Gonxhja: AADF Key Partner in Sustainable Transformation of Culture and Urban Development
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Blendi Gonxhja met with AADF Board Director Michael Granoff to discuss long-standing cooperation in cultural heritage and development projects. He said the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) plays a key role in driving sustainable transformation in culture, education, and urban development in Albania. He said …
Play-Out Matches Set for Kategoria e Parë: Dates, Times and Stadiums Confirmed
The Competition Department at the Albanian Football Association (FSHF) has confirmed the schedule for the play-out stage of Kategoria e Parë. Kukësi will face Bylis B at Vorë Stadium. Luftëtari will play against Sopoti at “Flamurtari” Stadium in Vlora. Both matches will take place on May 9 at 16:00. The …
Police Oversight Agency awards certificates to 23 officers
TIRANA, May 6 – The Police Oversight Agency held a ceremony marking the completion of a training cycle for 23 security officers. The agency reported that 19 officers from its structures and four officers from the Kosova Police Inspectorate received certificates after completing a three-week training course on crime investigation. …
Himara Opens 2026 Tourist Season with Three Days of Festivities
Himara has officially opened its 2026 summer tourist season with a three-day program of cultural, sports, and entertainment events. The municipality organized the activities on May 1, 2, and 3 across key coastal areas of the city. The program included concerts, fairs, children’s events, outdoor cinema, light festivals, and water …
Four Albanian heritage elements move toward UNESCO nomination
TIRANA, May 6 – The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the Albanian-American Development Foundation signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement advances the preparation of a second package of nomination files for UNESCO. The process targets the Intangible Cultural Heritage List and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of …
Education services agreement with Albanian-American Development Foundation, PM Rama: Cambridge excellence for services in education
TIRANA, May 6 – The Albanian-American Development Foundation and the Ministry of Education signed an agreement in Tirana. The agreement focuses on the modernization of assessment systems in the new National Agency for Education Services. It aims to strengthen digital transformation in education and reinforce merit-based principles in the system. …
Albania and New Jersey National Guard mark 25 years of partnership, Nufi highlights cooperation with United States
TIRANA, May 6 – The Albanian Armed Forces and the New Jersey National Guard marked 25 years of partnership under the State Partnership Program. The anniversary highlighted long-term cooperation in defence and security. A United States delegation visited Albania for the occasion. Brigadier General Yvonne Mays led the delegation as …
Tax Relief on Inheritance and Gifts Cuts Budget Revenue in 2025
New tax relief measures reduced state revenue from inheritance and property gifts in 2025. First, authorities expanded tax exemptions. As a result, revenue dropped sharply. Data from the General Directorate of Taxes show collections at 16.2 million lekë in 2025. This marks a fall from 35.8 million lekë in 2024. …
Rinas Rail Station Project Opens, €91.6 Million Budget Allocated
Hekurudha Shqiptare has opened a procurement procedure for the detailed design and construction of the Rinas airport railway station. The project is part of the Tirana–Durrës–Rinas rail line. The allocated budget for this phase stands at around 91.6 million lekë. The authority says the new station is essential to improve …
Nufi: Further Consolidation of Cyber Defence Capabilities
Defence Minister Ermal Nufi visited the Cyber Operations Centre, part of the Cyber and Communications Command at the Ministry of Defence. He assessed progress in building cyber defence capabilities. He said the country has made significant advances in protecting defence ministry and armed forces infrastructure. He praised the results achieved …
Albania’s Special Prosecution has issued 20 arrest warrants and seized over 100 million euros in assets as it maps out alleged drug money flowing into major construction projects across Albania, including a resort promoted by relatives of Donald Trump. Original post Here
Albania hosted the 42nd EYCA Conference and General Assembly for the first time. The event focused on international youth cooperation, the exchange of ideas, and stronger youth policies. The conference brought together representatives from different countries to discuss opportunities and challenges facing young people. Among the participants were Erjona Ismaili …
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 …
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, …
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. …
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 …
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 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 …
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. …
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 …