Albania Opposition MPs Claim Police Threatened Them in Parliament With Guns
After opposition MPs continued their protest in parliament on Thursday, clashing with the police and parliamentary guards, they claimed ‘armed persons threatened the deputies with weapons’. Original post Here
Italian ship brings first migrants to Albania-based camp under controversial asylum-processing deal
TIRANA, Oct. 16, 2024 – An Italian military ship carrying the first group of migrants arrived in the Albanian port of Shëngjin early Wednesday, marking the launch of a controversial project to process Italian asylum applications on Albanian soil, drawing much international attention. The initiative is part of a bilateral …
First Italian Ship With Refugees Arrives in Albania
The first Italian ship holding 16 refugees intercepted at sea arrived in Albania early on Wednesday, as Italy’s controversial plan to ‘offshore’ the processing of migrants and refugees got underway. Original post Here
Albanian Environmentalists See Red Over Green Sludge Coating Tirana’s Lake
The main artificial lake in the capital has been covered for weeks by thick green algae, which environmental activists blame on untreated urban sewage flowing into the water. Original post Here
Could Michigan’s Albanian-Americans Swing the Vote for Trump?
Albanian-American supporters of Donald Trump are campaigning hard in the swing state of Michigan, where their numbers could sway the result. But some fear the return of Trump’s controversial Balkan envoy Richard Grenell. Original post Here
Moldova Should Learn from Albania’s Mistakes in Justice Reform
As EU hopeful Moldova embarks on a complex process of judicial reform and vetting to root out corruption, experts advise it to note what has gone right – and wrong – in Albania, which began the same process a decade ago. Original post Here
Albania Opens EU Accession Negotiations, Seeks Membership by 2030
In Luxembourg on Tuesday, Albania opened its first negotiation ‘cluster’, with Prime Minister Edi Rama saying his country has its sights set on joining the European club by the end of the decade. Original post Here
Digital Rights Review: Websites Promote and Profit from Abuse of Women
BIRN’s monitoring of digital rights violations in August and September highlighted a threatening Hungarian ‘dark web’ site that contained illegally obtained images of women, plus a series of arrests for online sexual abuse in Romania. Original post Here
As Talks Begin, EU Chides Albania’s ‘Limited Progress’ in Tackling Corruption
As accession talks got underway, the EU ‘negotiating position’, published on Tuesday, says corruption remains “prevalent in most areas of public and business life, including in all branches of central and local government”. Original post Here
Androulakis Wins Second Chance to Revive Greece’s Centre-Left Party
After his re-election as leader of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis promised that “the best things are ahead” – but only time will show whether he can win back the trust of Greek voters for the once-powerful party he has supported since his youth. Original post Here
Dinamo City and Egnatia will face each other in the Albanian Cup final 2025/2026 on Wednesday night. The match will take place at Air Albania Stadium in Tirana, starting at 19:00. In addition, this will be the second consecutive final between the two teams, increasing the rivalry and excitement. Historically, …
TIRANA, May 13 – A new government–bank agreement aims to strengthen business financing in Albania. The programme “Double Your Entrepreneurship” supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also targets wider economic growth. At the event in Tirana, Prime Minister Edi Rama met banking sector representatives. Minister of Economy and Innovation …
TIRANA, May 13 – The Albanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation took part in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Balkan Championship held from May 7 to 10 in Belgrade, Serbia. The federation said the team completed its participation successfully and delivered a strong performance at international level. Turning to competition …
TIRANA, May 13 – The exhibition “A Journey Through the History of News”, opened by the Albanian news agency (ATSH) on May 9 at Tirana Castle, is attracting strong interest from local and foreign visitors. Visitors described the exhibition as an important contribution to understanding the history and development of …
TIRANA, May 13 – Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu visited the new “Hospitality Centre” in Sarandë, a multifunctional facility expected to open soon for the tourist season. Officials said the project combines modern infrastructure and European standards with Albanian hospitality traditions. Sarandë Mayor Oltion Çaçi accompanied Koçiu during the visit. …
TIRANA, May 13 – NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that some actors are attempting to destabilise the Western Balkans and pull the region backwards. During a visit to Montenegro, he said the alliance remains committed to ensuring past conflicts remain in history. Turning to security concerns, Rutte said NATO …
TIRANA, May 13 – The parliamentary Committee for Culture, Tourism and Diaspora of Albania and the Committee for Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development of Albania held a joint meeting in Struga, North Macedonia, on May 12–13. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe supported the event. Lawmakers from …
TIRANA, May 13 – The Albanian government approved a new subsidy scheme for public transport operators following higher fuel prices. The measure provides 50 lek per litre of fuel for transport companies. After the government meeting, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enea Karakaçi said the subsidy covers urban, intercity and …
As part of its strategy to make personal and family care more affordable for every consumer, Rossmann & Lala is further expanding its price reductions to some of the most frequently used everyday categories: oral care, household cleaning products, and international chocolate brands. This step follows the successful price repositioning …
Tirana Times, May 13, 2026 — The Albania–Italy migration agreement remains in force, despite a brief but politically sensitive controversy triggered by comments from Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha on whether the protocol could continue beyond its initial five-year term. The debate began after Hoxha, in an interview with Euractiv, was asked …