Filip Shiroka remembered as a voice of Albania’s National Awakening
TIRANA, August 3 – Albania marks the anniversary of the birth of poet and patriot Filip Shiroka, one of the leading literary voices of the Albanian National Awakening whose work championed national identity and independence. Born in Shkodra on August 3, 1859, Shiroka devoted his poetry and journalism to patriotism. …
Defense Minister Nufi unveils Sports Academy Initiative for Armed Forces
TIRANA, August 3 – Defense Minister Ermal Nufi met elite athletes serving in Albania’s Armed Forces to present a new initiative that will introduce sports classes as an extracurricular program at the Armed Forces Academy. Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, also attended the meeting. Participants discussed …
Economic Sentiment Index weakens in July as Business Confidence falls
TIRANA, August 3 – Albania’s Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) weakened in July after business confidence declined across all sectors, especially construction and trade. Meanwhile, consumer confidence improved. According to the Bank of Albania, the index remained 5.4 points above its long-term average despite the monthly decline. Confidence in industry fell …
‘Double Your Entrepreneurship’ program offers up to €2 million loans for agri-tourism and agri-processing
TIRANA, August 3 – Businesses seeking to expand their activity can benefit from loans of up to €2 million through the government program “Double Your Entrepreneurship”. During a visit to a milk processing factory in Pogradec, Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu said the program supports businesses in agrotourism and agro-processing. …
Preparations begin for Muradie Mosque restoration in Vlora
TIRANA, August 3 – Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the start of site preparations for the restoration of the Muradie Mosque in Vlora. He shared the update in a video published on Facebook. Meanwhile, Gonxhja described the mosque as one of Albania’s most important monuments of Ottoman …
Albania and Germany sign three energy agreements worth €114 million
TIRANA, August 3 – Albania and Germany signed three cooperation agreements in the energy and energy efficiency sectors, with a total value of around €90 million in loans and €24 million in grants. Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi and German Ambassador to Tirana Karl Bergner signed the agreements. Karakaçi …
Rana Hedhun remains one of Albania’s top beach destinations
*]: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:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-125″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-125″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-2″ data-turn=”assistant”> The Shëngjin coastline and Rana e Hedhun Beach remain top choices for Albanian holidaymakers and international visitors. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage on social media showing hundreds of people enjoying the sandy beach, crystal-clear waters, and water sports at Rana …
Around 100,000 vulnerable children to benefit from Albania’s European Child Guarantee Plan
*]: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:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-130″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-130″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-turn=”assistant”> *]: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:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-132″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-132″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-turn=”assistant”> Around 100,000 children facing social exclusion or complex vulnerabilities will benefit from Albania’s European Child Guarantee Action Plan 2026–2030. The plan covers social protection, healthcare, and education. As a result, it will …
Filip Shiroka, the poet of exile and a voice of Albania’s National Awakening
*]: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:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-133″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:86d32a54-949e-44a4-bee3-6ecbb74e9904-133″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-18″ data-turn=”assistant”> Today marks the 167th birth anniversary of Filip Shiroka, one of Albania’s finest lyric poets and a leading voice of the Albanian National Awakening. Filip Shiroka was born in Shkodër on August 3, 1859. He attended the Franciscan school in his …
Korça beer festival celebrates its 20th anniversary
The Korça Beer Festival will take place from August 12 to 16, marking the 20th anniversary of one of Albania’s biggest summer events. This year, the festival moves to South Pole in Drenovë for the first time. The new venue offers much more space and will welcome thousands of visitors. …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania is stepping up work on its European Union integration process, with more than 20 draft laws already prepared for Chapters 16 and 29. Deputy Finance Minister Endrit Yzeiraj said the first half of 2026 brought heavy workloads and strategic tasks, but EU integration remained a …
Albania faces another potentially costly international dispute after losing several arbitration cases in recent years that have exposed the state to hundreds of millions of euros in compensation and related liabilities. Tirana Times, August 10, 2026 – Albania is no stranger to costly international arbitration. Over the past decade, the …
TIRANA, August 10 – High passenger and vehicle flows continue at Albania’s ports and border crossing points (BCP-s) during the peak tourist season. Thousands of people and vehicles have entered and left the country in recent hours. At the Port of Vlora, around 2,700 passengers are expected today on 3 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.4% in July 2026, from 2.5% in July 2025. Consumer prices also increased by 0.2% from June. According to INSTAT data, food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest contribution to annual inflation at 1.18 percentage points. The group covering housing, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Tradition, history and local cuisine came together at the 7th edition of “Mokra n’Fest”, held near the stone bridge in Golikë, Pogradec. The festival brought together local residents, visitors and emigrants who returned to their hometowns. An artisan fair and traditional food highlighted local products, including …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës Port recorded high passenger traffic during the first 10 days of August, as the summer travel season reached its peak. According to the Durrës Port Authority, 75,962 passengers travelled through the port between August 1 and 10. Most of the traffic involved arrivals, with 51,259 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës remains a popular choice for foreign tourists spending their summer holidays in Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a video today featuring visitors from Germany, the Netherlands, England, the Czech Republic, Italy and other countries. Rama said the city’s sea, history, culture and Albanian hospitality …
TIRANA, August 10 – Problem loans in Albania’s banking system fell again in June. They accounted for 3.7% of total lending, down from 3.77% in May. According to Bank of Albania statistics, this marks the lowest level since 2007. The ratio also fell by 0.31 percentage points from June 2025. …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania faces a high wildfire risk this afternoon and tomorrow, with temperatures reaching 40°C. The Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO) has placed 5 counties under a high-risk warning for forest fires. The warning covers Lezha, Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan and Fier. IGJEO expects a moderate risk in Shkodër, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s civil aviation sector is recording new highs in 2026 as summer tourism drives passenger and flight traffic. Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi visited the public company Albcontrol today, to review measures for managing the increased air traffic. Albcontrol Director Dritan Isaku said the organisation …