Adriatic Charter: Kingji Meets US General Grynkewich
Defense cooperation and regional security issues were at the center of meetings held during the 2026 US-Adriatic Charter Conference of Chiefs of Defense in Zadar, Croatia. The US Embassy in Tirana said that US General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the US European Command (USEUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), …
Kurti Meets Hamza to Discuss Ways to Challenge Hague Verdict
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met today with Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Bedri Hamza. The meeting came one day after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers issued verdicts against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. The four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders received combined sentences of …
Diaspora Holds Protest in Times Square Over Hague Verdict, Hajdari: Freedom for Liberators
The Albanian diaspora in the United States held a protest in Times Square, New York, following the first-instance verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders. Tirana Prefect Shkëlqim Hajdari shared images from the gathering on social media. He conveyed the …
Begaj Meets Konrad Adenauer Foundation Representatives: Albania Advancing on EU Accession Path
President Bajram Begaj met today with German representatives of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Dieter Althaus, former Prime Minister of Thuringia and board member, and Thomas Kunze, the foundation’s current head in Albania. Begaj thanked Germany for its continued support for Albania’s European Union accession process. He also praised the Konrad …
Food Safety: AKU Laboratories Upgraded in Shkodra, Fier and Gjirokastra
Improved laboratory infrastructure and stronger food safety control capacities marked the main results of the TYPIC-AL project, which concluded with a closing meeting in Albania. The project received funding from the Italian government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). CIHEAM Bari implemented the project in cooperation with the …
The Hague ruling unites PS and PD, Parliament: Sentencing of Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi is unjust
The Socialist Party (PS) and Democratic Party (PD) have issued a joint statement in Parliament regarding the ruling by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, which sentenced four former KLA leaders — Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi — to a combined 81 years in prison. In …
65,000 claims for damages in Ukraine, Gogu: Albania ratifies compensation mechanism
Justice Minister Toni Gogu today called on MPs, during a plenary session, to ratify the Convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. With the ratification of the convention, Albania becomes the tenth country to approve the mechanism. A total of 25 states are required for it to enter into …
Albanian diaspora gathers in Times Square in support of former KLA leaders, Tirana prefect shares footage
Following the announcement of the first-instance verdict by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, which sentenced the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army to a total of 81 years in prison, support for them has also been expressed outside Kosovo. Last night, members of the Albanian diaspora gathered in …
Thaçi reacts after The Hague ruling: I deny any involvement in killings, I will appeal the verdict
One day after the first-instance ruling in The Hague, which sentenced four former KLA leaders to a combined 81 years in prison, Hashim Thaçi has responded through a post published by his lead lawyer on the social media platform X. In the post, Thaçi expresses his gratitude for the support …
July brings record number of hotel visitors, up 15% from a year earlier
The summer tourist season has boosted activity at accommodation establishments in Albania, with around 817,000 visitors recorded in July alone. Data show that the number of visitors staying in hotels and other accommodation establishments increased by 15% compared with July of the previous year. The vast majority of the increase …
Tech concerns mount over elections in Serbia, spy chief’s arrest tests Albania’s NATO ties, protests over court verdicts continue in Kosovo and North Macedonia mulls impact of dangerous virus, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
More than 9.4 million foreign nationals entered Albania in the first eight months of 2026, according to INSTAT. The figure represents a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2025. In August alone, foreign entries rose 2% year on year. The pace slowed from July, when entries increased 7.1%, but …
Work is continuing on the Shëngjin bypass in Lezha, which will ease traffic and improve access to coastal tourist areas. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage from the construction site and said the bypass is expected to be fully completed by March 2027. The 8.1-kilometre road runs along the slopes …
Albanian lawmaker Taulant Balla met US General Wesley Clark during his visit to New York. Clark served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe and led NATO’s air campaign in 1999 during the war in Kosova. Balla expressed gratitude to Clark for his role during NATO’s intervention and for his support for …
New US Ambassador Eric Wendt arrived in Tirana on Friday. He is expected to present his credentials to President Bajram Begaj on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at 11:00 at the Palace of Brigades. Begaj and Wendt are also expected to hold a private meeting. The US Senate confirmed …
Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania’s national flag has reached a higher standing internationally than ever before. He made the remarks during his visit to New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. In a post on X, Rama said his mission to take the national flag …
Albania and Greece aim to strengthen customs cooperation. Their plans include joint border management, electronic data exchange and easier trade and movement between the two countries. General Director of Customs Besmir Beja met his Greek counterpart, Dimitrios Bourikos, in Tirana for the 14th Bilateral High-Level Meeting. The meeting covered joint …
Prime Minister Edi Rama took part in the eighth edition of the European Corporate Council, where he focused in his remarks on the importance of peace, economic development and creating opportunities for future generations. Rama described his participation in the forum as a “special honour and privilege”, praising its role …
The Council of Ministers has officially declared the village of Vuno an immovable cultural property with the status of a “Historic Centre”. The decision, approved at the government meeting on September 25, 2026, also provides for the designation of a protective zone, as well as the approval of a plan …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated from New York that the United States could have done more to prevent, in his view, the start of the process that led to the conviction of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. During a speech at …