Peleshi meets German Bundestag Tourism Committee Chair
Speaker of the Albanian Parliament Niko Peleshi met today with Anja Karliczek, Chair of the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Committee on Tourism. He also welcomed members of the German delegation visiting Albania. During the meeting, both sides praised the strong political and economic ties between Albania and Germany. They also highlighted …
POLITICO: Brussels draws up accelerated EU roadmaps for four leading candidates, including Albania
The European Commission is drawing up proposals that would give the four leading EU candidates a clearer, step-by-step path to membership. The plans target Montenegro, Ukraine, Moldova and Albania, according to two senior Commission officials who spoke to POLITICO. The officials work on the draft proposals and spoke anonymously about …
IMF and World Bank complete Albania assessment: Financial system makes progress, modernized payment infrastructure
Bank of Albania Governor Gent Sejko met with representatives of the joint IMF and World Bank mission as Albania completed its Financial Sector Assessment Program, or FSAP. The Albanian authorities requested the assessment, while the Bank of Albania coordinated the process domestically. Senior officials from the Financial Supervisory Authority, the …
Lezhë coast attracts more visitors as August records 20% increase
The Lezhë coast attracted more holidaymakers during the 2026 summer season, with visits to the beaches of Shëngjin and Tale increasing by 14% compared with last year. According to data from the Municipality of Lezhë, August recorded the highest number of visitors during the season. The number of holidaymakers increased …
Building a pathway to peace: Working together to return Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war
By H.E. Mrs. Elissa Golberg, Ambassador of Canada to Italy, Albania, Malta and San Marino; Yulia Gorokhovska, Chargés d’affaires, Embassy of Ukraine in Albania and H.E. Mr. Arne Sannes Bjørnstad, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Croatia and Albania. Every morning at 9:00 a.m., Ukraine stops. Across cities in …
Maran at Press Conference: Respect Must Be Shown to San Marino
Albania will face San Marino on Tuesday evening in their second Group C1 match of the UEFA Nations League. The Red and Blacks are clear favorites to win the game. Head coach Rolando Maran appeared at the pre-match press conference alongside captain Berat Djimshiti. He stressed the importance of taking …
Demo meets EU Ambassador: Stronger cooperation on security and European integration
Minister of Interior Ervin Demo met today with the European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, to discuss stronger cooperation in security and Albania’s priorities in the European integration process. The meeting focused on EU support for strengthening the capacities of the State Police, combating organized crime and …
Ibrahimaj meets Mehring: Cooperation with Bavaria to support Albanian startups and innovation
Albania is showcasing its innovation ecosystem at Bits & Pretzels 2026, one of Europe’s leading startup and innovation events, in Munich, Germany. This year, Albania is participating as the partner country. The country is represented by 17 startups from Albania, Kosovo and the diaspora. They are presenting their success stories …
Gonxhja: World Bank provides $3 million grant for Albania’s tourism development project
The World Bank, through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will provide a $3 million grant to prepare an integrated tourism ecosystem development project in Albania. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja announced today that the government had approved the grant agreement with the World Bank. …
IKTK and Bektashi World Headquarters strengthen cooperation to protect cultural heritage
Representatives of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) met with Baba Mondi, the World Leader of the Bektashi Order, at the World Bektashi Headquarters. The meeting focused on institutional cooperation to preserve, conserve and restore cultural heritage sites associated with the Bektashi community. During the talks, the participants focused …
Electricity distribution losses in Albania fell to 15.6% in the first eight months of 2026, according to data from the Electricity Distribution System Operator. The figure marks a continued improvement from 18.93% in 2023, 17.93% in 2024 and 16.96% in 2025. Regional data also show lower losses. Fier recorded the …
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said Albania is among the leading candidates in the European Union enlargement process. In an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, she placed Albania and Montenegro at the front of the process, followed by Moldova and Ukraine. Kos said enlargement had achieved more …
Albania U19 secured a second consecutive victory over Lithuania U19, coming from behind to win 2-1 in a friendly match at the Vora Stadium. Lithuania took the lead in the first half, scoring from one of their few chances of the game. However, Albania responded strongly after the break and …
The International Dance Festival Tirana (IDFT) will launch its fifth edition on October 3, bringing a rich program of contemporary dance, international artists and artistic companies to the Albanian capital through October 21. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja said the festival will feature 17 performances in nine …
The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Michel Tarran, met today with representatives of the Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges and the Association of Prosecutors of Albania to discuss recent developments in the country’s justice system. According to the OSCE Presence, the discussion focused on …
Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images on social media today from “Gran Tour Albania,” an event that brought Italian collectors of vintage cars to the historic city of Gjirokastër. “Motoring enthusiasts and tourists added a new color to Gjirokastër in autumn,” Rama wrote alongside photos from the event. Rare vintage …
The National Library in Tirana hosted the presentation of “Usta Josifi and the Saze of Përmet,” a new monographic study by author Niko Mihali dedicated to one of Albania’s richest musical traditions. The book explores the urban folk music tradition of Përmet and focuses on the life and contribution of …
Defense Minister Ermal Nufi met today with the new U.S. Ambassador to Albania, Eric Wendt, and reaffirmed the strong partnership between Albania and the United States in the fields of defense and security. Nufi described the United States as Albania’s indispensable partner in security and defense, while stressing that Albania …
Albanian film “The Delegation” (Le Dernier Prisonnier), directed by Bujar Alimani, was screened in the French city of Reims on Thursday evening. The event took place through cooperation between the European Commission Representation in France and the association “7ème Œil.” Albanian Ambassador to France Dritan Tola, Montenegro’s Ambassador to France …
Women get a raw deal at elections in Bosnia, a spy chief’s arrest raises security questions in Albania and protesters challenge war crimes verdicts in Kosovo – plus much more in our selection of this week’s Balkan Insight Premium stories. Original post Here