Italian Court Rules Migrants Shipped to Albania Must Be Sent Back
A Rome court dealt a blow to a controversial scheme to send migrants intercepted at sea by Italy to Albania, ruling that the first 12 migrants who were transported to an Albanian reception camp this week must be returned. Original post Here
Albanians Scent Profit in Italy’s Costly Offshore Migrant Processing Plan
An Italian opposition MP has lambasted the start of the scheme to process migrants in Albania as a fiasco – but locals living near the new facilities are eying up potential economic benefits. Original post Here
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
EU support is not abstract — it can be seen in the streets of Western Balkan cities, in growing businesses, and in the opportunities opening up for young people. The two-day “Creative HUB” event, organized by WeBalkans in Belgrade at the end of April, became a meeting point for journalists, …
Prosecutors dropped a probe into the alleged smuggling of Russian oil through an Albanian port in 2023, but behind the vessel in question lies a network of individuals and companies linked by Ukrainian intelligence agents to an alleged ‘shadow fleet’ used by Russia to bypass sanctions and finance its war …
TIRANA, May 13 – Prime Minister Edi Rama will visit Aachen, Germany on May 13–14 as a special guest among around 700 personalities attending the Charlemagne Prize ceremony. Organisers described him as part of the group of honour guests. Turning to this year’s award, the Charlemagne Prize 2026 will go …
The parliamentary committees on Culture, Tourism and Diaspora and on Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development held a joint meeting in Struga, North Macedonia, on May 12-13. The OSCE organized the event. The meeting brought together MPs from Albania and North Macedonia, along with ambassadors and senior OSCE officials. During …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha met today in Tirana with a delegation from the Swedish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Morgan Johansson. During the meeting, Hoxha praised Sweden’s continued support for Albania’s European Union integration process. He also highlighted Sweden’s contribution to Albania’s democratic, institutional and …
Socialist Party MP Pirro Vengu met with Albanian students in Struga and Tetovo during his two-day visit to North Macedonia. During the meetings, Vengu said Albanian students are not asking for ethnic privileges. Instead, he said they are demanding what he called “European normality” by seeking to take state exams …
The University of Arts marked its 60th anniversary today. It awarded certificates of appreciation to more than 30 personalities. These individuals contributed to the institution’s development. The ceremony took place in Tirana. Students, alumni, professors and cultural figures attended the event. Among the honorees was sculptor Kristaq Rama. He was …
A parliamentary dialogue on EU enlargement between Albania and Sweden was held today in Tirana at the “House of Europe”. The head of the Socialist Party parliamentary group Taulant Balla said Albania is closer than ever to full EU membership. He stated that the country’s goal is to close accession …
Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu presented a package of measures in Saranda to ensure a safe and successful tourism season. She said Albania has seen a sharp increase in tourist numbers over the past five years. However, she stressed that the country has managed the flow without major problems. Moreover, …
Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi met today with the new Turkish Ambassador to Albania Barış Ceyhun Erciyes. Peleshi said Albania and Turkey share a long-standing friendship and a consolidated strategic partnership. Moreover, he stressed that the relationship continues to strengthen in support of peace, security and economic development. In addition, …