Coalition of the Willing Summit: Rama Welcomed by Macron in Paris, Shares Footage from the Meeting
Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Paris on Monday to attend the Coalition of the Willing Summit in support of Ukraine. Rama said he had been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron and shared footage of his arrival, where he was welcomed by the French leader. Rama and other European …
Violations and Evasion at Currency Exchange Offices, Bank of Albania Revokes 83 Licenses
The Bank of Albania revoked the licenses of 83 currency exchange offices during 2025 following inspections that uncovered regulatory violations and financial irregularities related to cash circulation. According to the central bank, the inspections revealed shortcomings in customer identification procedures, transaction monitoring, screening against sanctions lists, and the reporting of …
Tax Authorities Audit High-Income Individuals, Identify €770,000 in Suspicious Findings
Around 200 high-income individuals in Albania are being audited as part of an intensified effort by the tax authorities to verify their wealth and income. The General Directorate of Taxes says it has identified €770,000 in suspicious findingsso far. The Tax Administration has stepped up inspections targeting individuals with significant …
Rama: ‘Open Balkan’ Was Branded a “Terrible Idea” Simply Because Vučić and I Supported It
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Open Balkan initiative was labeled “a terrible idea” for one reason only: because it was backed by him and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. “It was considered a terrible idea for only one reason – because Vučić and I were behind it. If you removed our …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: July 13, 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
Letter from Brussels: No EU ‘Super Tuesday’ for Accession Laggard Serbia
As Albania and Montenegro surge ahead, the EU is split on whether to move Serbia forward on the path to accession in the absence of tangible progress. Original post Here
Vjosa River attracts more tourists with summer rafting adventures
TIRANA, July 13 – The Vjosa River has become one of the most popular summer destinations for visitors seeking adventure and cooler temperatures. High summer temperatures have increased interest in the river’s wild landscapes, untouched nature and outdoor activities. Local and foreign tourists visit Vjosa not only to relax but …
PM Rama attends Paris summit on support for Ukraine
TIRANA, July 13 – Prime Minister Edi Rama is travelling to Paris today to attend the Coalition of the Willing summit on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron invited Rama to the meeting, which will bring together heads of state and government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark …
Gulf News names Gjirokastër among the world’s most spectacular summer destinations
TIRANA, July 13 – Gjirokastër has been included among the world’s 10 most spectacular and unusual destinations to visit this summer, according to a selection published by Gulf News. The UAE-based media outlet highlighted the historic Albanian city as one of Europe’s hidden gems. It praised Gjirokastër for its cultural …
Himara attracts more tourists as public beaches expand and services improve
Himara is seeing a significant increase in visitors this summer, strengthening its position as one of Albania’s most popular tourist destinations. The municipality has introduced new measures to improve services, expand public beach areas, increase accessibility and support sustainable tourism development. Himara Mayor Vangjel Tavo said the city is managing …
TIRANA, July 27 – Pilur hosted the first edition of the Day of the Pilur Group during the weekend, honouring the legendary Albanian polyphonic group that has contributed to national culture for more than six decades. The event took place at the “Lefter Çipa Word Museum” Centre, bringing together former …
TIRANA, July 27 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Monday that Diella, Albania’s artificial intelligence assistant on the e-Albania public services platform, has handled around 3 million interactions, becoming a digital communication bridge between citizens and the state. Rama shared an information video presenting Diella’s development and the work …
TIRANA, July 27 – Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs hosted on Monday the international conference “Fighting Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI): Albania and the Enlargement Context” in Tirana. The event brought together representatives from European institutions, NATO, security experts, academics and media representatives. Discussions focused on foreign …
TIRANA, July 27 – The Albanian Parliament approved on Monday the fast-track procedure for a loan agreement with the United States under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme. The decision received 75 votes in favour. Socialist Party parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla requested the accelerated procedure. He said the $302 …
TIRANA, July 27 – Defense Minister Ermal Nufi said on Monday that 2026 ranks among Albania’s best years in managing wildfires. Nufi said the result comes from continuous investments in human resources and infrastructure. He stressed that preparation, rather than chance, has improved the country’s response to fire emergencies. The …
TIRANA, July 27 – Prime Minister Edi Rama met firefighters and Civil Emergency forces on Monday at the Farka air base. The meeting focused on preparations against the increased wildfire risk during the summer season. Rama referred to the severe fires in France and Spain, where flames have affected thousands …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”28d51398-dc01-41b6-a655-565864ee0e4f” data-turn-id-container=”28d51398-dc01-41b6-a655-565864ee0e4f” data-testid=”conversation-turn-17″ data-turn=”user”> *]: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:69f59807-859b-4cc1-9f0d-c51469b65ac8-8″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:69f59807-859b-4cc1-9f0d-c51469b65ac8-8″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-18″ data-turn=”assistant”> Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, addressed the conference “Countering Information Manipulation and Foreign Interference: Albania and the Enlargement Context,” stating that protecting the information space has become one of the key …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”bc828389-5c88-4644-8ac1-988cf596a17f” data-turn-id-container=”bc828389-5c88-4644-8ac1-988cf596a17f” data-testid=”conversation-turn-9″ data-turn=”user”> Albania has unveiled its National Wildfire Preparedness Plan at the Farka Air Base, during an event attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Local Government, prefects, mayors, senior officials from the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama met on Monday with firefighters and Civil Emergency teams at Farka Air Base, calling for maximum readiness as Albania faces rising temperatures and an increased risk of wildfires. Referring to the critical wildfire situation in France and Spain, Rama expressed solidarity with emergency crews battling the …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”d747e284-f008-4058-af4b-59c08d4c63a1″ data-turn-id-container=”d747e284-f008-4058-af4b-59c08d4c63a1″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-turn=”user”> Albania’s roads continue to witness a growing number of traffic accidents, resulting in hundreds of injuries and loss of life. *]: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:69f59807-859b-4cc1-9f0d-c51469b65ac8-5″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:69f59807-859b-4cc1-9f0d-c51469b65ac8-5″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-turn=”assistant”> According to INSTAT’s latest report, 679 road accidents were recorded during the …