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Albania advances in implementing EU Growth Plan

TIRANA, August 7 – Albania continues to make progress in implementing reforms linked to European integration and has received financial support under the European Union’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. According to the EU-funded platform “WEBALKANS_eu”, Albania has made strong and sustainable progress. The platform said the country has …

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Football Federation approves Elite Youth Academy participation in youth championships

TIRANA, August 7 – The Executive Committee of the Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) has approved the participation of Elite Youth Academy teams in the Abissnet Superiore U-16 and U-17 championships for the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 seasons. The decision aims to strengthen youth football development and create more opportunities for young …

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Defense Minister thanks firefighters battling wildfires

TIRANA, August 7 – Defense Minister Ermal Nufi shared footage today from the firefighting operation in the Mount Dajti area and praised the commitment and sacrifice of personnel working on the ground. Nufi said in a social media post that emergency structures and Armed Forces personnel provide protection for citizens, …

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Foreign tourists praise Durrës for hospitality, beaches and affordable prices

TIRANA, August 7 – Foreign tourists visiting Durrës during the summer season have praised the city’s beaches, hospitality, affordable prices and relaxing atmosphere. Visitors from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, England, the Czech Republic and the Dominican Republic said they had a positive experience and considered Durrës an attractive destination for …

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Financial Times: PM Rama says Albania has clear path to EU membership

TIRANA, August 7 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania has a clear path toward European Union membership in an interview with the Financial Times, which examined the European Union’s renewed enlargement agenda. Rama said the country is in one of the strongest positions in its modern history. He added …

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Business turnover rises by ALL 127 billion in first half of 2026

TIRANA, August 7 – Business turnover across Albania’s main economic sectors increased by ALL 127 billion during the first half of 2026, reflecting stronger economic activity, Finance Minister Petrit Malaj said. Malaj said business turnover rose by 7% compared with the same period in 2025. He added that the figures …

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Central Purchasing Operator launches new electronic procurement platform

TIRANA, August 7 – The Central Purchasing Operator (OBP) launched a new electronic procurement platform to fully digitalize the management of public procurement requests, Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said. Ibrahimaj said the new platform, prokurimet.obp.al, will allow more than 250 contracting authorities to manage procurement requests entirely online. …

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Property revaluation saves taxpayers €120.5 million in seven months

TIRANA, August 6 – Albania’s property revaluation scheme has saved taxpayers €120.5 million in fiscal costs during the first seven months of 2026, according to the General Directorate of Taxation. The scheme allows property owners to revalue real estate by paying a reduced 5% tax rate. Tax authorities said the …

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Finance Ministry begins preparations for new Eurobond issue

TIRANA, August 6 – Albania’s Finance Ministry has started preliminary preparations for a new Eurobond issue planned for 2027 as the country’s macroeconomic indicators continue to show positive performance. Deputy Finance Minister Endrit Yzeiraj said officials discussed recent macroeconomic developments, government borrowing plans in international capital markets and future cooperation …

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Kosova Assembly suspends constitutive session as PM Kurti seeks more time for presidential deal

TIRANA, August 6 – Kosova’s Assembly suspended its constitutive session after Self-Determination leader Albin Kurti requested more time for political talks on a candidate for the country’s next president. Kurti told lawmakers that additional time was necessary to allow negotiations to continue. He said the parties needed more time to …

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Justice Minister reacts after fire at Supreme Court: Setting fire to a court does not target the government, but citizens’ right to justice

Justice Minister Toni Gogu has reacted following an incident in which flames reached the Supreme Court, while reports indicated that the entrance to the Bank of Albania was also damaged. “Two independent institutions. Neither is a government office. Both serve the country and its citizens,” Gogu stressed. The minister condemned …

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Archbishop Peragine reacts to protests: Albania does not deserve to relive the wounds of its past

The Archbishop of Shkodër-Pult, Monsignor Giovanni Peragine, has reacted to the protests that have taken place in Albania in recent days, stressing that the country does not deserve to relive the painful wounds of its past. In a statement, he called on the authorities to listen to citizens, open the …

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Konjufca: Serbia’s Territorial Ambitions Pose a Serious Threat to Kosovo and Regional Stability

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, said that Serbia’s territorial ambitions pose a serious threat to Kosovo’s sovereignty and regional stability. In an interview with Hungary Insider, Konjufca said that Serbia’s territorial ambitions must be understood through the connection between its political rhetoric and …

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Skënder Hita: 132 Police Officers Injured During Protests, 5 Today Alone, One Suffers Multiple Jaw Fractures

The General Director of the State Police, Skënder Hita, has provided an update on the number of police officers injured during the protests, stating that a total of 132 officers have been injured in Tirana, Shkodër and Lezhë. According to Hita, five police officers were injured today alone, one of …

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Health Ministry Updates Hospital Casualty Figures and Their Conditions: 9 Protesters, 4 Police Officers and 1 Bystander

The Ministry of Health has issued another update on the number of people admitted to hospital after being injured during the student protests in recent hours. According to the Ministry of Health, nine protesters, four police officers and one bystander have sought medical attention at the University Trauma Hospital (SUT). …

