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Rama Reacts to Student Protests: No Force in the World Can Bring Albania Down Again

Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted on social media to the ongoing protests by university and high school students in Tirana. Rama published a message expressing his love for Albania, accompanying the post with a photograph of a fallen road sign. “I loved Albania unconditionally when it had been brought …

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Student Protests: Albania’s Interreligious Council Calls for Dialogue, Peace and Listening to Young People

Albania’s religious leaders have issued a joint statement regarding the situation arising from student protests held across the country in recent days. In the statement, religious leaders called for peace, justice, responsibility and dialogue. The Interreligious Council stressed that young people must be heard and that institutions must provide responses …

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Tirana Student Protests: 56 Arrested, 97 Others Face Criminal Proceedings

Tirana Police have issued an official statement regarding protesters detained during Thursday’s protests. According to police, 56 people have been arrested and criminal proceedings have been initiated against 97 others. In the statement, police said protesters had engaged in acts of violence, throwing stones, hard objects and pyrotechnic devices at …

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Ilir Panda Takes Over as President of the Supreme Court as Sokol Sadushi Hands Over Office

Sokol Sadushi officially handed over his duties as President of the Supreme Court to Ilir Panda during a ceremony held this Friday in Tirana, in the Joint Chambers Hall. The ceremony was attended by Supreme Court judges, legal advisers, and members of the court’s administrative staff. The handover marks the …

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127 Arrested in Tirana, Public Order Director: Communication Channels Identified Calling for Terrorist Acts

The Director of the Department for Public Order and Security, Dhimitraq Ziu, said in a public statement on Friday that 127 people have so far been arrested in Tirana, while another 244 have been placed under investigation without being detained. The senior police official also stated that the Cybercrime Investigation …

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Interior Minister Demo: 156 injured in four days of protests, urges parents not to let children be used in violence

Interior Minister Ervin Demo has once again responded to the protests and violent incidents reported over the past four days. In a statement, Demo provided an overview of the situation, revealing that 156 people had been injured, including 97 police officers, 45 protesters and 12 bystanders. The minister paid particular …

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QSUT: 11 injured during protest, including 3 minors, 3 police officers and 2 bystanders

Tirana University Hospital Centre (QSUT) has updated its figures on the condition of those injured during the protest, as of 6:45 p.m. According to the statement, a total of 11 people have sought medical assistance, including protesters, minors, police officers and bystanders. Full statement: Update / Injuries during the October …

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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’s Students Demand the Fall of Rama and an End to Corruption

A wave of student protests have swept Albania over the last week and escalated into clashes with police. BIRN spoke with some of the protesters to hear what brought them into the streets. Original post Here

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Albania sends first helicopter contingent to NATO mission in Kosova

Albania is expanding its contribution to NATO operations. For the first time, a helicopter contingent will join the KFOR mission in Kosova. Thirteen members of the Albanian Armed Forces will serve at the US military base of Camp Bondsteel. A farewell ceremony at Farka Air Base marked their departure. Defence …

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Central bank governor Sejko assures public deposits are safe

Bank of Albania Governor Gent Sejko has assured the public that deposits in the country’s banking system remain safe. He also pledged that the central bank would continue operating professionally and responsibly to meet the needs of citizens and the economy. Sejko spoke at a meeting in Tirana between Prime …

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Rama: Bank of Albania Was Not Attacked Even in 1997, We Are Facing the Radicalization of Young People

Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the ongoing protests in Albania should not be compared to the unrest of 1997, arguing that the country is facing an entirely different situation. Speaking at a meeting with banking sector executives on Wednesday, Rama said the current developments were linked to the radicalization …

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PM Rama announces tough new measures against violent protesters, including travel restrictions

Prime Minister Edi Rama described the acts of violence during the eight days of protests in Albania as being orchestrated by domestic and foreign elements seeking to destabilize Albania and other European countries. During a meeting with representatives of Albania’s banking sector, Rama announced that the government would soon introduce …

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Bedri Hamza resigns as leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo

Bedri Hamza has resigned as leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). He has also informed the party’s leadership of his decision. During a press conference, Hamza said that people must know when it is their responsibility to take on a leadership role and when it is time to …

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UN Security Council reviews Kosova report

