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Quartz: Albania among Europe’s destinations where quality exceeds price

TIRANA, June 26 – US magazine Quartz reports that Albania ranks among the 10 most affordable international destinations for this period. It highlights the country as one of Europe’s biggest tourism surprises. It cites its coastline, mountains and low costs. According to Quartz, travellers can save significantly when they choose …

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Defence minister highlights logistics and civil emergencies focus at Support Command

TIRANA, June 26 – Defence Minister Ermal Nufi held a meeting at the Support Command of the Armed Forces. He underlined the role of the structure in managing crisis situations and field operations. He shared details of the visit through social media. Meanwhile, Nufi said that military structures must prioritise …

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Foreign Direct Investment in Albania Rises 12% in First Quarter

Foreign direct investment in Albania increased by 12% in the first quarter of 2026, reaching around 404 million euros. Banka e Shqipërisë reported that inflows rose from 361 million euros in the same period last year to 404 million euros this year. As a result, foreign investor interest in the …

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PM Rama discusses EU path, Italy migration deal and tourism protests in Italpress interview

TIRANA, June 26 – Prime Minister Edi Rama gave an interview to Italpress journalist Anna La Rosa, and he addressed Albania’s EU accession process, the migration agreement with Italy, and domestic protests over a tourism project. Rama said the EU accession process remains irreversible. He added that no actor can …

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82nd anniversary of genocide against Çamëria commemorated

TIRANA, June 26 – Albania is marking the 82nd anniversary of the genocide against Cham Albanians through a series of events focused on historical memory, justice and cultural heritage. Meanwhile, Cham Week began in Tirana on “Dëshmorët e Kombit” boulevard with the installation “I Love Çamëria”, presented as a symbol …

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Gashani: Kosovo Working to Meet Highest Standards for Mediterranean Games

Blerim Gashani said that Kosovo is working to ensure that it organizes the Mediterranean Games at the highest European standards. He announced that the First International Conference on the Security of Major Sports Events was held in Prishtina. The event is part of preparations for the “Prishtina 2030” Mediterranean Games. …

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EU Commission plans early economic benefits for candidate countries

TIRANA, June 26 – The European Commission prepares proposals to grant economic benefits to European Union candidate countries before full membership, according to politico.eu. Albania is among the candidates mentioned in the plans. The initiative aims to accelerate enlargement while preserving entry standards. Governments seek faster progress in the process. …

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Police enhance capacities to ensure safety during 2026 tourist season

TIRANA, June 26 – Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari, together with State Police leaders, presented in Durrës the measures for ensuring public order and safety during the 2026 summer tourist season. Lamallari said the State Police, Border Police and the Maritime Police Unit will operate with increased capacity, modern technology …

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Albania and Kosova strengthen border cooperation on food safety

TIRANA, June 26 – Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Andis Salla and Kosova’s Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development Minister Armend Muja inspected the Morina Border Inspection Point. The ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation on food safety and cross-border trade procedures. Meanwhile, Salla said Albania and Kosova continue to strengthen institutional coordination. …

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Albania on course for European Union membership by 2030

TIRANA, June 26 – Former French President François Hollande said Albania remains on course to join the European Union by 2030. He made the remarks in an interview with Top Channel. Hollande recalled that France recognized Albania as a candidate country during his presidency. Meanwhile, he said Albania has made …

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Rama shares footage of Kanye West concert venue: €4 million is an investment, not an expense

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again defended the upcoming Kanye West concert in Tirana, scheduled for Saturday evening. In a post on social media, Rama shared footage of the completed concert venue, saying the stadium is ready and that the event will place Albania on the global map of music fans. The prime …

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Kolonja attracts foreign tourists with traditional cuisine and unspoilt nature

*]: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:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-58″ data-turn=”assistant”> Visitors to the southeastern Albanian region of Kolonja are not only exploring its natural attractions and cultural heritage sites, but also learning how to prepare traditional dishes before enjoying them. Cooking alongside local residents has become one of the area’s most popular experiences …

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Competition Authority launches grocery price monitoring following public complaints

Albania’s Competition Authority has launched a market monitoring process focused on the retail sale of essential grocery products, following complaints from citizens and concerns raised by members of parliament over the prices of everyday consumer goods. According to an official statement, the monitoring will cover the country’s main supermarket chains …

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Rama shares negative review of Rozafa Castle: Hopes prosecutors will act against ‘blackmailers’

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again reacted to negative online reviews, this time sharing a video highlighting critical ratings of Rozafa Castle in Shkodra. The prime minister said such posts are harming Albania’s tourism sector and expressed hope that prosecutors will swiftly take action against those he described as individuals who …

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Rama on protests: Algorithm amplified negativity, ‘adding fuel to the fire’

