Vikena Kamenica, for the first time as a director with “Misa a Buenos Aires”
A work not usually seen on the stage of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania, which delicately intertwines Catholic liturgical, sacred music with the sensual sounds of Argentine tango, is also known as a “tango mass.” “Misa a Buenos Aires” by Martín Palmeri, entirely unique in its …
Election of Kosovo’s president, Kurti: Going to elections is not an option, we are open to solutions
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has stated that going to early parliamentary elections is not an option. At today’s government meeting, Kurti emphasized that the election of the president is a constitutional duty of the people’s elected representatives. “This requires willingness to find a solution, readiness for compromise, …
Himara, EU negotiations and his origin, Rama interview for Greek media
Prime Minister Edi Rama has given an interview to the Greek media outlet “Kathimerini” a few days before his participation in the 11th Delphi Economic Forum (April 22–25). In this interview, he spoke extensively about Greek-Albanian relations, economic developments in Albania, the property issue in Himara, as well as recent …
Hoxha meets Commissioner Kos in Brussels: Sustainable reforms toward the EU
The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, met in Brussels with the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. Minister Hoxha stated that the focus of the meeting was the advanced process of accession negotiations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the current momentum and continuing forward with consistency …
Caught in the act with Molotov cocktails, decision issued for 11 arrested from the PD protest
The Tirana Court has issued its decision for the 11 protesters who were caught with Molotov cocktails during the rally of the Democratic Party of Albania. The decision ordered the measure “arrest in prison” for 5 of them, while 6 individuals were assigned the measure “obligation to appear.” Specifically, those …
Kosovo declares Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization
The Government of Kosovo has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization during a meeting held on Monday in Pristina. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that “through this decision, Kosovo strengthens its stance in defense of international security, democratic values, and human rights.” “This is a …
Rental income rises, reaching around €400 million in 2025
Renting out property is becoming an increasingly profitable source of income in Albania. Official data from the Ministry of Finance of Albania show that revenue from income tax on rents reached €60 million in 2025, up from €55 million in 2024—an increase of 8.5%. This tax corresponds to total rental …
Meeting with agrotourism representatives, Rama: Support for small and medium-sized enterprises
Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting on Monday afternoon with representatives of the agrotourism sector in Tirana. Rama was accompanied at the meeting by the political leader of the region, Ogerta Manastirliu. During his speech, Rama presented the program “Double Your Enterprise.” He emphasized that this project will be …
Albulena Haxhiu authorizes participation of the Kosovo Security Force in an international operation in Gaza
The Acting President, Albulena Haxhiu, has authorized the deployment of the Kosovo Security Force to an international peacekeeping operation, as part of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza. The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, following approval by the Assembly of Kosovo, today authorized the deployment of …
On Autocracy, Hungary, and the Cost of Crying Wolf
by Nikola Kedhi Tirana Times, April 20, 2026 – On the evening of April 12, 2026, Viktor Orbán, Europe’s most scrutinized, most condemned, most exhaustively theorized leader, conceded defeat in a parliamentary election. Péter Magyar’s Tisza party had won over 53 percent of the vote. The man whom the European …
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 …