Migration deal, Rama says Albania will refuse requests from other countries
Edi Rama, the head of the Albanian government, has given another interview to the Italian media regarding the agreement for the construction in Albania of two centers for housing migrants rescued at sea by Italian ships. For the prestigious “Corriere della Sera”, Edi Rama said that the agreement with the …
Police vetting process to begin in November
The Police Surveillance Agency will conduct the police vetting process throughout the month of November. It is reported that the sessions will be open to the media and the public. According to AMP, the first two lots have been cast on the division of assessment bodies, the appointment of the …
Rama: There will be a significant salary increase for 30,000 teachers
Over 30,000 teachers will benefit from a salary increase with your budget for the next year. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the news on Friday morning through a post on social networks. “Good morning and with the good news that with the new budget for next year there will be …
About 25,000 undeclared euro seized in Kakavija border
A 26-year-old man was criminally prosecuted this Friday at the Kakavija Border Point, after he tried to enter Greece with 24,800 euros, which he did not declare. Following the procedural actions for this case, the amount of money was seized and the materials were referred to the Prosecutor’s Office, where …
Albanian ‘King of Cocaine’ arrested in Istanbul
New details have been learned for the arrest of Dritan Rexhepi, described as the head of the drug cartel. ABC News reporter Ervin Leka reports that Rexhepi entered Turkey from Istanbul airport with a Colombian passport, registered under the name Benjamin Omar Perez Garcia. The Minister of Internal Affairs of …
Democrat MPs clashed at European Integration committee
Parliamentary commissions would take place online this Friday, excluding the one for European Integration, but this changed due to tensions in the Assembly’s headquarters. During the proceedings, there was a clash between two democratic MPs, Dashnor Sula from Sali Berisha’s group and Kreshnik Çollak from the official Democratic Party (DP). …
Woman involved in ex-mayor’s sex scandal appears at SPAK
Woman who was involved in a video with Safet Gjici having sexual intercourse in the latter’s office, while holding the position of the mayor of Kukës, Alma Kaçi arrived this Friday at the premises of the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK). Special Prosecution will officially communicate the accusation of active corruption …
270 tons of larvae-infested rice blocked in Durres port
A quantity of 270 tons of rice, which came from Vietnam, has been blocked in the Port of Durrës on Friday. After the analyzes carried out by the National Food Authority (NFA), it turned out that the rice had larvae. However, it is not yet known whether the amount of …
Albanians continue to show overwhelming support for NATO as they worry about armed conflict in Kosovo and Russia’s meddling – AIIS survey
National survey by the Albanian Institute for International Studies also indicates most people in Albania want better military preparedness. Support for Ukraine following Russian aggression there also continues to be strong among Albanians. TIRANA, Nov. 10, 2023 – Albanians maintain a strong commitment to their country’s NATO membership, with 81 …
Op/Ed: 2.3 million Palestinians from Gaza to Albania!
Biting satire by LUTFI DERVISHI One of the world’s most complicated conflicts, the Arab-Israeli conflict, could be resolved by Albania. It’s not just about offering ideas, which we’ve never lacked, but it’s about a practical solution: Europeanizing the Palestinians. Albania can offer that 2.3 million Palestinians from Gaza come and …
By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …
CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …
While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …
The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …
A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here
By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …
As BIRN marks its 20th anniversary, here’s a diverse selection of investigations picked from two decades of in-depth reporting on one of Europe’s most complex and challenging regions. Original post Here
British far-right leader fails to land a punch with Albania’s prime minister in fiery row on social media over the number of Albanians held in UK jails. Original post Here
The Western military alliance’s new national spending benchmark on defence and security may cause problems for smaller and poorer NATO member states in the Balkans who cannot afford 5 per cent of GDP. Original post Here
Jerina Zaloshnja As Albania accelerates the formal process of European Union accession—opening negotiation chapters at a pace that seems to outstrip democratic reforms—it faces an urgent and unavoidable truth: a country cannot genuinely integrate into the EU without first building a functioning rule-of-law society. No volume of technical chapters opened …