Prime Minister Edi Rama met with young people in Jalë on Saturday, where he discussed the recent protests and the impact of social media algorithms. Rama said algorithms play a significant role in amplifying negativity, online noise and manipulated content, describing such videos as “fuel added to a fire” that, he argued, was started by …

News
Kanye West welcomed by Edi Rama, Albanian PM shares footage of meeting

One of the world’s best-known rappers, Kanye West, was welcomed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who shared footage of their meeting on social media. The video shows Rama introducing the American artist to aspects of Albania’s culture and history. West arrived in Albania ahead of his concert scheduled for …

News
Hoxha tells young people in Jalë: EU membership requires your involvement – Europe starts at home

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha, together with Prime Minister Edi Rama, took part in an open discussion with 150 young activists from Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro at #RinCamp2026. Albania’s EU accession process and the country’s progress towards membership were among the key topics discussed during the panel organised by the National …

News
K’cimi dancing of Tropojë – Gazmend Freitag

by Monika Grill Tirana Times, July 11, 2026 – “K’cimi i Tropoja” – the dance that endured over centuries and kept the Albanian identity alive, has been officially declared part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “K’cimi i Tropoja” refers to a traditional …

News
Kanye West concert in Tirana today, road restrictions announced

Tirana, July 11 – International artist Kanye West will perform today in Tirana. The concert will take place at Eagle Stadium, a venue built specifically in the Kashar area. To ensure public safety and manage traffic, Tirana Police has announced temporary road restrictions around the event area. From 07:00 to …

News
Justice reforms bring Albania closer to European Union membership

Tirana, July 11 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu said justice system reforms and the implementation of the National Reform Agenda under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans are concrete steps toward Albania’s European Union membership. Gogu said a strong, independent and accountable justice system remains a key pillar of …

News

Rama shares footage of Kanye West concert venue: €4 million is an investment, not an expense

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again defended the upcoming Kanye West concert in Tirana, scheduled for Saturday evening. In a post on social media, Rama shared footage of the completed concert venue, saying the stadium is ready and that the event will place Albania on the global map of music fans. The prime …

News

Kolonja attracts foreign tourists with traditional cuisine and unspoilt nature

*]: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:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-58″ data-turn=”assistant”> Visitors to the southeastern Albanian region of Kolonja are not only exploring its natural attractions and cultural heritage sites, but also learning how to prepare traditional dishes before enjoying them. Cooking alongside local residents has become one of the area’s most popular experiences …

News

Competition Authority launches grocery price monitoring following public complaints

Albania’s Competition Authority has launched a market monitoring process focused on the retail sale of essential grocery products, following complaints from citizens and concerns raised by members of parliament over the prices of everyday consumer goods. According to an official statement, the monitoring will cover the country’s main supermarket chains …

News

Rama shares negative review of Rozafa Castle: Hopes prosecutors will act against ‘blackmailers’

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again reacted to negative online reviews, this time sharing a video highlighting critical ratings of Rozafa Castle in Shkodra. The prime minister said such posts are harming Albania’s tourism sector and expressed hope that prosecutors will swiftly take action against those he described as individuals who …

News

Rama on protests: Algorithm amplified negativity, ‘adding fuel to the fire’

Prime Minister Edi Rama met with young people in Jalë on Saturday, where he discussed the recent protests and the impact of social media algorithms. Rama said algorithms play a significant role in amplifying negativity, online noise and manipulated content, describing such videos as “fuel added to a fire” that, he argued, was started by …

News

Kanye West welcomed by Edi Rama, Albanian PM shares footage of meeting

One of the world’s best-known rappers, Kanye West, was welcomed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who shared footage of their meeting on social media. The video shows Rama introducing the American artist to aspects of Albania’s culture and history. West arrived in Albania ahead of his concert scheduled for …

News

Hoxha tells young people in Jalë: EU membership requires your involvement – Europe starts at home

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha, together with Prime Minister Edi Rama, took part in an open discussion with 150 young activists from Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro at #RinCamp2026. Albania’s EU accession process and the country’s progress towards membership were among the key topics discussed during the panel organised by the National …

News

K’cimi dancing of Tropojë – Gazmend Freitag

by Monika Grill Tirana Times, July 11, 2026 – “K’cimi i Tropoja” – the dance that endured over centuries and kept the Albanian identity alive, has been officially declared part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “K’cimi i Tropoja” refers to a traditional …

News

Kanye West concert in Tirana today, road restrictions announced

Tirana, July 11 – International artist Kanye West will perform today in Tirana. The concert will take place at Eagle Stadium, a venue built specifically in the Kashar area. To ensure public safety and manage traffic, Tirana Police has announced temporary road restrictions around the event area. From 07:00 to …

News

Justice reforms bring Albania closer to European Union membership

Tirana, July 11 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu said justice system reforms and the implementation of the National Reform Agenda under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans are concrete steps toward Albania’s European Union membership. Gogu said a strong, independent and accountable justice system remains a key pillar of …