Albanian Environmentalists See Red Over Green Sludge Coating Tirana’s Lake
The main artificial lake in the capital has been covered for weeks by thick green algae, which environmental activists blame on untreated urban sewage flowing into the water. Original post Here
Could Michigan’s Albanian-Americans Swing the Vote for Trump?
Albanian-American supporters of Donald Trump are campaigning hard in the swing state of Michigan, where their numbers could sway the result. But some fear the return of Trump’s controversial Balkan envoy Richard Grenell. Original post Here
Moldova Should Learn from Albania’s Mistakes in Justice Reform
As EU hopeful Moldova embarks on a complex process of judicial reform and vetting to root out corruption, experts advise it to note what has gone right – and wrong – in Albania, which began the same process a decade ago. Original post Here
Albania Opens EU Accession Negotiations, Seeks Membership by 2030
In Luxembourg on Tuesday, Albania opened its first negotiation ‘cluster’, with Prime Minister Edi Rama saying his country has its sights set on joining the European club by the end of the decade. Original post Here
Digital Rights Review: Websites Promote and Profit from Abuse of Women
BIRN’s monitoring of digital rights violations in August and September highlighted a threatening Hungarian ‘dark web’ site that contained illegally obtained images of women, plus a series of arrests for online sexual abuse in Romania. Original post Here
As Talks Begin, EU Chides Albania’s ‘Limited Progress’ in Tackling Corruption
As accession talks got underway, the EU ‘negotiating position’, published on Tuesday, says corruption remains “prevalent in most areas of public and business life, including in all branches of central and local government”. Original post Here
Androulakis Wins Second Chance to Revive Greece’s Centre-Left Party
After his re-election as leader of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis promised that “the best things are ahead” – but only time will show whether he can win back the trust of Greek voters for the once-powerful party he has supported since his youth. Original post Here
Albanian Police Arrest Two for Forcibly Exploiting Afghan Teenager
Police said they arrested two people for exploiting a 16-year-old from Afghanistan in the northern city of Shkodra, forcing him to work at a car service centre. Original post Here
Albanian Govt Fails to Attract Bidders for New Durres Port
After no companies presented bids to redevelop the old Port of Durres as a marina with apartment blocks, the government’s plans for the site – which include building a new port – are in disarray. Original post Here
Kosovo to Abolish Visas for Bosnian Citizens from 2025
At the Berlin Process Summit, Kosovo’s prime minister announced that his country will allow residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina to enter Kosovo only with ID cards – even if Bosnia does not do the same. Original post Here
TIRANA, May 7 – Nexhmije Pagarusha, one of the most iconic figures in Albanian music, was born 93 years ago in the village of Pagarusha in Malisheva of Kosova. Her career lasted more than five decades and moved between folk and operatic music, shaped by a distinctive soprano voice. “Baresha” …
TIRANA, May 7 – More than 200 artists from Albania and across the region will perform during the 2026 edition of the VjosArt festival. The 10-day event combines art, tourism and environmental awareness along the Vjosa River. The festival will take place from May 21 to May 31 across several …
Ermal Nufi met with Gegë Lleshi on Wednesday to discuss closer cooperation in defense and security. During the meeting, both sides highlighted their shared commitment to expanding cooperation in military education, joint training, and exercises. In addition, they discussed cooperation in civil protection and emergency management. Nufi stressed that Kosovo …
Ervin Demo welcomed Monika Zach and an Austrian delegation in Tirana on Wednesday. The delegation included 14 mayors and around 60 senior local government representatives. The group was led by Johannes Pressl. During the meeting, both sides discussed the role of local government in the European integration process. In addition, …
Eva Palatova called for the rapid formation of a new government in Kosovo following the June 7 elections. Speaking during Europe Day activities in Prishtina, Palatova also urged political parties to reach a compromise on electing the country’s president. She stressed that the future government should have a strong parliamentary …
Adriatik Kupi welcomed a delegation from the United States Embassy in Tirana during an introductory meeting held at the General Directorate of Prisons. During the meeting, the US representatives praised the cooperative approach of the prison administration. They also highlighted the importance of continued institutional cooperation in support of reforms …
Ermal Nufi welcomed Cosmin Dobran in Tirana on Thursday. The meeting focused on the Security and Defense Partnership between Albania and the European Union. Both sides described the partnership as an important platform for structured cooperation. Albania reaffirmed its commitment to continuing dialogue and achieving concrete results. Meanwhile, Nufi stressed …
TIRANA, May 7 – Albania and France are deepening cooperation in the justice sector. Talks in Tirana focus on judicial reform, criminal legislation and the fight against organised crime during a visit by French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin. The issue featured in a joint press appearance with Albanian Justice Minister …
Sofjan Jaupaj presented a national climate plan for 2026–2036 in Tirana on Wednesday. He said the plan includes 66 priority measures. It targets climate impacts such as fires, floods, and droughts. Jaupaj explained that the measures fall into soft interventions, green actions, and infrastructure investments. He added that the total …
Petrit Malaj presented in Parliament a new emergency ordinance on excise tax changes for fuel. He said the government approved the measure to soften the impact of international fuel price fluctuations and to protect consumers. Malaj explained that the decision responds to global market shocks linked to the conflict in …