Blog
News

National Security Council meeting concludes

The National Security Council, convened by President Bajram Begaj, concluded its meeting held on Monday at the Palace of Brigades. The meeting began at 08:30 and was also attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, along with the heads of the country’s main security institutions and other senior state officials. The …

Read More
News

Hoxha meets Bundestag EU Affairs Committee Chair: Germany supports Albania’s European path

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha received Anton Hofreiter, Chair of the German Bundestag’s Committee on European Union Affairs, in Tirana on Monday morning. The Minister said in a post on X that the discussion provided a valuable opportunity to assess Albania’s progress through its ambitious reform agenda …

Read More
News

Justice institutions reject Rama’s roundtable, Prime Minister’s Office responds

Following the refusal of justice institutions to take part in a roundtable convened by Prime Minister Edi Rama to discuss magistrates’ salaries, the Prime Minister’s Office has issued an official response, expressing its willingness to continue dialogue. The Supreme Court, the Special Court against Corruption and Organised Crime (GJKKO), and …

Read More
News

PM Rama appeals to Europe: Don’t leave the Balkans behind

Prime Minister Edi Rama spoke about Albania’s European integration process at the Interparliamentary Conference, “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Accession,” where he also addressed the country’s social and political climate. Referring to the “Flamingo Revolution” protests, Rama said they had become an example of rising expectations among Albanian …

Read More
News

Details emerge from National Security Council discussions on Hyseni case; SPAK chief also attends

President Bajram Begaj convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Monday, focusing on recent developments and their impact on the country’s security institutions. In addition to the members designated by law, representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK) were …

Read More
News

EU Ambassador: Democracy is measured not only by elections, but also by Parliament’s role

EU Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa addressed an Interparliamentary Conference on Monday, attended by representatives of Albanian institutions, the European Parliament and national parliaments from across Europe. She said Albania’s path towards the European Union has transformed the country, but stressed that this transformation must continue. She also noted that …

Read More
News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: September 28, 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

Read More
News

Albanian MPs join regional meeting on parliamentary integrity

A delegation of the Albanian Parliament took part in the Regional Parliamentary Anti-Corruption Clinic in Beciq, Montenegro, on September 24–26. MPs Milva Ekonomi, Antoneta Dhima and Kliti Hoti represented the Parliament. The National Democratic Institute organised the event with the Parliament of Montenegro. The meeting brought together MPs and parliamentary …

Read More
News

Speaker Peleshi: Public support in EU states key to Albania’s accession

Albanian Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi said direct engagement with citizens and communities in EU member states is essential for the success of Albania’s EU integration process. He made the remarks at a conference with representatives of Albanian institutions and the European Parliament. Peleshi said enlargement cannot rely only on political …

Read More
News

Health Minister Spahiu: Health structures to be reorganised around citizens’ needs

Health and Social Protection Minister Klodiana Spahiu visited health facilities in Mallakastër to review investments, services and staff work. The visit took place as part of a process to restructure and reorganise health facilities. The process aims to align their capacities with community needs. Spahiu said the reorganisation aims to …

Read More
News
Rama: 32 SME loans worth €5 million approved under “Double Your Business” scheme

Prime Minister Edi Rama said interest from businesses in the “Double Your Business” scheme has increased, with 32 loans worth around €5 million approved by October 5. Speaking at an event dedicated to the scheme, Rama said the program aims to support small and medium-sized businesses that have survived the …

News
“Double Your Business”, Rama: 32 loans worth €5 million approved

Prime Minister Edi Rama presented the “Double Your Business” programme on Wednesday. He said the programme aims to support small and medium-sized businesses through financing at interest rates of up to 2%. According to Rama, around 400 businesses are currently in the application process. He also said that 32 loans …

News
Free flu vaccination campaign begins, 280,000 doses available at health centres

Health centres across the country have begun administering seasonal flu vaccinations. The vaccine is provided free of charge to all groups at risk of developing severe forms of the illness, as well as to those who are in constant contact with the public and are therefore at greater risk of …

News
Judges and prosecutors call for special security and threat assessment unit

One year after Judge Astrit Kalaja was killed in a courtroom, the Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges and the Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania are calling for the establishment of a dedicated police unit to ensure security at courts and prosecutors’ offices, as well …

News
Who Loses Power When the Map Changes?

