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 …
Fuel prices cut, diesel at 180 ALL per litre, petrol at 168 ALL per litre
TIRANA, June 16 – The Transparency Board has decided to reduce fuel prices in Albania. It cut diesel by 3 ALL per litre and petrol by 2 ALL per litre. Under the decision, diesel will sell at a maximum retail price of 180 ALL per litre. The board set the …
Albania U-19 Draw Armenia and Cyprus in Euro 2027 Qualifiers
Albania’s U-19 national team learned its opponents for the second round of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2027 qualifiers. UEFA held the draw in Nyon, Switzerland. It placed Albania U-19 in Group 6 of League B. First, Albania will face Armenia and Cyprus in the group stage. The team will …
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a large Hellenistic temple at Bushat in northern Albania, providing new insights into Illyrian history. The excavation team from the University of Warsaw and the University of Tirana made the discovery during the latest research season at a site that many scholars believe was …
Blendi Gonxhja announced that Albania welcomed more than 3 million foreign visitors between January and May 2026. Speaking at Tirana International Airport, Gonxhja said connectivity drives tourism growth. He described the arrival of the first direct flight from Canada to Tirana as a historic milestone for both civil aviation and …
Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the inaugural ceremony of the first direct flight between Tirana and Toronto, describing it as a new bridge connecting Albania and Canada. Speaking at Tirana International Airport, Rama said Albania has joined the map of transatlantic flights for the first time. He noted that what …
Albania has entered the era of transatlantic flights with the launch of the first direct route between Tirana and Toronto. At the inauguration ceremony, Enea Karakaçi described the new service as a historic milestone for Albanian civil aviation and a major opportunity for tourism, business, and people-to-people connections between Albania …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has praised Kapllani Guesthouse in Berat as a successful example of traditional hospitality and rural tourism development in Albania. In a social media post, Rama described the family-run guesthouse as a model of authentic tourism. The guesthouse welcomes both domestic and international visitors and offers traditional …
Albania and France have strengthened their cultural partnership through a new agreement on film co-production. The Albanian Council of Ministers approved the agreement with the French government, creating a new legal and financial framework to support joint film projects between the two countries. Under the agreement, co-produced works will receive …
The Albanian government has approved a direct loan agreement with the United States under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. The agreement provides $302 million to support Albania’s defense modernization and strengthen its military capabilities. Under the deal, Albania’s Ministry of Finance will sign the agreement on behalf of the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albania has completed an important phase of tourism transformation and must now move toward a new stage of development focused on higher revenues and higher-spending visitors. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Tirana–Toronto route at Tirana International Airport, Rama stressed that Albania should now …
Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albania has completed an important phase of tourism transformation and must now move toward a new stage of development focused on higher revenues and higher-spending visitors. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Tirana–Toronto route at Tirana International Airport, Rama stressed that Albania should now …
Cities across Albania will host a wide range of cultural, entertainment, and sporting events this weekend, offering activities for residents and visitors of all ages. One of the highlights is the Wheat Festival in Fier, which takes place at the Archaeological Park of Apollonia on Friday evening. Now in its …