France awards soprano Ermonela Jaho with Knight of Arts and Letters title
TIRANA, May 25 – France has awarded Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho the title “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” (Knight of Arts and Letters). France grants the distinction to individuals with outstanding contributions to the arts. Jaho reacted online after receiving the award. She said the title represents a great …
Shëngjin opens 2026 tourism season, Nufi says city is ready for more visitors
Shëngjin officially opened the summer tourism season last night with a series of activities. The event gathered residents of Lezhë and tourists from different countries. The opening ceremony, “Shëngjin 2026”, was attended by Minister of Defence Ermal Nufi, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla, and Lezhë Mayor Pjerin …
Albania reports 11.7 percent revenue increase in January–April 2026
TIRANA, May 25 – The Minister of Finance Petrit Malaj said economic indicators for January–April 2026 show positive growth. He presented data on revenues and public expenditure for the four-month period. Total revenues reached about 275.7 billion ALL in January–April 2026. The figure equals 105.2 percent of the planned target. …
Acrimony and Accusations Hold up Construction of Albanian Port
Albania wants to develop a new commercial port in Durres, but the public tender for its construction has fallen apart in acrimony and accusation. Original post Here
Western Balkans Stability Monitor: Elections in the Air
The new edition of BIRN’s Western Balkans Stability Monitor looks at election fever in the region. Some countries are heading towards elections; in others, parties are using possible polls as a PR tool. Original post Here
Rama shares views from Lurë–Mali i Dejës National Park: One of Albania’s most beautiful natural treasures
Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today new views from Lurë–Mali i Dejës National Park. He described the area as one of Albania’s most valuable natural treasures and a destination with strong potential for sustainable tourism. In a social media post, Rama published images from the park. He highlighted the rare …
“Dua” wins in Cannes, Basholli calls it a major prize for Kosovo cinema
Dua by Kosovar director Blerta Basholli has brought Kosovo a major international film award. After its emotional premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the film won the prestigious SACD Award. The prize is awarded by France’s Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers during the “Semaine de la Critique” section. The …
Gonxhja: Socca European Championship in Tirana breaks records
Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja described the Socca European Championship in Tirana as a record-breaking event. He said it placed the Albanian capital at the center of European minifootball. According to Gonxhja, 28 countries took part in the championship at the House of Football. More than 1,500 players …
Monday to bring stable weather, light rainfall in southeastern Albania
TIRANA, May 25 – The Military Meteorological Service said Albania will experience relatively stable atmospheric conditions on Monday. The weather will feature clear skies and periods of cloudiness, more pronounced in the southeastern regions. Light rainfall will occur in the form of isolated drops in mountainous areas of southeastern Albania. …
Greek defense minister to visit Tirana for talks with Rama and Nufi, “To Vima” reports
Greece is increasing efforts to restart talks with Albania on maritime borders. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias will visit Tirana next week for high-level meetings. He will meet Albanian Defense Minister Ermal Nufi and Prime Minister Edi Rama. The visit aims to revive talks on maritime border delimitation. In October …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania is stepping up work on its European Union integration process, with more than 20 draft laws already prepared for Chapters 16 and 29. Deputy Finance Minister Endrit Yzeiraj said the first half of 2026 brought heavy workloads and strategic tasks, but EU integration remained a …
Albania faces another potentially costly international dispute after losing several arbitration cases in recent years that have exposed the state to hundreds of millions of euros in compensation and related liabilities. Tirana Times, August 10, 2026 – Albania is no stranger to costly international arbitration. Over the past decade, the …
TIRANA, August 10 – High passenger and vehicle flows continue at Albania’s ports and border crossing points (BCP-s) during the peak tourist season. Thousands of people and vehicles have entered and left the country in recent hours. At the Port of Vlora, around 2,700 passengers are expected today on 3 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.4% in July 2026, from 2.5% in July 2025. Consumer prices also increased by 0.2% from June. According to INSTAT data, food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest contribution to annual inflation at 1.18 percentage points. The group covering housing, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Tradition, history and local cuisine came together at the 7th edition of “Mokra n’Fest”, held near the stone bridge in Golikë, Pogradec. The festival brought together local residents, visitors and emigrants who returned to their hometowns. An artisan fair and traditional food highlighted local products, including …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës Port recorded high passenger traffic during the first 10 days of August, as the summer travel season reached its peak. According to the Durrës Port Authority, 75,962 passengers travelled through the port between August 1 and 10. Most of the traffic involved arrivals, with 51,259 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës remains a popular choice for foreign tourists spending their summer holidays in Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a video today featuring visitors from Germany, the Netherlands, England, the Czech Republic, Italy and other countries. Rama said the city’s sea, history, culture and Albanian hospitality …
TIRANA, August 10 – Problem loans in Albania’s banking system fell again in June. They accounted for 3.7% of total lending, down from 3.77% in May. According to Bank of Albania statistics, this marks the lowest level since 2007. The ratio also fell by 0.31 percentage points from June 2025. …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania faces a high wildfire risk this afternoon and tomorrow, with temperatures reaching 40°C. The Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO) has placed 5 counties under a high-risk warning for forest fires. The warning covers Lezha, Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan and Fier. IGJEO expects a moderate risk in Shkodër, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s civil aviation sector is recording new highs in 2026 as summer tourism drives passenger and flight traffic. Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi visited the public company Albcontrol today, to review measures for managing the increased air traffic. Albcontrol Director Dritan Isaku said the organisation …