OTP Bank Albania inaugurates new Private Banking premises in Tirana
Tirana Times, May 18, 2026 – OTP Bank Albania has inaugurated new premises dedicated to the Private Banking segment, unveiling an exclusive space designed for clients seeking personalized service and advanced financial standards. Located in the heart of Tirana, the premises have been designed in line with OTP Group standards, …
Shadow Fleet, Weak Oversight: How Russian Sanctions Evasion Reached Albania’s Ports
Tirana Times, May 18, 2026 – Albania’s ports have emerged as a potential weak point in the international effort to enforce sanctions against Russia, following revelations that vessels linked by Ukrainian intelligence to Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet” have visited the country since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. …
Unexploded Ordnance Puts Jared Kushner’s Resort in Albania at Risk
This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post Unexploded Ordnance Puts Jared Kushner’s Resort in Albania at Risk appeared first on Tirana Times. Original post Here
International Museum Day marked, free entry to museums on May 18 and May 21 in Albania
TIRANA, May 18 – The global museum community marks International Museum Day today. In this context, Albania offers free entry to museums on May 18 and May 21 for related cultural events. Meanwhile, the International Council of Museums established the day in 1977. The initiative aims to raise public awareness …
Albania Cycling Tour 2026 starts, temporary road closures in Tirana
TIRANA, May 18 – Albania hosts the 83rd Albania Cycling Tour from today until 22 May. Twenty elite teams from Albania, the Balkans and Europe take part in the race. The first stage starts at 12:00. Cyclists begin in Tirana and finish in Lezha. The State Police announces temporary traffic …
“Egnatia Fest 2026” Opens Tourist Season in Librazhd
Librazhd opened the tourism season with “Egnatia Fest 2026” in the Cherry Park. Around 54 businesses joined the event and promoted the area’s nature, history, traditions, and tourism potential. Minister Andis Salla attended the festival and highlighted the importance of local tourism and private investment for economic growth. Salla said …
Dushaj, the Picturesque Village of Stone Towers Above Fushë-Bulqizë
Dushaj stands above Fushë-Bulqizë with stone towers, green valleys, waterfalls, and mountain landscapes. The village has become a growing destination for visitors seeking nature, history, and authentic Albanian hospitality. At the entrance of the village, the historic Kulla Hupi welcomes tourists preparing for the new tourism season. Workers continue restoration …
OSBE Ambassador: Steps taken to improve journalists’ conditions, further efforts needed on transparency and editorial independence
TIRANA, May 18 – OSCE Ambassador to Tirana, Michele Tarran spoke at a media freedom conference. He said journalism represents a public service, not only a profession or an industry. He pointed to declining trust in institutions, disinformation and manipulation. He also cited reduced media pluralism, information insecurity, hate speech …
Health and Social Welfare Minister at WHO Assembly: Albania strengthened commitment to child protection and well-being
TIRANA, May 18 – Health and Social Welfare Minister Evis Sala took part in the 79th World Health Assembly session. The discussions opened with a focus on protecting children from online risks. They also addressed the impact of digital violence. At the opening stage of the event, the World Health …
PM Rama on official visit to South Korea
TIRANA, May 18 – Prime Minister Edi Rama is on an official visit to the Republic of Korea from 17–21 May. He is accompanied by his wife Linda Rama and the official delegation. According to the Media and Information Agency, the visit aims to deepen cooperation between the two countries. …
TIRANA, May 26 – Albanian Radio and Television has launched the new edition of JuniorFest. The festival has promoted and showcased young Albanian talents for years. After memorable editions and successful performances, JuniorFest returns this year with a new artistic journey focused on music, creativity, and young performers. At the …
TIRANA, May 26 – Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi held a meeting in Madrid on Tuesday with the Speaker of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol. During the meeting, Peleshi discussed relations between Albania and Spain. In addition, he highlighted Spain’s continued support for Albania’s European Union membership process. At …
TIRANA, May 26 – The 8th Albania-European Union Intergovernmental Conference will take place in Brussels this Tuesday. The meeting will formally open the process for Albania to enter the phase of closing EU accession negotiations. The Agency for Media and Information said the conference follows a decision by the Committee …
*]: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:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-8″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-8″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-18″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Members of the United States House of Representatives, Republican Keith Self and Democrat Suhas Subramanyam, are visiting Presheva today, where they are expected to meet with representatives of local authorities, Albanian political parties, and the Albanian National Council. The visit …
*]: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:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-1″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-1″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-4″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Prime Minister Edi Rama took part in the regional conference of the Western Balkan countries focused on a shared vision: digital transformation, legal security of property, and European integration. During his speech, Rama stated that the success of digital transformation …
*]: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:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-2″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-2″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-6″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The 8th Albania–European Union Intergovernmental Conference will take place this Tuesday in Brussels, officially paving the way for Albania to enter the phase of closing negotiations for EU membership. New details regarding the conference have been disclosed. It has been …
*]: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:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-3″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-3″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-8″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Outstanding liabilities increased during the first quarter of 2026, after having dropped significantly at the end of last year. According to the data, debts reached approximately 6.93 billion lek, which is 1.1 billion lek more compared to the end of …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”3d6c2277-5e8d-4828-a818-03c8857e9730″ data-turn-id-container=”3d6c2277-5e8d-4828-a818-03c8857e9730″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-9″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The tourist season, school safety, road safety, fire prevention, performance, response, higher-quality service for citizens, as well as the prevention and crackdown on all forms of illegal activity, were the focus of meetings held by the General Director of the …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”116cd15b-b035-4cac-8752-4e7ea2d00d0b” data-turn-id-container=”116cd15b-b035-4cac-8752-4e7ea2d00d0b” data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The tourist season has officially begun on the coast of Durrës, once again reaffirming its position as one of Albania’s main tourist destinations. *]: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:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-5″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:78f52f71-e260-4cfb-9ca8-abfdce54886a-5″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The high influx of tourists over the …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, praised relations between Albania and France following a meeting held in Brussels with the French Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad. In a post on the social media platform X, Hoxha emphasized that the discussions focused on the European Union enlargement process, …