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Dendias visits the Orthodox Cathedral in Tirana, pays tribute at Archbishop Anastas’ grave

As part of his official visit to Albania and meetings with senior representatives of the Albanian government, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias visited the Orthodox Cathedral of the “Resurrection of Christ,” where he was received by the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, His Beatitude Archbishop Joani. “During the …

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‘Dua’ by Blerta Basholli achieves historic success at Cannes, wins the prestigious ‘SACD’ award

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:28455baa-0e1c-46e3-8107-4093d764c751-4″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:28455baa-0e1c-46e3-8107-4093d764c751-4″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-10″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The film Dua by Kosovar director Blerta Basholli has placed Kosovo among the world’s film elite. Following its emotional premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the film was honored with the prestigious “SACD” award, presented by the Society of Dramatic …

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PM Rama receives Greek defence minister in Tirana

TIRANA, May 25 – Prime Minister Edi Rama received Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias in Tirana during his official visit to Albania. Meanwhile, Rama shared images from the meeting on social media. He described Dendias as a valued friend and a strong supporter of the strategic partnership between Albania and …

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US congress members visit Balkans, Kosova trip also planned

TIRANA, May 25 – US congress members Keith Self, a Republican, and Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat, are visiting Serbia. They will also visit the Presheva Valley, a region with an ethnic Albanian majority. Meanwhile, Serbian parliament speaker Ana Brnabic will receive the delegation in Belgrade. The congress members will also …

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Prime Minister Rama to attend eighth intergovernmental conference with EU in Brussels

TIRANA, May 25 – Albania and the European Union will hold tomorrow the eighth Intergovernmental Conference on accession negotiations in Brussels. The meeting focuses on advancing reforms under Cluster 1 “Fundamentals” of the negotiation process. The conference will confirm Albania’s fulfilment of interim benchmarks. It will also define final benchmarks …

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Opposition Democratic Party MP calls for special national status for Albanian Film Archive

TIRANA, May 25 – Democratic Party of the opposition MP Ina Zhupa, chair of the Committee on Culture, Tourism and Diaspora, visited the National Film Archive of Albania. Zhupa called for stronger institutional attention and concrete government support for the archive. She described it as a key institution for preserving …

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: May 25, 2026

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

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Protect Nature, EU interactive contest promotes Albania’s biodiversity

TIRANA May 25 – The Delegation of the European Union in Albania has launched the “Protect Nature” contest. The initiative promotes biodiversity and environmental protection through an interactive experience in several Albanian cities. The campaign covers Tirana, Shkodër, Durrës, and Vlora. It uses green stickers placed in public areas. Each …

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Vatican honors Albanian ambassador Majlinda Frangaj for contribution to bilateral relations

TIRANA, May 25 – The Vatican has awarded Albanian ambassador to the Holy See Majlinda Frangaj the title “Dame Grand Cross of the Piano Order”, one of the highest civil decorations of the Holy See. The Piano Order was founded by Pope Pius IX. It is considered one of the …

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Rama: Bënja Baths to become a modern tourism destination in nature

Renovation works at Bënja Baths are continuing. The site is located about 14 kilometers from the city of Përmet. It lies in the Petran administrative unit, near the meeting point of the Vjosa River and the Lengarica stream. Prime Minister Edi Rama said the transformation will be completed soon. He …

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National team starts training ahead of Israel and Luxembourg friendlies

TIRANA, June 2 – Albania’s national football team started preparations at the “House of Football” for friendly matches against Israel and Luxembourg. The full squad took part in the opening training session, while Naser Aliji trained separately after completing a recovery session following 90 minutes for his club. The group …

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30th Edition of “Korça Poetry Nights” Festival Concludes Successfully

The city of Korçë has closed the 30th edition of the International Festival of Poets and Authors “Korça Poetry Nights.” The event brought together poets from Albania, the region, and across Europe. Korçë Mayor Sotiraq Filo described the festival as a celebration of the beauty of words. He said it …

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Dea Open Air film festival opens 13th edition with 40 international productions

TIRANA, June 2 – The 13th edition of the Dea Open Air International Film Festival opened on Sunday. The event will run until June 5 and will showcase 40 films from 25 countries. The festival began with a welcome event in front of the University of Arts. Festival Director Edmond …

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Government sets 2026 priorities for prosecutors

TIRANA, June 2 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu presented the government’s 2026 recommendations on combating crime. He addressed Prosecutor General Olsian Çela, Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution Office head Klodian Braho and chief prosecutors from across the country. Gogu said the recommendations cover eight areas. They align with the …

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President Begaj meets European Council President Costa

TIRANA, June 2 – President of the Republic Bajram Begaj met President of the European Council Antonio Costa on Tuesday to discuss Albania’s progress in the European Union accession process. During the meeting, the two officials welcomed Albania’s progress in the negotiations process, including the holding of the 8th EU-Albania …

