Justice begins at magistrates’ school, not in courtroom, minister says
TIRANA, June 4 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu said today that justice reform in Albania has entered a new phase. He said the process now shifts from institution building to consolidation. He linked this shift to professional and ethical training of new magistrates. He spoke at the closing conference of …
U.S. supports stronger measures against cultural heritage trafficking, US Deputy Ambassador to Albania says
TIRANA, June 4 – The United States supports stronger measures against trafficking in cultural heritage objects. US Deputy Ambassador to Albania Kethrin Hammond made the statement today during a meeting on prevention efforts. She said the United States backs Albania’s efforts to strengthen national security. The fight targets trafficking in …
Data protection in the era of artificial intelligence discussed with financial sector
TIRANA, June 4 – The Office of the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection held a discussion titled “Personal Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Sector” with representatives from banking institutions, non-bank financial entities, the insurance sector, data protection officers, technology experts and information …
Rubio: Kosovo’s NATO Membership Is Not Currently at the Top of Allies’ Agenda
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that NATO enlargement to include Kosovo is not currently a top priority for the alliance’s member states. However, he emphasized that this does not mean such membership could not happen in the future. Speaking during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio also said that …
Costa to Vučić: Kosovo–Serbia Dialogue and the Ohrid Agreement Are Vital for Regional Security
The President of the European Council, António Costa, called on Serbia to accelerate its reform agenda and advance dialogue with Kosovo, stressing that European Union enlargement is a strategic necessity. Speaking at a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Costa stated that the path toward EU membership is based on trust and tangible progress …
Vjosa Osmani in Gjilan: We Believe in Work, Results, and the Alliance with the United States
Presidential candidate from the Vjosa Osmani camp visited Gjilan, where she thanked citizens for their support, describing it as a decisive turning point toward change and unity. During a gathering in Gjilan, Osmani stated that her political vision is based on concrete actions and measurable achievements. “We believe in work, not in endless …
Euro Falls Against the Albanian Lek Again, Approaching the 95-Lek Threshold
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-turn-id-container=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The exchange rate of the euro against the Albanian lek has reached a new historic low. According to the official rate published by the Bank of Albania, one euro is currently exchanged at 95.3 lek, the lowest level ever recorded. …
Agricultural Census Bill Approved; Farmers Who Do Not Respond May Face Fines
*]: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:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-10″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The government has approved the draft law “On the Agricultural Census,” a process aimed at comprehensively registering agricultural economic units throughout the country. The initiative directly affects farmers, families working agricultural land, livestock units, and agricultural holdings that produce both …
Construction Project in Zvërnec: Rama Reveals the Architect, Calling Him a “Great Artist of Nature”
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced in a Facebook post the architect who has been commissioned for the Zvërnec development project. Rama described landscape architect Dong Yugan as a “great artist of nature” and noted that he presented his vision on Thursday at the Bread&Heart Festival in Tirana. Rama stated that the project aims to achieve a …
President of Lithuania Visits Tirana, Received by Rama at the Prime Minister’s Office
Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, at the Prime Minister’s Office this Thursday. It has been reported that the meeting focused on strengthening relations between the two countries, Lithuania’s support for Albania’s European Union accession process, and the EU’s enlargement to include the Western Balkan …
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Albania has recently made significant progress on its path toward European Union membership. According to Kos, Albania met the Interim Benchmarks Assessment Report (IBAR) requirements on the rule of law. As a result, the country can now begin the process of closing …
Andreas Schieder said the European Parliament will reaffirm Albania’s strong commitment to the European Union. Speaking during a plenary session of the European Parliament, Schieder praised Albania’s progress in the accession process. He noted that the country opened all negotiation clusters within just 13 months. In addition, Albania recently achieved …
Kosovo and the European Commission held the annual meeting of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Monitoring Committee. The meeting focused on the implementation of EU financial and technical support for Kosovo. In addition, participants reviewed reforms that support Kosovo’s path toward European integration. Since 2007, the European Union has …
Ferit Hoxha met with Günter Krichbaum during his visit to Luxembourg. The two officials discussed Albania’s path toward European Union membership. They also reviewed the current momentum of the EU enlargement process. Furthermore, Hoxha said they exchanged views on the opportunities created by the renewed focus on enlargement across Europe. …
In Albania, real civic society is no longer in donor-funded conference rooms. It is in the streets. By Mrika Temali Tirana Times, June 16, 2026 – Thirty-five years after the fall of communism, Albania offers a bitter paradox. The European Union, Western governments and international foundations have spent millions indeed …
UEFA representatives continued inspections in Albania as preparations advance for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2027, which Albania will co-host. First, UEFA experts visited stadiums over a four-day inspection tour. They assessed technical and operational readiness for the tournament. They focused on lighting systems, backup generators, security measures, and other …
TIRANA, June 16 – Housing prices in Albania continued to rise during 2025. At the same time, transaction volumes fell in the second half of the year. The Bank of Albania said the trend requires more time and data to determine whether it reflects a slowdown or a correction after …
TIRANA, June 16 – The Transparency Board has decided to reduce fuel prices in Albania. It cut diesel by 3 ALL per litre and petrol by 2 ALL per litre. Under the decision, diesel will sell at a maximum retail price of 180 ALL per litre. The board set the …
Albania’s U-19 national team learned its opponents for the second round of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2027 qualifiers. UEFA held the draw in Nyon, Switzerland. It placed Albania U-19 in Group 6 of League B. First, Albania will face Armenia and Cyprus in the group stage. The team will …
TIRANA, June 16 – The United States is expected to adjust its contribution to NATO’s KFOR mission in Kosova. The move comes as part of a broader review of the Alliance’s military presence in the country. A US European Command (EUCOM) official told Radio Free Europe that the decision follows …