Albania Urged to Save Iconic 1920s Bridge From Collapse
Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute on Monday released a report urging Albania to save the iconic but damaged ‘Zogu Bridge’, considered ‘a masterpiece of civil engineering from the early 20th century in the Balkans’. Original post Here
Albania’s economy grew by 4.8% in Q4, beating expectations
TIRANA, April 1, 2023 – Albania, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 4.84 percent compared to the previous year, the Institute of Statistics said in its publishing of data on economic activity during the last quarter of last year. This increase goes beyond the forecasts of the Albanian authorities …
Q&A: Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán on the war in Ukraine, international cooperation and the economy
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke to the Kossuth Radio programme “Good Morning Hungary” on March 31, 2023. Zsolt Törőcsik: Soon all the Western tanks promised to Ukraine will arrive in that war-torn country. Several countries have already offered fighter planes, and the British have sent munitions containing depleted uranium – …
Strengthening democratic institutions a U.S. priority, says nominee for U.S. ambassador to Albania, David J. Kostelancik
TIRANA, April 2, 2023 – Strengthening democratic institutions in Albania is a U.S. priority, says David J. Kostelancik, a career diplomat appointed by President Biden to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Albania. He made the comments in his remarks in front of the Committee on Foreign Relations in …
Albania voices support for Thaci as trial starts in The Hague
TIRANA, April 3, 2023 – Albania has voiced support for Kosovo’s former president Hashim Thaci and three other ex-leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), whose trial started on Monday in The Hague on alleged war crimes. All of the defendants firmly deny the accusations and formally entered not-guilty pleas …
Rama introduces salary increase to PM’s office employees
Prime Minister Edi Rama, in a meeting with the employees of the Prime Minister’s Office, communicated the salary increase. He stated that such an increase should have been made a long time ago, but the conditions have caused it to be delayed. “It’s been so many years that we work …
DP’s candidate for local elections in Kruja withdraws
Another Democratic Party (DP) candidate for the May 14 elections has withdrawn from the race. It is about the candidate of the municipality of Krujë, Sabah Sheta, who announced his decision through a post on Facebook. With the withdrawal from the race, Sabah Sheta brings to 6 the number of …
Albania’s economy increased 4.84% in 2022
Economic growth in Albania for 2022 was 4.84%. This is what the Minister of Finance and Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, said this Friday during a press conference. Ibrahimaj noted that growth has mainly been registered in the construction and tourism sectors. According to her, the reconstruction process is continuing at a …
Govt still discussing fiscal amnesty with internationals
Minister of Finance and Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, stated that the government is still working on the fiscal amnesty draft. In a press conference, Ibrahimaj said that it is important that this draft be consulted with international partners. According to her, this is in order to avoid hasty actions, which may …
Albania, Bulgaria sign agreement on social insurance
Albania and Bulgaria have signed an agreement on social insurance, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced through a post on social networks. The head of the government says that this step is another success for the recognition of social insurance for Albanians abroad. “The Agreement on Social Insurance between Albania and …
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement. By David J. Kostelancik When Congress passed the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it sent a clear signal: energy security in Southeastern …
New changes to the Albanian criminal code that only partially abolish defamation as an offence have been criticised by media freedom organisations, citing concerns over freedom of speech. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 26, 2026 – Albania’s attempted entry into the Peace Board has become a revealing episode, not because of the significance of the initiative itself, but because of the way Albania’s leadership chose to stage and communicate it domestically. The Peace Board represents a new and ambitious international …
Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania has joined the Peace Board, a newly established international mechanism initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at overseeing peace agreements and post-conflict stabilization efforts, with an initial focus on the Gaza Strip. The Peace Board was formally launched during the World Economic …
The crisis deepens as the government shields Deputy PM Balluku and a criminal network emerges in AKSHI Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania’s main opposition party returned to the streets on Saturday with a second national protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, challenging the legitimacy of his fourth term …
Forty-one environmental organisations from 28 countries have called for a halt to the planned development by Jared Kushner of Albania’s Sazan island as a luxury resort, saying it threatens the valuable biodiversity of the area. Original post Here
Kosovo, Bulgaria and Turkey have signed the Board of Peace Charter, under Donald Trump’s auspices, but several other Balkan countries are still pondering whether to join the initiative. Original post Here
Balkan countries are continuing to sacrifice their remaining clean river stretches to development and pollution, a new assessment warns. Original post Here
The Bulgarian mystic’s doomy predictions continue to grab headlines in Albania and elsewhere – even though many seem fabricated and sometimes appear to serve Russian geopolitical narratives. Original post Here