tea Ceremony Brings Tradition and Philosophy to Tirana

A traditional Japanese tea ceremony brought an authentic taste of Japanese culture to Tirana as part of Japanese Cultural Week, which began on October 14 and runs through October 18. Japanese masters led demonstrations that introduced participants to this centuries-old tradition. The ceremony combined aesthetics, philosophy, mindfulness and harmony. Participants …

News
UN urges restraint and dialogue as tensions escalate during Tirana protest

The United Nations in Albania has expressed concern over acts of violence and rising tensions during protests in Tirana. The organization has called on all parties to avoid violence and engage in constructive dialogue. In its statement, the UN reaffirmed the importance of protecting fundamental rights. These include peaceful assembly, …

News

Albania PM Defiant as Protests Spread to Provincial Cities

After the capital endured a third night of violent clashes between student-led protesters and police, Edi Rama vowed not to bow to the demands for him to quit. Original post Here

News

Week in Review: Bad Deals and Scandals

Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week takes a look at salacious tales making unpleasant headlines, political deals being mooted and insiders spilling secrets. Original post Here

News

Albania’s construction sector grows 36% in four years, among Europe’s fastest expansions

Albania’s construction sector expanded rapidly between 2020 and 2024, ranking among Europe’s fastest-growing markets. The latest Eurostat data show that real construction activity rose by 36% over the four-year period. Eurostat measures construction’s gross value added in real terms, using comparable prices and 2020 as the base year. Albania’s index …

News

Albania beat Turkey 4-2 in second futsal friendly in Tirana

Albania’s national futsal team secured a 4-2 victory over Turkey in their second friendly match in Tirana, bouncing back after losing the opening encounter. Shqipron Brahimi opened the scoring for Albania, giving the home side an early boost. Ermir Kryeziu then delivered an impressive performance, scoring twice, while Qendrim Bakia …

News

Archives Donate Rare Documents to Albanian Alphabet Museum in Bitola

The General Directorate of Archives (GDA), in cooperation with the Historical and Diplomatic Archives of Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will donate reproductions of rare documents related to the 1908 Congress of Manastir to the Museum of the Albanian Alphabet in Bitola, North Macedonia. The initiative will support …

News

Albania marks 68 years of UNESCO membership, highlighting its cultural and natural heritage

Albania joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 68 years ago, becoming part of an international effort to protect cultural and natural heritage around the world. UNESCO safeguards invaluable heritage sites that bear witness to human life and activity across the centuries. The organization has 194 member …

News

Albania’s Interfaith Council calls for peace, justice and national dialogue amid rising tensions

The Interfaith Council of Albania has issued a public statement calling for peace, justice, responsibility and national dialogue. The appeal comes as the country faces protests and rising tensions. Representatives of Albania’s official religious communities urged authorities to take citizens’ and students’ concerns seriously. They called for concrete and transparent …

News

INSTAT: Albania’s tourism growth slows sharply in August despite rise in hotel occupancy

Albania’s hotels and other accommodation facilities recorded a sharp slowdown in tourism growth during the peak summer season. Both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased at much slower rates than a year earlier, according to the country’s statistics agency, INSTAT. The number of visitors staying in Albanian accommodation rose by …

News

Japanese Tea Ceremony Brings Tradition and Philosophy to Tirana

A traditional Japanese tea ceremony brought an authentic taste of Japanese culture to Tirana as part of Japanese Cultural Week, which began on October 14 and runs through October 18. Japanese masters led demonstrations that introduced participants to this centuries-old tradition. The ceremony combined aesthetics, philosophy, mindfulness and harmony. Participants …

News

UN urges restraint and dialogue as tensions escalate during Tirana protest

The United Nations in Albania has expressed concern over acts of violence and rising tensions during protests in Tirana. The organization has called on all parties to avoid violence and engage in constructive dialogue. In its statement, the UN reaffirmed the importance of protecting fundamental rights. These include peaceful assembly, …