Blog
News

Behind a Trump-Linked Albanian Resort Project, a Host of Murky Interests

Donald Trump’s son-in-law is headlining a planned luxury development in Albania’s protected Narta Lagoon, but behind him lies a web of colourful business interests knee-deep in controversy. Original post Here

Read More
News

Gonxhja: Cultural and Tourism Support Reaches Around €4 Million in Albania

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja presented key achievements in the cultural sector during the launch of the National Culture Strategy 2026–2030. He described culture as a stable pillar of Albania’s development and a driving force in everyday life. Furthermore, he said the cultural sector has undergone a major …

Read More
News

PM Rama defends Zvërnec investment plan, cites site conditions

TIRANA, June 4 – Prime Minister Edi Rama defended a planned 4 billion euro investment in Zvërnec after publishing a video on Facebook showing the site. Meanwhile, he said the footage reflects the current condition of the area and differs from criticism by opponents of the project. In addition, he …

Read More
News

Gonxhja: Albania Aims to Double Cultural Funding by 2030

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja presented Albania’s National Culture Strategy 2026–2030 and outlined major reforms to strengthen the cultural sector. According to Gonxhja, the strategy is the result of months of consultations and discussions with stakeholders across the country. Furthermore, the government is preparing several reforms, including new …

Read More
News

Weather – Cloudy skies and rain expected today

TIRANA, June 4 – Albania will be affected by unstable atmospheric conditions on Wednesday, meteorological services said. Skies will be mostly cloudy from early morning until midday. Meanwhile, conditions will improve gradually in the afternoon with alternating clouds and clearer periods. Later in the day, weather will become mostly clear …

Read More
News

Skyscanner lists Saranda among top destinations for summer 2026

TIRANA, June 4 – Travel platform “Skyscanner” has included Saranda in its list of destinations to discover in 2026. According to “Skyscanner”, summer travel is often concentrated on well-known Mediterranean locations such as the Greek islands, the Balearic Islands and other established coastal resorts. However, it said demand is increasing …

Read More
News

Albania and Sweden Strengthen Cooperation to Modernize State Police

State Police Director Skënder Hita met with Swedish Ambassador Niklas Ström to discuss ongoing cooperation in law enforcement and police modernization. During the meeting, Hita praised the strong partnership with Swedish law enforcement agencies. He highlighted the Community Policing Strengthening Programme, which will continue until 2029, as well as support …

Read More
News

Peleshi Discusses European Integration During Meetings in Latvia

Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi held meetings in Latvia with Inara Murniece and Edmunds Cepurītis. During the discussions, the participants focused on Albania’s accession process to the European Union. They also examined parliamentary and public support within EU member states, as well as the role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing …

Read More
News

Chamber of Commerce: Strategic Foreign Investments Increase the Value of Albanian Tourism

The Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry says large foreign investments are essential for strengthening high-quality tourism in Albania. According to the Chamber, Albania has seen steady growth in visitor numbers in recent years. However, the main challenge remains increasing tourist spending and the overall value generated by each visitor. …

Read More
News

Ibrahimaj: Easier Bank Access to State Data Will Reduce Bureaucracy

Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said the government is working to simplify procedures for citizens and businesses through deeper digital integration between public institutions and the banking sector. Speaking at the workshop on digitalization, public services and commercial banks, Ibrahimaj highlighted efforts to expand digital services, reduce paperwork and …

Read More
News
“Ah Theth” Festival Begins with Music, Sports and Adventure in the Albanian Alps

Theth welcomes the “Ah Theth” festival this weekend. The festival combines music, sports, adventure and tradition. It takes place from August 21 to 23. The event features two nights and three days of activities. Visitors can enjoy events from sunset to sunrise amid the spectacular landscapes of the Albanian Alps. …

News
Karakaçi: Albania Reaches Over 600 MW in New Renewable Energy Capacity

Albania has reached its target of more than 600 MW in new renewable energy capacity ahead of schedule. Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi said the energy sector reforms are producing concrete results. He said the government is modernizing the legal framework and aligning it with European Union standards. …

News
Over 824,000 Visitors Explore Albania’s Cultural Heritage Sites

Albania’s cultural heritage sites recorded a strong increase in visitors during the first seven months of 2026. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja released the figures for January–July 2026. A total of 824,340 local and foreign visitors explored these destinations. The figure marks an 80% increase compared with …

News
Nufi in Puka’s Gojan i Madh: Wildfires Under Control

Defense Minister Ermal Nufi visited Gojan i Madh in Puka on Friday evening. He inspected the situation after wildfires affected the area. Nufi said the situation had been difficult during the day. However, firefighting teams brought the fires under control after several hours of work. He praised the local forces …

News
Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games: Albania sends record 72-athlete delegation

TIRANA, August 21 – The Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games open today in Italy, with Albania represented by 72 athletes. The delegation is the largest in Albania’s history at the Mediterranean Games. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Blendi Gonxhja congratulated the Albanian athletes as the competition began. The delegation includes …

