The head of the CIA in the Balkans—closing the door to the penetration of Russian influence
While primarily preoccupied with finding solutions to the crisis in the Middle East and frequently travelling to the region, CIA chief and ambassador William Burns paid a surprise and unannounced visit to several Balkan capitals and spoke with their leaders. The visit took place this week without public announcements but …
Albanian Central Bank Printed Money to Finance Hotel Purchase – Draft Report
A damning draft audit into the workings of the Bank of Albania – declared secret but obtained by BIRN – found the central bank printed money to fund the purchase of an iconic Tirana hotel and other expenditures. Original post Here
History of the Armed Forces, part of the Central State Archive/ Minister Vengu visits the Central Archive of the Armed Forces
Thousands of materials belonging to the Central Archive of the Armed Forces will be part of the Central State Archive. The work has already started and is expected to be completed by January 1, 2025. The Minister of Defense, Mr. Pirro Vengu, accompanied by the General Director of the Central …
Minister Hasani gathers ambassadors and consuls on Monday: We discuss the challenges of Albanian diplomacy
On August 26-28, 2024, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs organizes the Conference of Ambassadors “Tirana Diplo 2024”. The event will be organized in the premises of the Palace of Congresses. In addition to ambassadors and heads of consular posts, Albanian and foreign dignitaries will be invited. The three-day …
Fight between several people in a hotel in Saranda, two arrested
A fight took place on Saturday evening between several people in a hotel in Saranda. According to the police, a 19-year-old man from Saranda and a Frenchman clashed with two other French citizens, disrupting public peace and causing material damage to the hotel. As a result, the 19-year-old man and …
Declared wanted, a 50 year old is extradited from Spain
Ismali Zeneli was extradited from Spain to our country, after the finalization of the operation by Interpol Tirana. The 50-year-old was declared internationally wanted by the Interpol Directorate, he is part of the gang group where Erzen Breçani was arrested. The Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized …
An 18 year old died after he lost control of the vehicle
An 18-year-old, who was injured on Thursday, after losing control of the car and ended up in the canal, died this Friday. The accident happened yesterday, around the early hours of the morning. The driver of the vehicle was immediately sent to the hospital for medical assistance, but as a …
A 26-year-old man is arrested in Elbasan for threatened to kill the police officer
A 26-year-old man was arrested in Elbasan after threatening to kill a police officer. According to the police, the young man was walking around armed with a pistol, at midnight, in the “Luigj Gurakuqi” neighborhood, while it was ascertained by the police officer that he was off duty. At the …
GAIN Summit 2024 to Explore Latest Global Developments in AI
Third edition of the Global Artificial Intelligence Summit announced TIRANA, 21 August 2024 – AI leaders from around the world will be gathering for the third edition of the Global AI Summit (GAIN) on September 10-12, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hosted by the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority …
Sydney-Based Lawyer Makes ‘Special Swim’ from Italy to Albania
Long-distance swimmer Eva Buzo tells BIRN her Albanian heritage made the 35-hour swim from Italy to Albania extra special. Original post Here
Prime Minister Edi Rama urged Elbasan to become a leading city for startups and innovation during a meeting with winners of Albania’s national startup program for 2025 and new applicants for 2026. During the event, young innovators presented projects in technology and the digital economy. Meanwhile, organizers highlighted the rapid …
Mayor of Elbasan Gledian Llatja said startups will transform into concrete development models for Elbasan during a meeting with winners of Albania’s 2025 startup program and new applicants for 2026. The event took place at the newly renovated “Onufri” arts high school in Elbasan. Young innovators presented promising technology projects …
Prime Minister Edi Rama met today in Elbasan with winners of Albania’s 2025 startup program and applicants for 2026, who presented promising projects in technology and innovation. During the meeting, Rama said technology is rapidly transforming economic development and innovation. He explained that the world has moved from linear growth …
Albania inaugurated its National Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with the presentation of “A Place in the Sun” by artist Genti Korini, curated by Małgorzata Ludwisiak. During the opening ceremony, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports Blendi Gonxhja described Albania’s participation as a …
Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari addressed the International Migration Forum at the United Nations and reaffirmed Albania’s commitment to safe, orderly, and legal migration. During his speech, Lamallari stressed that Albania supports migration policies based on human rights, international cooperation, and stronger engagement with the Albanian diaspora. Furthermore, he said …
Minister of Environment Sofjan Jaupaj met today with Dame Dimitrovski, adviser to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, and Raimund Jehle during the regional conference United for Climate. During the meeting, Jaupaj discussed a regional forestry initiative supported by the Green Climate Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Furthermore, …
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VanHorn attended the “Battle of the Bands” concert in Tirana featuring the Flagship and the Orchestra of the Albanian Armed Forces. During her opening remarks, VanHorn said the event celebrated “Freedom 250,” a global initiative launched by Donald Trump to honor 250 years of American independence, …
Ura e Kamarës is a historic medieval bridge located near the village of Mirakë, along the Elbasan–Librazhd national road. To reach it, visitors follow the old Egnatia Road and pass through a narrow village path. Then they arrive at the bridge site. The bridge measures about 40 meters in length …
TIRANA, May 8 – An opposition protest took place in central Tirana on Friday evening, gathering supporters along “Dëshmorët e Kombit” boulevard in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. The demonstra ion started at around 19:30 and formed part of a series of opposition rallies against the government. Unlike previous …
While some events covered in our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week suggest that possible changes are afoot, other parts of the region seem stuck in the same rut. Original post Here