A phone call not every writer wants
By Kristoffer Leandoer Every year he waits in vain by the phone on this very day, and a whole nation waits with him. Every year the Albanian people are equally surprised that Ismail Kadare has been passed over once again. The recently published “A dictator calls” (Counterpoint LLC), makes full use of …
Tribute to Ismail Kadare, state ceremony in honor of the well-known writer
Tributes have begun at the National Theater of Opera and Ballet in honor of the writer Ismail Kadare, who passed away at the age of 88. Helena Kadare, the wife of the late writer, arrived at the theater accompanied by the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj. The highest heads of …
Anti-drug operation with France/ GJKKO leaves in prison the arrested
GJKKO has left in prison the three people arrested as part of a criminal group that operated in the French state for drug trafficking. Redian Doda, who is also considered the leader of the group, as well as Zabit Fisniku and Fabi Isaku, all three arrested in Albania, will remain …
Interview Ismail Kadare: All Totalitarian Regimes Are Mad
May 31, 2008 Ismail Kadare wrote for decades under Enver Hoxha’s brutal communist regime in Albania, was suspected of spying and threatened with punishment for subversive writing. Despite all this, at 72 he is serene. Sitting on a cream sofa in his lovely Paris flat, his architectural face and booming, …
Organized the transportation of 7 immigrants who died in an accident, Stivljano Ndou arrested
Stivljano Ndou has been handcuffed by the police as part of the police mega-operation coded “Rule of Law”. The detainee tried to escape from the services of the Shkodra Police, with the motorcycle he was driving. The 24-year-old was wanted by the blues of Gjirokastra, after he organized the transportation …
Found unconscious on the street, a 22-year-old allegedly fell from a height
The 22-year-old who was found unconscious on the road near the Shengjin roundabout in Lezhë has been identified as Gentjan Bajrami from Shkodra. Journalist Gjergj Figuri reports that at first it was suspected that the young man was violeted, but according to the police, the track being investigated is the …
Tribute to Kadare’s house in Gjirokastër
Homages in honor of Ismail Kadare will also take place in his birthplace in Gjirokastër. Journalist Elidon Berberi reported from the house, where the writer started the first lines, while he said that the tributes will also take place in the center of the bazaar, where the corner of honor …
SPAK operation with the French authorities, three Albanians arrested and assets seized
SPAK has developed a joint operation with the French authorities, which led to the crackdown on a drug trafficking group. The criminal group operated in the Lyon region and supplied sales groups in the Rhone, Ain, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie regions from an Albanian citizen in France. The gang was led …
Albanian’s Leap to Freedom Was Only the Start of His Journey
An Albanian who 34 years ago jumped over an embassy wall in Tirana to escape the country’s repressive communist regime recalls his struggle to find freedom and a new home in Western Europe. Original post Here
Obituary: Ismail Kadare, the global writer who helped ‘making Albania’
TIRANA, June 1, 2024 – Albania’s greatest writer and perennial Nobel Prize candidate, Ismail Kadare, has died at the age of 88. Kadare had permanently moved back to his homeland of Albania from France in recent years and died of a heart attack Monday morning, doctors at Tirana’s largest public …
TIRANA, June 17 – The State Police announced new traffic restrictions for heavy vehicles during the 2026 summer season. Authorities based the measure on Joint Instruction No. 106 of June 14, 2024, issued by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Ministry of Interior. The restrictions will remain in …
TIRANA, June 17 – Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi announced the signing of a bilateral agreement between Albania and Ukraine on the international road transport of passengers and goods. Karakaçi signed the agreement with Serhiy Derkach, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development. According to the minister, …
TIRANA, June 17 – Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu said the justice reform and vetting process marked a key pillar in Albania’s European integration path during the closing ceremony of the transitional reassessment of judges and prosecutors. Koçiu said the reform proved Albania can deliver difficult structural changes and confront …
TIRANA, June 17 – The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) continues to attract a high number of tourists during this period, confirming its position as one of the most popular destinations in southern Albania. The karst spring draws daily visitors from different countries. Tourists say they chose Albania after hearing …
TIRANA, June 17 – Sunny weather and high temperatures have increased the number of visitors on the beaches of Lezha during the first weeks of the summer season. Shëngjin has attracted the largest crowds. Most visitors come from Kosova and continue to choose the destination year after year because of …
TIRANA, June 17 – The European Parliament adopted its annual resolution on Albania with 483 votes in favor, 103 against and 70 abstentions, expressing broad support for the country’s EU integration process. Lawmakers welcomed Albania’s recent progress and called on authorities to ensure full implementation of adopted legislation. They also …
TIRANA, June 17 – Albania collected 340.5 billion ALL in total revenue during January-May 2026. The figure exceeded the period plan by 5.3%, according to the Finance Ministry. Revenue rose by 11.2% compared with the same period in 2025. The state budget recorded an additional 34.3 billion ALL. Tax and …
TIRANA, June 17 – The European Commission confirms its support for Albania’s European Union membership path. It links progress to maintaining the pace of reforms. The 2027 target for closing accession negotiations remains achievable, according to an exclusive response to Albanian Radio and Television. It describes sustained reform momentum as …
The Chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, has welcomed the adoption of the European Parliament’s annual Resolution on Albania, which was approved with 483 votes in favor. In a public statement, Balla described the decision as a major acknowledgment of Albania’s progress in the European integration process …
The head of Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK), Klodjan Braho, stated that the vetting process cannot be considered a guarantee or form of “immunity” for judges and prosecutors in the future, emphasizing that any potential acts of corruption will remain subject to criminal investigation. Speaking at the closing ceremony of …