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QSUT: 21 Police Officers and 13 Protesters Seek Medical Assistance Following Protest

The University Hospital Centre of Tirana (QSUT) has updated its figures on the health conditions of people injured during the protest, covering the period from 5:00 p.m. until now. According to the statement, a total of 21 police officers and 13 protesters have sought medical assistance. Full statement: University Trauma …

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A Bulgarian young anthropologist, cook,  and researcher

Vera Prokopieva is a nutrition scientist from Bulgaria who has studied food from three angles: as an anthropologist, as a cook in Copenhagen kitchens, and as a researcher at Stanford, working on clinical trials of food as medicine and on how fermented foods shape the gut microbiome. Albania is living …

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Quo Vadis, Albania?

by Dr. Elez Bebiraj Tirana Times, October 17, 2026 – Albania is facing the most serious political crisis of Edi Rama’s thirteen years in power. Protesters demanding the prime minister’s resignation have attacked government buildings, clashed with police, and damaged public and private property. The unrest has spread from Tirana …

News
Chief of General Staff of Albanian Armed Forces Meets US Ambassador Eric Wendt

The Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, has met with the new US Ambassador, Eric Wendt. In a social media post, Kingji said that during the meeting, he expressed his gratitude for the United States’ continued support in the field of defence, …

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Tirana Protests, US Embassy Tells Euronews: Citizens Should Express Their Views Lawfully

Sources at the US Embassy, speaking to Euronews Albania about the situation surrounding the protests in Tirana, stressed the importance of ensuring that demonstrations are conducted lawfully and peacefully. “We encourage citizens participating in protests to express their views in a lawful and peaceful manner. Acts of violence have no …

News

Justice Minister reacts after fire at Supreme Court: Setting fire to a court does not target the government, but citizens’ right to justice

Justice Minister Toni Gogu has reacted following an incident in which flames reached the Supreme Court, while reports indicated that the entrance to the Bank of Albania was also damaged. “Two independent institutions. Neither is a government office. Both serve the country and its citizens,” Gogu stressed. The minister condemned …

News

Archbishop Peragine reacts to protests: Albania does not deserve to relive the wounds of its past

The Archbishop of Shkodër-Pult, Monsignor Giovanni Peragine, has reacted to the protests that have taken place in Albania in recent days, stressing that the country does not deserve to relive the painful wounds of its past. In a statement, he called on the authorities to listen to citizens, open the …

News

Konjufca: Serbia’s Territorial Ambitions Pose a Serious Threat to Kosovo and Regional Stability

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, said that Serbia’s territorial ambitions pose a serious threat to Kosovo’s sovereignty and regional stability. In an interview with Hungary Insider, Konjufca said that Serbia’s territorial ambitions must be understood through the connection between its political rhetoric and …

News

Skënder Hita: 132 Police Officers Injured During Protests, 5 Today Alone, One Suffers Multiple Jaw Fractures

The General Director of the State Police, Skënder Hita, has provided an update on the number of police officers injured during the protests, stating that a total of 132 officers have been injured in Tirana, Shkodër and Lezhë. According to Hita, five police officers were injured today alone, one of …

News

Health Ministry Updates Hospital Casualty Figures and Their Conditions: 9 Protesters, 4 Police Officers and 1 Bystander

The Ministry of Health has issued another update on the number of people admitted to hospital after being injured during the student protests in recent hours. According to the Ministry of Health, nine protesters, four police officers and one bystander have sought medical attention at the University Trauma Hospital (SUT). …

News

QSUT: 21 Police Officers and 13 Protesters Seek Medical Assistance Following Protest

The University Hospital Centre of Tirana (QSUT) has updated its figures on the health conditions of people injured during the protest, covering the period from 5:00 p.m. until now. According to the statement, a total of 21 police officers and 13 protesters have sought medical assistance. Full statement: University Trauma …

News

A Bulgarian young anthropologist, cook,  and researcher

Vera Prokopieva is a nutrition scientist from Bulgaria who has studied food from three angles: as an anthropologist, as a cook in Copenhagen kitchens, and as a researcher at Stanford, working on clinical trials of food as medicine and on how fermented foods shape the gut microbiome. Albania is living …

News

Quo Vadis, Albania?

by Dr. Elez Bebiraj Tirana Times, October 17, 2026 – Albania is facing the most serious political crisis of Edi Rama’s thirteen years in power. Protesters demanding the prime minister’s resignation have attacked government buildings, clashed with police, and damaged public and private property. The unrest has spread from Tirana …

News

Chief of General Staff of Albanian Armed Forces Meets US Ambassador Eric Wendt

The Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, has met with the new US Ambassador, Eric Wendt. In a social media post, Kingji said that during the meeting, he expressed his gratitude for the United States’ continued support in the field of defence, …

News

Tirana Protests, US Embassy Tells Euronews: Citizens Should Express Their Views Lawfully

Sources at the US Embassy, speaking to Euronews Albania about the situation surrounding the protests in Tirana, stressed the importance of ensuring that demonstrations are conducted lawfully and peacefully. “We encourage citizens participating in protests to express their views in a lawful and peaceful manner. Acts of violence have no …