U.S. Embassy: Avoid Demonstrations, Warns of Road Closures and Disruptions to Public Services
The United States Embassy in Tirana has issued an official statement regarding the ongoing protests in Albania, as well as those expected on Saturday, warning of the risk of escalation into violence. The Embassy emphasized that some demonstrations have turned violent, involving the use of incendiary devices, stone-throwing, and property …
PM Rama: We Will Launch Consultations with Parents and Teachers on Restricting Social Media Access for Minors
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced that the government will begin consultations with parents and teachers on restricting minors’ access to social media. Authorities are considering whether the age limit should be set at 16 or 18, with the aim of preventing children from having individual accounts on these platforms. …
PM Rama: Starting Next Year, Children Will Stay at School Until 5:00 PM
During his speech this afternoon, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that, starting next year, children will remain at school until 5:00 PM. The measure will help working parents, while children will take part in cultural and sports activities that will also contribute to their social development. “Another important task is …
European Commission: We Are Reviewing the Draft Law on the Bank of Albania
The European Commission has responded to recent amendments to the draft law on the Bank of Albania, specifically Article 72, which provides legal protection for the Governor of the Bank of Albania in the exercise of official duties. In response to a question from Euronews Albania journalist Thimi Samarxhiu, a …
Week in Review: Big Changes, Bigger Challenges
Our selection of Premium stories this week seeks to unpack the aftermath of an eventful weekend, with dramatic and rapid changes in Serbia that could have a wider impact across the region. Original post Here
Foreign Investors Association of Albania urge review of proposed 2027 tax measures
The Foreign Investors Association of Albania has called on the government to reconsider the proposed 2027 fiscal package. It urged officials to consult businesses meaningfully and assess the economic impact of planned tax increases. The association said major tax changes should rely on sound economic analysis and transparent consultation. Businesses …
Finance Minister Malaj says 2027 fiscal package redistributes taxes rather than raising them
Finance Minister Petrit Malaj has defended Albania’s proposed 2027 fiscal package, saying its overall effect on state revenue will be neutral or slightly negative. He presented the changes to the Economy Committee. Malaj said the package aims to redistribute revenue, protect vulnerable groups and support the middle class. Higher dividend …
President Begaj consults Socialist Party and Social Democrats on 2027 local elections as Democrats decline invitation
Albanian President Bajram Begaj has begun consultations with parliamentary parties to set the date for the 2027 local elections. His first meeting was with Socialist Party parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla at the Brigades Palace at around 9:00 a.m. Representatives of the Social Democratic Party, led by Tom Doshi, were …
Albanian news agency and German news agency train journalists in digital verification
The Albanian Telegraphic Agency has held professional training with Germany’s Deutsche Presse-Agentur on verifying digital content amid growing challenges from artificial intelligence. Led by Deutsche Presse-Agentur journalist Stefan Voss, the session brought together 11 agency journalists and translators. Participants examined methods for detecting manipulated images and videos and checking the …
President Begaj sets May 9, 2027, as date for Albania’s local elections
Albanian President Bajram Begaj has decreed May 9, 2027, as the date for the country’s next local elections. The Electoral Code requires voting to take place on one of four Sundays between April 15 and May 15. During consultations, the Socialist Party, the Social Democratic Party and the State Election …
Bank of Albania Governor Gent Sejko met European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone to discuss payment modernisation and Albania’s financial integration with the European Union. Cipollone is visiting Albania to attend the eighth International Conference on Regional Card Schemes and Financial Market Infrastructures for Small-Value Payments. Sejko highlighted …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has described the European Commission’s 2026 progress report as the best Albania has ever received. He made the remarks at a joint press conference with European Union Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa, who formally presented the report. Rama said the document marked a new path towards …
Prime Minister Edi Rama and the European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, held a joint press conference on Thursday, one day after the European Commission published its progress report on Albania. During her remarks, the EU Ambassador said the report’s clear message was that Albania had made …
The European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, called on institutions to create space for dialogue to address public grievances expressed through protests in Tirana, during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama. Moreira de Sousa stressed that violence has no place in a democracy and …
The mass protests in Albania were also discussed during a joint press conference held by Prime Minister Edi Rama and the European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa. Asked by reporters whether the protests could develop into a student movement similar to the mass demonstrations in Serbia, which …
TIRANA, Nov 5 /ATA/ – Albania could become a member of the European Union by 2029, but achieving that goal will require substantial efforts and faster progress in implementing reforms, EU Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa said on Thursday. Speaking at a joint news conference with Prime Minister …
TIRANA, Nov 5 /ATA/ Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha said today that the European Commission’s Progress Report on Albania highlights the adoption of draft laws put forward by the governing majority without transparency or public consultation. He described this practice as evidence of a lack of transparency in Parliament and …
Photojournalist Gani Xhengo: ATA photographs bear witness to Albania’s history and collective memory
TIRANA, Nov 5 /ATA/ – Gani Xhengo, a photojournalist who worked for the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) from 1970 to 1998, visited the photographic exhibition “32 Images, 32 Stories – An Albania in Transformation” at the Klik Ekspo Group trade fair on Thursday, sharing memories and insights from his career …
TIRANA, November 5 /ATSH/ – Chairman of the Democratic Party Sali Berisha reacted today to the European Commission’s annual progress report on Albania. In a statement to the media, Berisha appreciated the report as unprecedented in the history of relations between Albania and the European Union. He remarked that, in …
TIRANA, Nov 5 /ATA/ Students from the “Students in Protest” and “Student Revolution” groups, together with four civil society organisations, today filed three complaints with the Constitutional Court challenging acts adopted by the government on 28 October 2026. The students said their challenges concern Normative Acts No. 5/2026 and No. 6/2026, …