Rama: “Open Balkan” was controversial because of its political backers, not its objectives
Prime Minister Edi Rama said the “Open Balkan” initiative was considered “a terrible idea” only because he and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić backed it. “It was a terrible idea for one reason only: Vučić and I were behind it. If we removed our names and replaced them with five others, …
Berisha Attends IDC-CDI General Assembly in Brussels as Organization’s Vice President
*]: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:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-14″ data-turn=”assistant”> Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha is attending the General Assembly of the Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) in Brussels, where he serves as one of the organization’s Vice Presidents. The assembly has brought together political leaders, former presidents, Members of the European …
Penal Amnesty: Around 60 Inmates to Be Released from Drenova Prison
*]: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:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:5f2c0e64-bc31-47c7-92dd-f2c184ecbc38-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-turn=”assistant”> Around 60 inmates at Drenova Prison are expected to be released under Albania’s new penal amnesty law, which is scheduled to be implemented on July 15. Under the amnesty, eligible male prisoners will receive a one-year sentence reduction, while eligible female …
Ombudsman Raises Alarm Over Conditions at Shënkoll Prison: “It Should Be a High-Security Hospital, Not a Prison with Two Psychiatrists”
Albania’s Ombudsman is carrying out an unannounced inspection on Monday and Tuesday at the Shënkoll Prison Institution as part of its mandate as the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. According to the Ombudsman, the preliminary findings are deeply concerning. The inspection team identified severe overcrowding in accommodation facilities and a …
Parliament joins 51st Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie
TIRANA, July 13 – Albania’s permanent parliamentary delegation took part in the 51st Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, held in Yaounde, Cameroon. Hatixhe Konomi led the delegation, alongside Ilirian Pendavinji and Luçiano Boçi. More than 300 lawmakers from 42 national, subnational and inter-parliamentary sections attended the session. …
Next NATO summit to put Albania and PM Rama in international spotlight
TIRANA, July 13 – Albania will host the 37th NATO Summit after the alliance concluded its 36th summit in Ankara. Analysts say the decision highlights the strategic importance of Albania and the Western Balkans for NATO. Experts say the alliance has renewed its focus on the region as Europe reshapes …
Albania marks 31 years in the Council of Europe
TIRANA, July 13 – Albania marks 31 years of membership in the Council of Europe on July 13, a milestone that reflects the country’s democratic transition and its commitment to European standards, according to the Agency for Media and Information (MIA). MIA said membership has supported reforms, strengthened institutions and …
Murat Toptani, a versatile artist of the National Renaissance
TIRANA, July 13 – Murat Toptani, a sculptor, painter, poet, publicist and prominent figure of the Albanian National Renaissance, was born on July 13, 1868, in Aka, present-day Türkiye. His father, Said Toptani, lived in exile in Türkiye at the time, which led to Murat’s birth there. In 1884, Toptani …
UK bans support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps
TIRANA, July 13 – The United Kingdom has announced measures to ban support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designating the group as a threat to national security, according to the BBC. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new powers will make support for the IRGC a criminal …
Governor Sejko Meets EBRD’s New Resident Representative in Albania, Hannes Takacs
On Monday, the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, held an official meeting with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by Hannes Takacs, the EBRD’s newly appointed Resident Representative in Albania. The delegation also included Ekaterina Solovova, along with other representatives from …
Prime Minister Edi Rama urged the international community to establish a global agreement on sovereign and democratic artificial intelligence during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. First, Rama warned that the misuse of content distribution now threatens freedom of speech. He said citizens must know …
Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania became the first country to introduce an artificial intelligence instrument into the architecture of government through Diella, the country’s AI minister. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Rama stressed that the initiative was not designed to transfer sovereignty from people …
The Albanian government has approved a decision declaring the village of Vuno an immovable cultural heritage site and a Historical Center, while also defining its protected zone. According to the decision, authorities established the boundaries of Vuno’s Historical Center based on zoning maps and coordinates within the Albanian Geodetic Reference …
Prime Minister Edi Rama is set to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York today. Before delivering his speech, Rama shared a photo on social media standing beside the Albanian flag at the UN headquarters. “Proud of Albania,” Rama wrote alongside the image. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is …
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that Albania is developing an artificial intelligence-powered Digital Mirror designed to identify manipulation in real time. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Rama said the Digital Mirror will not act as an arbiter of opinion. Instead, it will serve as a …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has posted a photograph shortly before his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In the image shared on social media, Rama is seen standing beside the Albanian flag as he waits to take the podium at the UN. Rama is in New …
Prime Minister Edi Rama spoke in his address to the United Nations General Assembly about the impact of disinformation and Artificial Intelligence on society, citing the “Flamingo Revolution” protests in Albania as an example. Rama claimed that the movement was driven by a fabricated narrative alleging an Israeli takeover of …
Tech concerns mount over elections in Serbia, spy chief’s arrest tests Albania’s NATO ties, protests over court verdicts continue in Kosovo and North Macedonia mulls impact of dangerous virus, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
More than 9.4 million foreign nationals entered Albania in the first eight months of 2026, according to INSTAT. The figure represents a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2025. In August alone, foreign entries rose 2% year on year. The pace slowed from July, when entries increased 7.1%, but …
Work is continuing on the Shëngjin bypass in Lezha, which will ease traffic and improve access to coastal tourist areas. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage from the construction site and said the bypass is expected to be fully completed by March 2027. The 8.1-kilometre road runs along the slopes …