Albanian Football Federation chief Duka highlights competition and young talent as new season begins
TIRANA, August 21 – The new Abissnet Superiore season starts today on RTSH. The 88th edition of Albania’s top football division opens with Vllaznia against Skënderbeu at Loro Boriçi Stadium at 21:00. Albanian Football Federation President Armand Duka says the new season will bring stronger competition and new opportunities for …
Zelensky Visit to Belgrade: What Could He Learn from Israeli Experience
by Edward P. Joseph Tirana Times, August 21, 2026 – At the NATO Summit in Ankara last month, I had the high honor of meeting President Zelensky. Had I known he was heading soon to Belgrade, I would have shared critical advice with his advisors. Besieged by an aggressor like …
‘Return Hubs’ for Migrants Anticipated in Balkans for ‘Era of Deportations’
As the EU awaits final approval for plans to set up ‘return hubs’ in third countries for migrants awaiting deportation, it’s predicted that Balkan countries could end up hosting such holding centres despite concerns about human rights violations. Original post Here
Waste Money Wasted: The Millions of Euros Behind Albania’s Ghost Incinerators
BIRN dissects the accusations against 12 individuals standing trial for allegedly siphoning millions of euros in public money supposed to be spent on solving Tirana’s long-standing garbage problem. Original post Here
Egnatia Draw 0–0 with Lillestrøm, Europa League Tie Remains Open
Albanian champions Egnatia drew 0–0 with Norway’s Lillestrøm in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off. Egnatia played the match at Arena Egnatia. The Rrogozhina side defended well and created several chances. Gruda came closest to scoring in the second half. His header hit the crossbar. Egnatia missed …
Farewell to Rezana Çeliku, an Actress Remembered for Her Talent and Kindness
Albanian actress Rezana Çeliku has died, leaving behind family, friends, colleagues and admirers who remember her with deep affection. Her relatives announced the sad news. They described Çeliku as a warm, kind and exceptional person. Although she did not appear in many film productions, she made a lasting impression in …
Albania Heads to Taranto 2026 Ahead of the Prishtina-Durrës Mediterranean Games
Albania will take part in the Mediterranean Games “Taranto 2026” as the country prepares to co-host the Prishtina-Durrës 2030 edition. Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said Albania will use the event to gain valuable experience from Italy. “Albania is going to Taranto not only to compete, but also …
Korçë and Greece Seek Stronger Cooperation in Tourism and Economy
Korçë Mayor Sotiraq Filo met with Greek Ambassador to Albania Lambrini Komini to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Korçë and Greece. The two sides focused on tourism, the economy, culture, education and environmental cooperation. Filo said the meeting aimed to turn the close historical, cultural and people-to-people ties between …
Tirana International Airport Named Among Six Finalists for 2026 Airport Award
Tirana International Airport (TIA) has reached the final stage of the 2026 Airport Honour Awards. The airport is one of six international finalists selected by International Airport Review. TIA will compete against airports in New York, Munich, Vienna, Pittsburgh and Buenos Aires. The selection recognizes TIA’s growth, investment, innovation and …
U.S. Embassy: State Department Cancels Visas of Foreign Nationals Who Threaten National Security
The U.S. Department of State is cancelling the visas of foreign nationals who commit crimes, encourage violence against Americans or threaten U.S. national security, the U.S. Embassy in Albania said on Thursday. The embassy said the policy follows the Trump administration’s approach of taking action against foreign nationals who pose …
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
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 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 …
Gjirokastër Castle continues to attract growing numbers of visitors. Between January and July 2026, the historic site welcomed 161,274 visitors, marking a 13% increase from the same period last year. Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the figures. He said the castle continues to attract visitors because of …
TIRANA, August 21 – Albanian Olympic Committee President Fidel Ylli and Secretary General Gerti Shima took part in the election of Francesco Purromuto as the new president of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games. The election took place in Taranto ahead of the opening of the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games. …
The National Cinematography Center (QKK) has opened applications for its “First Feature Film” category. The call targets Albanian filmmakers and emerging talents who want to bring their first feature-length projects to the big screen. QKK aims to support new filmmakers with original ideas and distinctive stories. The initiative gives young …