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 …
Albania’s Diverse Fruit Production: From Korçë Apples to Berat Figs
Albania has a diverse fruit production map, with different regions specializing in different crops. Korçë remains one of the country’s leading apple-producing areas. The municipality produced around 17,700 tonnes of apples in 2025. Maliq followed with about 17,200 tonnes, while Devoll produced nearly 13,000 tonnes. Elbasan leads the country in …
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed a cooperation agreement today with Aleksandër Xhuvani University in Elbasan. The agreement aims to connect academic knowledge with the needs of agriculture and rural development. Agriculture Minister Andis Salla and university rector Prof. Dr. Elvora Fetahu signed the agreement. Salla said the …
Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi announced progress on the Kombinat–Ndroq–Plepa road, a southern alternative route from Tirana towards Durrës and the coast. The Albanian Road Authority has completed the first 5-kilometre section to Peza and formally taken it over. It has also finalised the contract for the next 9 …
Korça welcomes the 13th International Short Film Festival for five nights of screenings at Majestik Cinema and the Digital Arts Gallery. The programme features 100 films from around the world, covering diverse themes and perspectives. It also includes three programmes for children. Festival director Gledis Bica said this year’s new …
The Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs and Defence reviewed proposed amendments to the law on managing seized and confiscated assets. Deputy Interior Minister Xhemal Qefalia presented the bill. The amendments would extend management rules to assets seized or confiscated by central and local government bodies, including illegal buildings. They would …
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced on Tuesday that he had requested answers from the responsible institutions regarding the murder of Arlinda Zekaj in Peja. Kurti emphasized that he had given the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice 54 hours to complete a report aimed at identifying …
President of the Republic Bajram Begaj has invited representatives of parliamentary groups to consultations on October 30 regarding the date of the 2027 local elections, according to sources from the Presidency. The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for consultations with parliamentary groups before the date of the upcoming …
Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi inspected the progress of construction works on the Kombinat–Ndroq–Plepa road project on Tuesday. Karakaçi announced that construction work on Lot 1 has been completed. He added that work on the next 9 kilometers of the road will begin very soon. According to him, …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to discussions surrounding the proposed changes to the 2027 fiscal package. In a post on the social media platform X, Rama responded to criticism and debate over the new fiscal measures, indicating that the government’s position would become clear during the approval of the …
The Student List will continue the dialogue with Kosovo initiated under the previous government. This also includes the implementation of the 2013 Brussels Agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, signed with the mediation of the European Union, according to Ilija Srdanović, who topped the list that …
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