The United Nations Security Council discussed Kosova on Tuesday, focusing on political developments, security and dialogue with Serbia. Peter Due, head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosova (UNMIK), presented the Secretary-General’s report covering March 16 to September 15, 2026. The report described overall security as stable but …

News
Albanian Lek (ALL) strengthens against foreign currencies

The Albanian Lek strengthened against foreign currencies on the domestic exchange market on Tuesday, according to the Bank of Albania’s official exchange rates. The euro fell by 0.33 ALL to 90.77 ALL, while the US dollar lost 0.38 ALL to trade at 80.90 ALL. The British pound and Swiss franc …

News
More than 20 psychologists offer support to students and minors

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Order of Psychologists, has made a team of more than 20 psychologists available to support people emotionally affected by recent events. The service targets citizens, young people, minors and school students exposed to various forms of violent language and acts. Psychologists will …

News
Kosova’s FM Konjufca accuses Serbia of threatening Kosova and pursuing territorial expansion

Kosova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca accused Serbia of continuing threats against Kosova at a United Nations Security Council meeting. He described a United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosova (UNMIK) report as selective and influenced by Serbian propaganda. Konjufca said Serbia had killed 12,000 unarmed Albanian …

News

Albania’s Students Demand the Fall of Rama and an End to Corruption

A wave of student protests have swept Albania over the last week and escalated into clashes with police. BIRN spoke with some of the protesters to hear what brought them into the streets. Original post Here

News

Albania sends first helicopter contingent to NATO mission in Kosova

Albania is expanding its contribution to NATO operations. For the first time, a helicopter contingent will join the KFOR mission in Kosova. Thirteen members of the Albanian Armed Forces will serve at the US military base of Camp Bondsteel. A farewell ceremony at Farka Air Base marked their departure. Defence …

News

Central bank governor Sejko assures public deposits are safe

Bank of Albania Governor Gent Sejko has assured the public that deposits in the country’s banking system remain safe. He also pledged that the central bank would continue operating professionally and responsibly to meet the needs of citizens and the economy. Sejko spoke at a meeting in Tirana between Prime …

News

Rama: Bank of Albania Was Not Attacked Even in 1997, We Are Facing the Radicalization of Young People

Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the ongoing protests in Albania should not be compared to the unrest of 1997, arguing that the country is facing an entirely different situation. Speaking at a meeting with banking sector executives on Wednesday, Rama said the current developments were linked to the radicalization …

News

PM Rama announces tough new measures against violent protesters, including travel restrictions

Prime Minister Edi Rama described the acts of violence during the eight days of protests in Albania as being orchestrated by domestic and foreign elements seeking to destabilize Albania and other European countries. During a meeting with representatives of Albania’s banking sector, Rama announced that the government would soon introduce …

News

Bedri Hamza resigns as leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo

Bedri Hamza has resigned as leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). He has also informed the party’s leadership of his decision. During a press conference, Hamza said that people must know when it is their responsibility to take on a leadership role and when it is time to …

News

UN Security Council reviews Kosova report

The United Nations Security Council discussed Kosova on Tuesday, focusing on political developments, security and dialogue with Serbia. Peter Due, head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosova (UNMIK), presented the Secretary-General’s report covering March 16 to September 15, 2026. The report described overall security as stable but …

News

Albanian Lek (ALL) strengthens against foreign currencies

The Albanian Lek strengthened against foreign currencies on the domestic exchange market on Tuesday, according to the Bank of Albania’s official exchange rates. The euro fell by 0.33 ALL to 90.77 ALL, while the US dollar lost 0.38 ALL to trade at 80.90 ALL. The British pound and Swiss franc …

News

More than 20 psychologists offer support to students and minors

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Order of Psychologists, has made a team of more than 20 psychologists available to support people emotionally affected by recent events. The service targets citizens, young people, minors and school students exposed to various forms of violent language and acts. Psychologists will …

News

Kosova’s FM Konjufca accuses Serbia of threatening Kosova and pursuing territorial expansion

Kosova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca accused Serbia of continuing threats against Kosova at a United Nations Security Council meeting. He described a United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosova (UNMIK) report as selective and influenced by Serbian propaganda. Konjufca said Serbia had killed 12,000 unarmed Albanian …