News
Medicinal and aromatic plants offer growing potential for Albanian agriculture

TIRANA, August 21 – The cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants is becoming an increasingly important sector for Albanian agriculture. It provides income for farmers and contributes to the country’s exports. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images from fields in Devoll, where farmers have turned to medicinal plant cultivation in …

News
Return of emigrants increases border traffic, over 10,000 cross Kakavija border crossing with Greece in 24 hours

TIRANA, August 21 – Border traffic has increased at Kakavija border crossing with Greece as Albanian emigrants return, with more than 10,000 people and 3,000 vehicles processed over the past 24 hours. Border services processed 10,581 people at the Kakavija crossing. A total of 4,294 entered Albania, while 6,287 left …

News
Over 824,000 visitors to cultural heritage sites, Gjirokastër Castle leads

TIRANA, August 21 – Albania’s cultural heritage institutions and sites recorded a significant rise in visitors during the first 7 months of 2026. A total of 824,340 domestic and foreign visitors visited the sites from January to July, marking an 80% increase from the same period in 2023. According to …

News
10 active wildfires, 2 under monitoring as operations continue

TIRANA, August 21 – The Ministry of Defence reported 16 wildfires by 14:00. Ten remained active and two were under monitoring. The ministry said 240 military personnel, 3 firefighting vehicles, 4 helicopters and 2 Air Tractor aircraft supported the operations. In Gojan–Gjegjan, Puka, the situation remains calm and authorities report …

News
Week in Review: Momentous Moves and Dubious Intentions

Big changes are afoot amid the heat of the summer holiday season. Our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories takes a deep dive into the motives and agendas driving these changes. Original post Here

News

“Ah Theth” Festival Begins with Music, Sports and Adventure in the Albanian Alps

Theth welcomes the “Ah Theth” festival this weekend. The festival combines music, sports, adventure and tradition. It takes place from August 21 to 23. The event features two nights and three days of activities. Visitors can enjoy events from sunset to sunrise amid the spectacular landscapes of the Albanian Alps. …

News

Karakaçi: Albania Reaches Over 600 MW in New Renewable Energy Capacity

Albania has reached its target of more than 600 MW in new renewable energy capacity ahead of schedule. Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi said the energy sector reforms are producing concrete results. He said the government is modernizing the legal framework and aligning it with European Union standards. …

News

Over 824,000 Visitors Explore Albania’s Cultural Heritage Sites

Albania’s cultural heritage sites recorded a strong increase in visitors during the first seven months of 2026. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja released the figures for January–July 2026. A total of 824,340 local and foreign visitors explored these destinations. The figure marks an 80% increase compared with …

News

Nufi in Puka’s Gojan i Madh: Wildfires Under Control

Defense Minister Ermal Nufi visited Gojan i Madh in Puka on Friday evening. He inspected the situation after wildfires affected the area. Nufi said the situation had been difficult during the day. However, firefighting teams brought the fires under control after several hours of work. He praised the local forces …

News

Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games: Albania sends record 72-athlete delegation

TIRANA, August 21 – The Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games open today in Italy, with Albania represented by 72 athletes. The delegation is the largest in Albania’s history at the Mediterranean Games. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Blendi Gonxhja congratulated the Albanian athletes as the competition began. The delegation includes …

News

Medicinal and aromatic plants offer growing potential for Albanian agriculture

TIRANA, August 21 – The cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants is becoming an increasingly important sector for Albanian agriculture. It provides income for farmers and contributes to the country’s exports. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images from fields in Devoll, where farmers have turned to medicinal plant cultivation in …

News

Return of emigrants increases border traffic, over 10,000 cross Kakavija border crossing with Greece in 24 hours

TIRANA, August 21 – Border traffic has increased at Kakavija border crossing with Greece as Albanian emigrants return, with more than 10,000 people and 3,000 vehicles processed over the past 24 hours. Border services processed 10,581 people at the Kakavija crossing. A total of 4,294 entered Albania, while 6,287 left …

News

Over 824,000 visitors to cultural heritage sites, Gjirokastër Castle leads

TIRANA, August 21 – Albania’s cultural heritage institutions and sites recorded a significant rise in visitors during the first 7 months of 2026. A total of 824,340 domestic and foreign visitors visited the sites from January to July, marking an 80% increase from the same period in 2023. According to …

News

10 active wildfires, 2 under monitoring as operations continue

TIRANA, August 21 – The Ministry of Defence reported 16 wildfires by 14:00. Ten remained active and two were under monitoring. The ministry said 240 military personnel, 3 firefighting vehicles, 4 helicopters and 2 Air Tractor aircraft supported the operations. In Gojan–Gjegjan, Puka, the situation remains calm and authorities report …

News

Week in Review: Momentous Moves and Dubious Intentions

Big changes are afoot amid the heat of the summer holiday season. Our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories takes a deep dive into the motives and agendas driving these changes. Original post Here