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Albania’s State Police Directorate and General Inspectorate sign cooperation deal targeting illegal construction and environmental crime

TIRANA, April 21 – Albania’s State Police and the General Inspectorate signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday to strengthen joint action against illegal construction, environmental crime and labour violations. The deal also covers food safety, medicines and medical equipment oversight. The agreement sets a framework for coordinated inspections and enforcement …

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Heavy rainfall causes urban flooding in northern Albania city of Lezha

TIRANA, April 21 – Heavy rainfall in recent hours has caused flooding in several urban areas of the northern Albanian city of Lezha. Water accumulation disrupted movement for residents and vehicles across affected zones. Authorities reported the most severe conditions in the “Besëlidhja” and “Skënderbeg” neighbourhoods. Drainage systems struggled to …

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European Wrestling Championships kicks off in Tirana with over 600 athletes competing

TIRANA, April 21 – The European Wrestling Championships for seniors kicks off in Tirana, hosting more than 600 athletes from 38 countries from April 20 to 26, 2026. The event takes place at the Olympic Park “Feti Borova,” where the official opening ceremony marked the start of competitions. Organizers scheduled …

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Rama: New port law to boost coastal investment

Prime Minister Edi Rama said the new law on tourist ports will support coastal investment. He said the changes are necessary to avoid blocking investors. Rama spoke at a meeting in Tirana with agrotourism representatives. He rejected claims that the government changes the law to favor oligarchs. He said the …

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Balla meets Moldovan MPs to strengthen parliamentary cooperation

Taulant Balla met with Moldovan MPs and representatives of the Moldovan Football Federation. He focused on strengthening interparliamentary cooperation between Albania and Moldova. He said both countries share a common path toward European Union membership. He highlighted the need for closer cooperation in the EU integration process. Balla said Albania …

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Rama: “Park of Faith” to attract tourists to Tirana

Prime Minister Edi Rama said the “Park of Faith” will attract tourists to Tirana. He described the project as a strong magnet for the Petrela area. He added that the park will develop step by step as vegetation grows. Rama noted a strong rise in tourist numbers in March. He …

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Cultural week features films, theater, and exhibitions in Albania

This week features a rich calendar of cultural and artistic events in Albania. The “Italian Screens – Il Nuovo Cinema Italiano” cycle presents Italian films until April 25. Screenings take place in Tirana, Vlora, Shkodra, and Prishtina. The program promotes cultural dialogue between Italy, Albania, and Kosovo. One of the …

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Gonxhja: Albania simplifies agrotourism licensing procedures

Tourism Minister Blendi Gonxhja said the government is simplifying licensing procedures for agrotourism. Authorities are working with the Agriculture Ministry under the “Mountain Package.” Gonxhja said the goal is faster and easier procedures. The government wants to remove unnecessary administrative barriers. He added that officials are waiting for final feedback …

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Hoxha: Luxembourg strongly supports Albania’s EU membership

Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha visited Luxembourg. He met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel. Both sides confirmed strong friendship and cooperation. They agreed to deepen ties in key areas. They focused on innovation, technology, and tourism. Hoxha said Luxembourg strongly supports Albania’s EU membership. He noted Luxembourg’s consistent …

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US Department of Justice hosts Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors as cooperation deepens

TIRANA, April 21 – The United States Department of Justice Criminal Division met a senior delegation from Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure in Washington on Monday. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation against corruption and transnational organised crime. The Justice Department received the Albanian prosecutors alongside officials from the OPDAT programme. …

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“Eqrem Çabej” University Expands International Cooperation

Eqrem Çabej University in Gjirokastër is expanding its cooperation with international universities, creating more opportunities for academic exchanges and training for students and academic staff. Currently, the institution has around 100 cooperation agreements with universities across Europe and the United States. Rector Jaho Cana emphasized that most agreements involve countries …

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Chinese Billionaire Dies in Car Accident in Xibrakë

Li Jianhong, chairman and president of Xinjiang Grand Scape Group, has died in a car accident in Albania during a business trip, Chinese media report. The incident occurred on Monday on the Librazhd–Elbasan road, near Xibrakë. According to reports, the 60-year-old died at the scene, while six other people were …

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$6 Billion LNG Deal with the U.S., Rama: A Step Toward Energy Independence

Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his podcast “Flasim” that the $6 billion agreement with the United States and Greecewill enable Albania to be supplied with liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 20 years. Rama emphasized that this investment is expected to create a stable foundation for diversifying the country’s energy …

News
Historical Heritage Attracts Thousands of Tourists

Elbasan is gaining increasing attention from tourists, becoming one of the country’s key destinations. During the past month, more than 3,500 tourists have visited the city, mainly on day trips. The most frequented sites remain the Elbasan Castle and the Ethnographic Museum of Elbasan, which offer insight into the city’s …

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Frozen Courtesies: Albania–Greece Relations Between Rhetoric and Reality