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Prime Minister Rama hosts European Council President Costa in Tirana

TIRANA, June 3 – President of the European Council Antonio Costa arrived in Tirana on Tuesday as part of his diplomatic tour of the Western Balkans. Prime Minister Edi Rama received Costa at the Prime Minister’s Office. The two officials held talks with their respective delegations. Later, Rama and Costa …

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Elbasan Gains Italian Media Attention with Krohn Gastronomic Project

A new gastronomic project in Elbasan is attracting attention from Italian media. The project, called Krohn, focuses on game meat, wild products, and local cuisine closely linked to the territory. The project is located in a rural area near Elbasan, about 30 minutes from Tirana. It aims to combine nature, …

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Ksamil Captivates International Media as One of Europe’s Top Beach Destinations

International travel media outlet The Wom Travel has highlighted Ksamil as one of the most attractive coastal destinations in the Balkans. The publication praised Ksamil for its white sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. It also described the area as one of the most beautiful spots in the Mediterranean. Ksamil …

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European Council President Costa praises Albania’s European Union progress

TIRANA, June 3 – European Council President Antonio Costa praised Albania’s progress toward European Union membership during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana. Costa congratulated Albania for its commitment to the accession process. He also acknowledged Rama’s role in advancing the country’s European agenda. Earlier, …

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Albanian PM Rama with EC President Costa: Implementation of reforms remains key challenge in EU path

TIRANA, June 3 – Prime Minister Edi Rama held a joint press conference with European Council President Antonio Costa in Tirana. He said Albania must maintain its pace in the European Union accession process and thanked Costa for continued support to European integration. Rama described Costa as a leader with …

News

National team starts training ahead of Israel and Luxembourg friendlies

TIRANA, June 2 – Albania’s national football team started preparations at the “House of Football” for friendly matches against Israel and Luxembourg. The full squad took part in the opening training session, while Naser Aliji trained separately after completing a recovery session following 90 minutes for his club. The group …

News

30th Edition of “Korça Poetry Nights” Festival Concludes Successfully

The city of Korçë has closed the 30th edition of the International Festival of Poets and Authors “Korça Poetry Nights.” The event brought together poets from Albania, the region, and across Europe. Korçë Mayor Sotiraq Filo described the festival as a celebration of the beauty of words. He said it …

News

Dea Open Air film festival opens 13th edition with 40 international productions

TIRANA, June 2 – The 13th edition of the Dea Open Air International Film Festival opened on Sunday. The event will run until June 5 and will showcase 40 films from 25 countries. The festival began with a welcome event in front of the University of Arts. Festival Director Edmond …

News

Government sets 2026 priorities for prosecutors

TIRANA, June 2 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu presented the government’s 2026 recommendations on combating crime. He addressed Prosecutor General Olsian Çela, Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution Office head Klodian Braho and chief prosecutors from across the country. Gogu said the recommendations cover eight areas. They align with the …

News

President Begaj meets European Council President Costa

TIRANA, June 2 – President of the Republic Bajram Begaj met President of the European Council Antonio Costa on Tuesday to discuss Albania’s progress in the European Union accession process. During the meeting, the two officials welcomed Albania’s progress in the negotiations process, including the holding of the 8th EU-Albania …

News

Prime Minister Rama hosts European Council President Costa in Tirana

TIRANA, June 3 – President of the European Council Antonio Costa arrived in Tirana on Tuesday as part of his diplomatic tour of the Western Balkans. Prime Minister Edi Rama received Costa at the Prime Minister’s Office. The two officials held talks with their respective delegations. Later, Rama and Costa …

News

Elbasan Gains Italian Media Attention with Krohn Gastronomic Project

A new gastronomic project in Elbasan is attracting attention from Italian media. The project, called Krohn, focuses on game meat, wild products, and local cuisine closely linked to the territory. The project is located in a rural area near Elbasan, about 30 minutes from Tirana. It aims to combine nature, …

News

Ksamil Captivates International Media as One of Europe’s Top Beach Destinations

International travel media outlet The Wom Travel has highlighted Ksamil as one of the most attractive coastal destinations in the Balkans. The publication praised Ksamil for its white sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. It also described the area as one of the most beautiful spots in the Mediterranean. Ksamil …

News

European Council President Costa praises Albania’s European Union progress

TIRANA, June 3 – European Council President Antonio Costa praised Albania’s progress toward European Union membership during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana. Costa congratulated Albania for its commitment to the accession process. He also acknowledged Rama’s role in advancing the country’s European agenda. Earlier, …

News

Albanian PM Rama with EC President Costa: Implementation of reforms remains key challenge in EU path

TIRANA, June 3 – Prime Minister Edi Rama held a joint press conference with European Council President Antonio Costa in Tirana. He said Albania must maintain its pace in the European Union accession process and thanked Costa for continued support to European integration. Rama described Costa as a leader with …