Albania honors US military officer for strengthening defense cooperation
Defense Minister Ermal Nufi awarded the “Golden Medal of Military Service” to US Army Lieutenant Colonel Joshua A. Magnusson after he completed his mandate as head of the US Military Group in Albania. The medal recognized Magnusson’s contribution to strengthening the partnership between the United States and the Albanian Armed …
Bank of Albania highlights record-low non-performing loans in meeting with EBRD
Governor of the Bank of Albania Gent Sejko met with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by its new Resident Representative in Albania, Hannes Takacs. During the meeting, Sejko presented the latest economic and financial developments in Albania and said the economy is expected …
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 …
The U.S. Embassy has issued a statement regarding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s meeting on Wednesday with the new U.S. Ambassador, Eric Wendt. The Embassy shared images from the meeting, stating that a strong partnership is measured by what two nations achieve together. In its post, the Embassy said that Rama …
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was welcomed by Prime Minister Edi Rama with an official ceremony at midday on Wednesday, as part of her visit to Tirana. Von der Leyen arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office, where she was received by the head of the Albanian government. Her …
The U.S. Department of State has published its 2026 report on Albania’s investment climate, highlighting challenges related to corruption, organized crime, money laundering, property rights and competition. The 40-page report notes that despite the increase in foreign investment, investors continue to face a lack of transparency, informality, difficulties in contract …
Director General of the Albanian State Police, Skender Hita, attended the European Police Chiefs Convention (EPCC). Ahead of the conference, Director Hita was received in a separate meeting by Europol’s Acting Executive Director, Jürgen Ebner. Also present at the meeting was the Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the …
The anti-government protests that rocked Albania this summer will not jeopardise its EU membership prospects – but will feed into a broader assessment of Tirana’s respect for democracy and that rule of law. Original post Here
Interior Minister Ervin Demo met with Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement, to discuss Albania’s progress toward EU membership. Their first meeting focused on the final milestones for Chapter 24, “Justice, Freedom and Security,” and Chapter 22, “Regional Policy and Coordination of …
Albania’s Customs Administration has published the “Customs Valuation Manual”, a practical guide designed to standardize procedures and ensure the consistent application of rules for determining the value of goods for customs purposes. The manual brings together the relevant legal framework and customs valuation methods. It also addresses issues that customs …
Justice Minister Toni Gogu, together with the Council of Europe, presented proposed amendments to Albania’s Criminal Procedure Code today. The initiative launches a public consultation on a broad reform of criminal procedures. The proposals focus on pre-trial detention, alternatives to imprisonment, stronger safeguards and the protection of individual rights. In …
On National Cultural Heritage Day, the Albanian Parliament expressed its appreciation for everyone who works to preserve and pass on the country’s cultural heritage from one generation to the next. In a social media post, Parliament highlighted the work of Vendim Kapaj, who holds the title “Grand Master” and has …
Finance Minister Petrit Malaj met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission assessing public investment efficiency (PIMA), led by Ian Hawkesworth. The meeting focused on the IMF’s findings and assessment of Albania’s public investment efficiency. The IMF plans to publish the full report soon. During the meeting, participants highlighted Albania’s …