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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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
Inspectorate and Financial Intelligence Agency strengthen anti-money laundering cooperation
TIRANA, August 21 – The General Inspectorate and the Financial Intelligence Agency have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation against money laundering and terrorist financing. General Inspector Dashnor Sula and Financial Intelligence Agency Director Ervin Koci signed the agreement. It aims to improve the detection and reporting of suspected illegal …
Conference League: Dinamo City draw 1-1 with Pafos, qualification remains open
TIRANA, August 21 – Dinamo City drew 1-1 with Pafos at Elbasan Arena in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off. The result leaves the tie open ahead of the return match. Neither side scored in the first half. Pafos missed a penalty in the 36th minute before …
National Maritime Museum to highlight Shkodër’s historic link with the lake
TIRANA, August 21 – The National Maritime Museum is taking shape at the entrance to Shkodër. The museum will tell the story of the city’s historic links with the lake, rivers and navigation. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images of the construction work on social media as the project adds …
NATO: Any decision on reopening Ibër bridge must address all communities
TIRANA, August 21 – NATO says any decision to reopen the main bridge over the Ibër River to vehicle traffic must address the needs of all local communities. A NATO official told Radio Free Europe that KFOR continues to provide security support for European Union diplomatic efforts. The official said …
Albanian anthem omitted in Pustec, PM Rama: ‘Parody’, minorities are a national asset, we will not respond in kind
TIRANA, August 21 – Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to the cultural event held in Pustec on August 20. Organisers played the North Macedonian national anthem but omitted the Albanian national anthem. In a post on X, Rama described the incident as a “meaningful parody”. He said Pustec Mayor …
Serbian strongman Aleksandar Vucic vowed to defeat the student protest movement, but lost in the end. Other movements across the region can learn lessons from the Serbian students about tactics and perseverance. Original post Here
Kosova Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu has begun an official visit to North Macedonia. Her counterpart, Assembly Speaker Afrim Gashi, welcomed her with a state ceremony. During her stay in Skopje, Haxhiu is expected to meet North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. Her agenda also includes meetings …
The National Museum of Photography “Marubi” continues to host “Gjon Mili: Retrospective,” an exhibition celebrating the Albanian-American photographer who transformed motion photography and brought art and science into closer dialogue. Through bold experiments with light, movement and photographic techniques, Mili challenged traditional ways of seeing images. He captured fleeting moments …
The World Bank expects economic growth across the Western Balkans to accelerate in 2026 and strengthen further in 2027. Consumption and investment will support this growth. The region’s economies have remained resilient to shocks and continue to converge with the European Union. However, businesses need more efficient trade rules to …
Shaip Kamberi, an elected Albanian member of Serbia’s parliament, questioned whether the Student List would change its position on Kosova after the new government takes office. He said Serbian politicians continue to use the Kosova issue for political gain. He also argued that nationalist voters play a key role in …
Albanian National Olympic Committee (KOKSH) President Fidel Ylli attended the “European City of Sport” Gala as a special guest, representing ACES Europe in his capacity as honorary president for the Balkans. The ceremony took place at the Hall of Honour of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). In his address, …
Deputy Justice Minister Elona Hoxha outlined six proposed legal instruments to prevent violence during protests, property damage and threats to public order. Speaking to Vizion Plus, she said the package aims to protect citizens and institutions while safeguarding the right to peaceful protest. The proposed Criminal Code amendments would penalise …
Albania and Italy have extended their agreement on the mutual recognition and conversion of driving licences for another five years. Albania’s Council of Ministers has approved the amendment, which continues the arrangement through an exchange of notes. The agreement allows Albanian citizens living in Italy and Italian citizens living in …
Deputy Economy and Innovation Minister Enkelejd Musabelliu presented a bill on cross-border transformations, mergers and divisions of companies to the Parliamentary Committee on Europe and Foreign Affairs. The bill aims to align Albanian legislation with European Union rules under Chapter 6 on company law. The proposal transposes EU Directive 2019/2121 …
Construction of the new Bahçallëk Bridge continues at a rapid pace at the entrance to Shkodër. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage of the works today, highlighting the investment in modern infrastructure. The project aims to improve road safety and ease traffic entering and leaving the city. It will also …