Strategic ambitions, unresolved disputes, and a relationship caught between political narratives and diplomatic inertia. Tirana Times, May 02, 2026 – The latest encounter between Edi Rama and Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Delphi Economic Forum was meant to signal momentum in a relationship long burdened by history. Instead, it exposed a …

News
EU Integration as Compass: Albania’s Foreign Policy Vision in a Shifting World

By Ferit Hoxha Anyone who knows even a little about Albania is aware that the cornerstone of Albanian foreign policy in the post-communist period has been a clear orientation toward the Euro-Atlantic world, as a guarantee of democracy, security, and the country’s development, and as an expression of our aspiration …

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“Jerusalem Post” highlights Albania as one of Europe’s most attractive tourism destinations

TIRANA, May 1 – The Jerusalem Post presents Albania as an emerging tourism hotspot in Europe. It highlights its mix of culture, history, coastline, and mountain landscapes. Located in the Balkans next to Greece, the country increasingly positions itself as an alternative to more crowded Mediterranean destinations. In recent years, …

News
Week in Review: Faint Hopes and No Regrets

In a world that increasingly finds itself turned upside down, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week tries to make sense of the past, present and future. Original post Here

News
“The EU is a blessing for us,” Rama: Europe is too slow, it must speed up

Prime Minister Edi Rama presented 13 of his drawings at the premises of the Embassy of Italy in Berlin, as part of an event linked to his personal exhibition “Chrysalizing”, currently being held at Société Gallery. The exhibition also includes sculptures created by Rama, who has long been known for …

News
Democratic Party launches statute reform, amendment calendar approved

At a meeting held this Friday, the Working Group for amendments to the Statute of the Democratic Party of Albaniaapproved both the working methodology and a detailed calendar for the process of reviewing the party’s founding document. According to the decision taken, the process will extend throughout the month of …

News

“Eqrem Çabej” University Expands International Cooperation

Eqrem Çabej University in Gjirokastër is expanding its cooperation with international universities, creating more opportunities for academic exchanges and training for students and academic staff. Currently, the institution has around 100 cooperation agreements with universities across Europe and the United States. Rector Jaho Cana emphasized that most agreements involve countries …

News

Chinese Billionaire Dies in Car Accident in Xibrakë

Li Jianhong, chairman and president of Xinjiang Grand Scape Group, has died in a car accident in Albania during a business trip, Chinese media report. The incident occurred on Monday on the Librazhd–Elbasan road, near Xibrakë. According to reports, the 60-year-old died at the scene, while six other people were …

News

$6 Billion LNG Deal with the U.S., Rama: A Step Toward Energy Independence

Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his podcast “Flasim” that the $6 billion agreement with the United States and Greecewill enable Albania to be supplied with liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 20 years. Rama emphasized that this investment is expected to create a stable foundation for diversifying the country’s energy …

News

Historical Heritage Attracts Thousands of Tourists

Elbasan is gaining increasing attention from tourists, becoming one of the country’s key destinations. During the past month, more than 3,500 tourists have visited the city, mainly on day trips. The most frequented sites remain the Elbasan Castle and the Ethnographic Museum of Elbasan, which offer insight into the city’s …

News

Frozen Courtesies: Albania–Greece Relations Between Rhetoric and Reality

Strategic ambitions, unresolved disputes, and a relationship caught between political narratives and diplomatic inertia. Tirana Times, May 02, 2026 – The latest encounter between Edi Rama and Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Delphi Economic Forum was meant to signal momentum in a relationship long burdened by history. Instead, it exposed a …

News

EU Integration as Compass: Albania’s Foreign Policy Vision in a Shifting World

By Ferit Hoxha Anyone who knows even a little about Albania is aware that the cornerstone of Albanian foreign policy in the post-communist period has been a clear orientation toward the Euro-Atlantic world, as a guarantee of democracy, security, and the country’s development, and as an expression of our aspiration …

News

“Jerusalem Post” highlights Albania as one of Europe’s most attractive tourism destinations

TIRANA, May 1 – The Jerusalem Post presents Albania as an emerging tourism hotspot in Europe. It highlights its mix of culture, history, coastline, and mountain landscapes. Located in the Balkans next to Greece, the country increasingly positions itself as an alternative to more crowded Mediterranean destinations. In recent years, …

News

Week in Review: Faint Hopes and No Regrets

In a world that increasingly finds itself turned upside down, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week tries to make sense of the past, present and future. Original post Here

News

“The EU is a blessing for us,” Rama: Europe is too slow, it must speed up

Prime Minister Edi Rama presented 13 of his drawings at the premises of the Embassy of Italy in Berlin, as part of an event linked to his personal exhibition “Chrysalizing”, currently being held at Société Gallery. The exhibition also includes sculptures created by Rama, who has long been known for …

News

Democratic Party launches statute reform, amendment calendar approved

At a meeting held this Friday, the Working Group for amendments to the Statute of the Democratic Party of Albaniaapproved both the working methodology and a detailed calendar for the process of reviewing the party’s founding document. According to the decision taken, the process will extend throughout the month of …