Fifteen municipalities are expected to disappear under Albania’s proposed new territorial map. While the government presents the reform as a matter of efficiency and consolidation, communities that may lose municipal status fear that services will move farther away, local representation will weaken, and already shrinking peripheral areas will become even …

News
Albanian parliamentary delegation visits Berlin to strengthen cooperation

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Citizens’ Initiatives, Cooperation and Institutional Oversight held a two-day working visit to Berlin. They focused on handling petitions and citizens’ initiatives, strengthening parliamentary oversight and deepening institutional cooperation. At the German Bundestag, the delegation attended a meeting of the Committee on Petitions and exchanged …

News
Albanian parliamentary delegation joins NATO seminar in Moldova

The Albanian parliamentary delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by Igli Hasani and including Bledar Çuçi, Damian Gjiknuri and Fatmir Mediu, attended the 109th Rose-Roth Seminar in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 6-7. The seminar, organized with Moldova’s Parliament, focused on NATO-Moldova cooperation, regional and Black Sea security, and the …

News
US Embassy: Over 200 Albanian law enforcement professionals certified in 2026

More than 200 Albanian law enforcement professionals earned certifications in 2026 after completing crime investigation training. The US Embassy in Tirana congratulated State Police crime specialists who completed the Level 1 Crime Investigation Course at the Security Academy. The US Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) …

News
Albania establishes State-Owned Companies Operator with ALL 100 million capital

The Council of Ministers approved the founding act and statute of the state-owned company “Operator of State-Owned Companies” sh.a. during its meeting on Wednesday. The decision, proposed by the Minister of Economy and Innovation, also sets the company’s initial capital. The new company will start with ALL 100 million in …

News
Foreign Minister Hoxha congratulates new Kosova president

Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, congratulated newly elected Kosova President Justina Shiroka-Pula. He described her election as an important moment for democracy in Kosova and evidence of the maturity of its democratic institutions. Hoxha said the development responds to the need to further strengthen institutions, consolidate …

News

Rama: 32 SME loans worth €5 million approved under “Double Your Business” scheme

Prime Minister Edi Rama said interest from businesses in the “Double Your Business” scheme has increased, with 32 loans worth around €5 million approved by October 5. Speaking at an event dedicated to the scheme, Rama said the program aims to support small and medium-sized businesses that have survived the …

News

“Double Your Business”, Rama: 32 loans worth €5 million approved

Prime Minister Edi Rama presented the “Double Your Business” programme on Wednesday. He said the programme aims to support small and medium-sized businesses through financing at interest rates of up to 2%. According to Rama, around 400 businesses are currently in the application process. He also said that 32 loans …

News

Free flu vaccination campaign begins, 280,000 doses available at health centres

Health centres across the country have begun administering seasonal flu vaccinations. The vaccine is provided free of charge to all groups at risk of developing severe forms of the illness, as well as to those who are in constant contact with the public and are therefore at greater risk of …

News

Judges and prosecutors call for special security and threat assessment unit

One year after Judge Astrit Kalaja was killed in a courtroom, the Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges and the Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania are calling for the establishment of a dedicated police unit to ensure security at courts and prosecutors’ offices, as well …

News

Who Loses Power When the Map Changes?

Fifteen municipalities are expected to disappear under Albania’s proposed new territorial map. While the government presents the reform as a matter of efficiency and consolidation, communities that may lose municipal status fear that services will move farther away, local representation will weaken, and already shrinking peripheral areas will become even …

News

Albanian parliamentary delegation visits Berlin to strengthen cooperation

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Citizens’ Initiatives, Cooperation and Institutional Oversight held a two-day working visit to Berlin. They focused on handling petitions and citizens’ initiatives, strengthening parliamentary oversight and deepening institutional cooperation. At the German Bundestag, the delegation attended a meeting of the Committee on Petitions and exchanged …

News

Albanian parliamentary delegation joins NATO seminar in Moldova

The Albanian parliamentary delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by Igli Hasani and including Bledar Çuçi, Damian Gjiknuri and Fatmir Mediu, attended the 109th Rose-Roth Seminar in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 6-7. The seminar, organized with Moldova’s Parliament, focused on NATO-Moldova cooperation, regional and Black Sea security, and the …

News

US Embassy: Over 200 Albanian law enforcement professionals certified in 2026

More than 200 Albanian law enforcement professionals earned certifications in 2026 after completing crime investigation training. The US Embassy in Tirana congratulated State Police crime specialists who completed the Level 1 Crime Investigation Course at the Security Academy. The US Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) …

News

Albania establishes State-Owned Companies Operator with ALL 100 million capital

The Council of Ministers approved the founding act and statute of the state-owned company “Operator of State-Owned Companies” sh.a. during its meeting on Wednesday. The decision, proposed by the Minister of Economy and Innovation, also sets the company’s initial capital. The new company will start with ALL 100 million in …

News

Foreign Minister Hoxha congratulates new Kosova president

Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, congratulated newly elected Kosova President Justina Shiroka-Pula. He described her election as an important moment for democracy in Kosova and evidence of the maturity of its democratic institutions. Hoxha said the development responds to the need to further strengthen institutions, consolidate …