Berisha’s Return and Albania’s Unfinished Transition
Washington’s reported lifting of the U.S. travel ineligibility measure against Albania’s former president and prime minister reopens one of the most controversial chapters in U.S.-Albanian relations at a moment when Albania’s streets are demanding an end to the old post-communist order. Tirana Times, June 11, 2026 – For Sali Berisha, …
Public beach areas remain accessible in Jala Beach in Himara
TIRANA, June 11 – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja shared images from Jala Beach in Himara, highlighting the public beach areas available to visitors. Inspection teams from the National Coastline Agency carried out field monitoring along the beach. The checks confirmed that public beach spaces remained available …
FM Hoxha in Bulgaria: EU enlargement is a strategic investment in Europe’s security
TIRANA, June 11 – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha joined a discussion in Bulgaria at the invitation of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The event focused on the European Union enlargement process and the future of the Western Balkans within the bloc. Participants examined the …
21st Edition of “Xinxifilo” Puppet Theatre Festival Brings Joy Across Albania
The 21st edition of the Puppet Theatre Festival “Xinxifilo” continues in Albania. The festival brings joy, imagination, and artistic education to children. First, the festival builds a strong tradition. It has run for 21 years. It connects children with theatre and culture. Then, this year’s edition brings together artists, creators, …
Lushnja event showcases biological plant protection and sustainable farming practices
TIRANA, June 11 – New agricultural practices and technologies took centre stage during a Field Day event at the Agricultural Technology Transfer Centre in Lushnja. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla and Lushnja Mayor Eriselda Sefa attended the event. Farmers presented demonstrations on biological plant protection methods during …
European Union praises Albania’s progress in reform and pre-accession programmes
TIRANA, June 11 – The European Union and the Albanian government held annual monitoring meetings in Tirana on June 9 and 10. Participants reviewed the implementation of European Union financial assistance and assessed progress on key reform programmes. Officials examined support provided through the Reform and Growth Facility and the …
“World Cup Nights” brings sport and entertainment to RTSH 1 throughout FIFA World Cup 2026
TIRANA, June 11 – RTSH 1 launches “World Cup Nights,” a new daily programme dedicated to FIFA World Cup 2026. The show will air every evening from June 11 to July 19. Hygerta Sako and Kristo Thoma will host the programme. Viewers can follow the broadcast on RTSH 1 from …
Kosova election vote count enters diaspora ballot phase
TIRANA, June 11 – Election authorities in Kosova completed the count of candidate votes in more than 80 percent of polling stations in the parliamentary election. Preliminary results show the Self-Determination Movement leading with around 43 percent of the vote. Party leader and prime ministerial candidate Albin Kurti secured more …
European Commission officials meet High Judicial Council in Tirana to discuss justice reform
TIRANA, June 11 – The High Judicial Council met representatives of the European Commission in Tirana during an official visit to Albania. High Judicial Council Chairman Ilir Rusi took part in the meeting together with council members Klodian Kurushi and Irena Plaku. Valentina Superti led the European Commission delegation. She …
The Heart Of A Patriot That Beats For The People
by Dr. Jorgji Kote Tirana Times, June 11, 2026 – ”Heart of a patriot” is the new book dedicated to Binali Yildirim, an outstanding political leader and personality in the modernization of Turkish state and society during the last 25 years; co-founder and former leader of the Party for Justice and Development …
Toni Gogu met with Mattias Guyomar in Strasbourg. During the meeting, the two officials discussed the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. They also reviewed the execution of rulings issued by the European Court of Human Rights and the progress of Albania’s justice reform. Furthermore, Gogu described the …
Silvio Gonzato took part in an event marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. UNHCR Albania, Albania’s Ministry of Interior, and other partners organized the event in Tirana. During his remarks, Gonzato stressed that the Refugee Convention remains a cornerstone of international protection for people fleeing persecution, violence, …
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. …
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 …
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 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 …
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. …
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 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 …
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 …