Albania and New Jersey National Guard Mark 25 Years of Partnership
Ermal Nufi meets a delegation from the New Jersey National Guard in Tirana. The delegation is led by Brigadier General Yvonne L. Mays. The meeting marks 25 years of cooperation between the Albanian Armed Forces and the New Jersey National Guard. The partnership began in 2001 under the U.S. State …
Strong Weekend for Albanian Players: 6 Goals and 4 Assists Across Europe and MLS
Players of the Albania national football team delivered an impressive weekend, producing key performances across European leagues and MLS. Kristjan Asllani stood out for Beşiktaş JK, providing an assist and scoring from the penalty spot in a win over Gaziantep. Qazim Laçi scored and assisted for Çaykur Rizespor in a …
FM Hoxha: EU accession process continues normally
TIRANA, May 4 – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha said Albania’s EU accession process continues normally. He rejected claims of any blockage or veto from member states. He made the remarks during a hearing in the Committee for Europe and Foreign Affairs on the IBAR report and …
National Children’s Painting Competition brings together participants from Albania, Kosova, and North Macedonia
TIRANA, May 4 – The National Center for Children’s Culture closed the year’s largest painting event with the participation of around 500 children from Albania, Kosova, and North Macedonia. Meanwhile, Director Melsi Qirici described the second edition of the National Children’s Painting Competition as successful. She noted that children from …
President Begaj marks 70th ordination anniversary of Cardinal Ernest Simoni
TIRANA, May 4 – President Bajram Begaj attended the 70th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Cardinal Ernest Simoni at the Florence Cathedral “Santa Maria del Fiore”. He described Simoni as a symbol of resilience, faith, and sacrifice, and as a “living martyr”. In his message, Begaj said Simoni’s life …
Supreme Court sets clearer standard for pre-trial detention
TIRANA, May 4 – The Unified Chambers of the Supreme Court, composed of 16 judges, set new standards for the use of the security measure “arrest in prison” and required concrete, individualized reasoning for its imposition and continuation. The president of the Supreme Court initiated the review to address inconsistencies …
Economic sentiment dips in April, remains above average
TIRANA, May 4 – The Bank of Albania reported that the Economic Sentiment Indicator fell by 1.5 points in April. The bank said weaker confidence in services, trade, and among consumers drove the decline. Despite this drop, the indicator remained 6.4 points above its historical average, signaling a generally positive …
Traffic Police: 16 Drivers Prosecuted and Over 15,000 Fines in One Week
The Traffic Police have published their weekly report, highlighting a number of violations and criminal offenses identified and addressed. During this period, 33 criminal incidents were recorded. Of these, 16 drivers were prosecuted while remaining at liberty for “Violations of road traffic rules.” Additionally, 9 drivers were prosecuted for “Driving …
Family Photo: Rama Shares Images from the European Political Community Summit in Armenia
Prime Minister Edi Rama has shared images on social media from the 8th Summit of the European Political Community, currently being held in Armenia. He posted part of the “family photo,” featuring leaders from across Europe. Shortly after arriving at the summit venue, Rama spoke to the media present about …
Eurostat Report: Poverty and Discrimination, Two Issues Linking Europe and Albania
Vulnerable groups continue to be the most discriminated against in Europe, according to data from Eurostat. The situation is similar in Albania. In 2024, people born outside their country reported higher levels of discrimination compared to natives. About 9.7% said they felt discriminated against when interacting with public administration, compared …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
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 …
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 …
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 …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has called on the European Union not to leave the Western Balkans behind again. He said failure to integrate the region would also be a major failure for Europe. Rama spoke at the Inter-parliamentary Conference “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Membership”. He said Albania …
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said Albania is on the right track toward European Union membership in an interview with France 24. She included Albania among four countries currently making the most progress in the accession process. Kos described 2026 as a high-paced year for EU enlargement. She said …
Andreas Schieder, the European Parliament rapporteur for Albania, said the country has entered the final phase of its EU membership negotiations. He said Albania can close the remaining chapters within the set deadlines. Schieder spoke at the Interparliamentary Conference “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Membership” in Tirana. He …
European Union Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa said Albania has entered a new phase of its EU membership process. She noted that the country has opened all six negotiating clusters and provisionally closed three. Moreira de Sousa spoke at a conference with representatives of Albanian institutions and the …
European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman David McAllister said the European Union should advance membership negotiations whenever countries meet reform conditions. He spoke at the Interparliamentary Conference “Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s Membership” in Tirana. McAllister said Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has increased the strategic importance of EU …
Autumn has begun to paint Tirana’s mountains in golden colors. After a long and scorching summer, golden grass now covers the slopes, while red shrubs add warmer tones. At the same time, green trees still dominate parts of the landscape, creating striking combinations of green, yellow, brown and red. A …