Spring Festival names 12 finalists after opening night
TIRANA, June 7 – The Spring Festival returned to the Albanian stage after a 23-year break. It selected 12 finalists on its opening night, in a show marked by nostalgia, live orchestration and competition. The event took place at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. It brought together emerging …
Lake Shkodër receives UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status
TIRANA, June 6 – Lake Shkodër has received UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status, gaining international recognition for one of Albania’s most important natural assets. Meanwhile, Shkodër Mayor Benet Beci describes the decision as a source of pride for the city and for communities living around the lake. He says the designation …
Spring Festival returns to RTSH as 20 artists compete on opening night
TIRANA, June 6 – The Spring Festival returns to the Albanian Public Radio and Television tonight after a long absence. Twenty artists will take the stage in the opening show, which will feature special guests and a mix of classic and contemporary music. Meanwhile, the festival’s hosts, singer Bleona Qereti …
PM Rama: Iran Is Behind Tirana Protests
The prime minister casts the widening unrest as a “hybrid war,” citing antisemitic narratives, claims about resettling Palestinians and AI-manipulated content. Tirana Times, June 6, 2026 — Prime Minister Edi Rama has accused Iran of standing behind the growing protests in Tirana against the proposed Zvërnec tourism project, shifting the …
Western Balkans – EU summit in Montenegro pushes for faster enlargement and reforms
TIRANA, June 6 – European Union and Western Balkan leaders meet in Tivat for the Western Balkans–EU summit. They focus on speeding up enlargement and advancing reforms across candidate countries. Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa says enlargement remains merit-based, but he adds that the process must become faster and …
Nik Xhelilaj and Bleona Qereti host revived RTSH’s Spring Festival
TIRANA, June 6 – The Spring Festival returns to Albania after two decades. It takes place on June 6 and 7 at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana. The event brings together established and emerging artists. Organisers present the festival as a revival of a major cultural …
Rama: Sazan Island Remains State Property, Not for Privatization
Prime Minister Edi Rama said that Sazan Island will remain property of the Albanian state. He stressed that it will not be privatized. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s 35th anniversary event in Vlora, Rama said Sazan is a national asset. Therefore, any development project will be carried out in partnership …
EU Leaders: Albania Next in Line After Montenegro for Membership
Albania received strong support from European Union leaders at the summit in Tivat, Montenegro. EU officials said the country is moving in the right direction toward membership. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s goals are clear. She stated that Montenegro is expected to join the EU …
Rama: No Strategic Investor Status Requested for Zvërnec Project
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said that no request for strategic investor status has been submitted for the Zvërnec project. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s 35th anniversary event in Vlora, Rama rejected criticism of strategic investments. He said that when his government took office, Vlora lacked major …
EU Supports 22 Journalists to Strengthen Independent Media in Albania
The European Union in Albania has supported 22 journalists and media professionals from across the country. Through short-film projects, they highlighted the stories and challenges faced by some of the most vulnerable groups in Albanian society. The initiative was implemented in cooperation with the organizations Albanian Women in Audiovisual and …
TIRANA, June 10 – State Minister for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption Adea Pirdeni reported to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Public Administration on the 2025 annual performance report of the Department of Public Administration. Pirdeni said the report comes shortly after the European Union’s 27 member states approved …
TIRANA, June 10 – Academician Luan Omari, one of the founders of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, celebrated his 101st birthday on Tuesday. Omari was born on June 10, 1925, in Gjirokastër. He completed his early education in Bari and graduated from the Italian high school in Tirana. Later, …
The European Union and the Albanian government reviewed progress on reforms and investments during annual monitoring meetings in Tirana. Officials assessed achievements. They discussed challenges. They also set priorities for the coming year. The meetings focused on the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). …
Foreign direct investment in Albania reached €404 million in the first quarter of 2026. The figure marks an 11.6% increase compared with the same period last year. According to the Bank of Albania balance of payments report, real estate remained the leading destination for foreign investment. The sector attracted €174 …
President Bajram Begaj attended the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia on Tuesday. The summit marked the 30th anniversary of SEECP. Leaders gathered to discuss regional unity, security, and sustainable development. During the meeting, Begaj emphasized the importance of EU integration for the Western Balkans. He also called …
Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted on social media about foreign investments and tourism development. He shared a Greek media article. The article reported new luxury hotel investments in Mykonos by major international brands. First, Rama linked the topic to ongoing debates in Albania over large-scale investments, including the project in …
The Albanian Investment Development Agency (AIDA) launched today its “Aftercare” meetings campaign in Tirana. The initiative follows up on foreign investors and improves their experience in Albania. First, AIDA set the goal of the campaign. It aims to monitor existing foreign investments. It also aims to identify investor needs and …
Managers and executives of institutions and businesses continue to top the list of the highest-paid professions in Albania. Data published by INSTAT in its report “Wage Statistics, First Quarter 2026” show that income disparities remain significant between highly qualified professions and jobs requiring basic skills. According to the data, managers …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:e5f3a318-6513-4bde-9f7b-f91271dd3755-2″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e5f3a318-6513-4bde-9f7b-f91271dd3755-2″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-6″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Albania’s labor market showed signs of slowing down in the first quarter of 2026. Data published by INSTAT indicate that, compared to the end of 2025, unemployment increased, while employment and labor market participation declined. According to the Quarterly Labour …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”f23059fa-d42e-42bc-aa77-a09f92c68c03″ data-turn-id-container=”f23059fa-d42e-42bc-aa77-a09f92c68c03″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-3″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted again this Wednesday on Facebook, emphasizing the need to remain open to foreign investment while comparing economic developments in Greece with the situation in Albania. He stated that the neighboring country continues to successfully attract …