Celebrations and historical remembrance: Montenegro marks 20 years of independence
Montenegro this week is marking the 20th anniversary of its independence with concerts and festive activities taking place in the capital, Podgorica, and other cities across the country. On May 21, 2006, Montenegrin citizens voted in a historic referendum on the future of the state, with 55.5% choosing independence after …
Albanian activist leaves Israel on a flight to Turkey
Albanian citizen Baki Goxhaj has departed for Turkey on one of the aircraft provided by the Turkish government for the transport of activists detained by Israel. According to sources from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, he is currently on his way to Istanbul, where he will be received …
SPAK, corruption, elections: IBAR document revealed, what was decided on Albania’s criteria
*]: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=”32a4dda1-cf36-4cd4-b698-7534afe718a0″ data-turn-id-container=”32a4dda1-cf36-4cd4-b698-7534afe718a0″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-35″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> This Thursday, Albania passed the draft of the European Union’s common interim position in the COELA working group in Brussels. *]: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:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-17″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-17″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-36″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Meanwhile, tomorrow the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report, otherwise known as …
Pushing Against Inertia: How Harnex Is Testing the Balkans’ Appetite for Innovation
Tirana loves a good spectacle. Walk through the capital today and you are greeted by sleek new glass towers, vibrant urban spaces, and a relentless political chorus proclaiming Albania as the next big digital hub of the Western Balkans. But scratch beneath the surface of this calculated showmanship, and a …
Transparency Board lowers fuel prices, diesel drops to 197 ALL per litre
TIRANA, May 21 – The Transparency Board set new ceiling prices for fuel trading during its latest meeting. The new prices enter into force today at 13:00. According to the decision, the retail price of SSH EN 590 diesel will not exceed 197 ALL per litre. Meanwhile, the wholesale price …
Lushnja hospital joins national investment programme
TIRANA, May 21 – Health and Social Protection Minister Evis Sala said the Lushnja municipal hospital forms part of the national investment programme for hospital infrastructure. She said services for citizens continue during reconstruction works. Sala said the investment started in 2026. Works officially began on March 4 with the …
Ruling Socialist Party MP Balla: Germany praises Albania on negotiation chapters 23 and 24
TIRANA, Thursday, May 21 – Albania has received positive evaluations on European Union accession chapters 23 and 24, ruling Socialist Party parliamentary group chairman Taulant Balla said on Thursday. Germany views Albania as a model among candidate countries, citing justice reform, vetting, and efforts against corruption and organised crime. Meanwhile, …
Arbëresh Museum Planned in Vuno to Preserve Cultural Heritage
The planned Arbëresh Museum in Vuno aims to preserve historical memory and cultural heritage. The museum will focus on the history of the Arbëresh community and their migration to Italy. The project was presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports in cooperation with the Municipality of Himara and …
Stage III of the 83rd Tour of Albania, Swiss rider Guillaume Haldimann wins
TIRANA, May 21 – The third stage of the 83rd Tour of Albania concluded on Wednesday. The stage ran on the Elbasan–Vlora route over 149 kilometres. The average speed reached 48.3 km/h. The stage proved highly competitive. A leading group of five riders reached the finish together. Swiss rider Guillaume …
Magical Views from Mount Korab
Spring temperatures have not removed the snow cover from Mount Korab. Snow still covers parts of the mountain. Wild crocus flowers form a golden carpet across the melted areas. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images of the mountain and called them magical. The Korab mountain range offers wide landscapes and …
Albanian and Turkish naval forces held a joint exercise in the Bay of Vlora and the naval base in it. The activity took place under NATO’s Neptune Strike 26-4 programme. The exercise involved Turkish warships TCG Anadolu and TCG Gaziantep, aircraft and the Albanian Boarding Team. According to the Ministry …
Kosova remains at Tier 2 in the US State Department’s 2025 report on human trafficking. The report notes more funding for victim assistance and more convictions, but highlights gaps in law enforcement, identifying children forced to beg and providing long-term support. Police investigated four trafficking cases in 2025, down from …
Ahmet Prençi, commissioner of the Ombudsman’s National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, presented preliminary findings from monitoring police stations, the Security Block and the University Trauma Hospital on October 19. He said the investigation continued. Police escorted 50 people to stations, including 18 minors. The Security Block held 109 …
Demand for loans from businesses and individuals increased in the third quarter of 2026. Banks expect this trend to continue in the final quarter, according to the Bank of Albania’s lending survey. Businesses increased borrowing across all size categories for investment and liquidity needs. Higher investment needs, inventory financing and …
Assembly of Albania Deputy Speaker Evis Kushi and Secretary General Genci Gjonçaj met a delegation from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, led by Kevin Casas Zamora. The talks focused on continuing cooperation under the European Union-funded STEP-EU project. The initiative aims to strengthen the Assembly’s legislative, oversight …
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) expressed concern over reports of violence during student and high school protests in Albania. It called for immediate and independent investigations into every reported case of unlawful use of force. In a statement published on X, ODIHR urged all sides …
Irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by almost one-third in the first nine months of 2026, with preliminary data recording just over 91,000 crossings, according to Frontex. The Central Mediterranean route saw the sharpest decline, with detections down 56% year on year. However, the Western Mediterranean route recorded …
As part of NATO’s “Neptune Strike-26” exercise, the Albanian and Turkish Naval Forces conducted a joint military exercise in Vlora Bay and at the Pashaliman Naval Base. The exercise involved the Albanian patrol vessel “Oriku” P-132 and its boarding team, alongside the Turkish naval vessels TCG Anadolu and TCG Gaziantep. …
Albania’s Supreme Court has announced the postponement of court hearings, except for urgent cases, following property damage and damage to judicial files caused by a fire during the protests on October 17. In a public statement issued on October 20, the court said that damage to its premises and infrastructure …
The United Nations Security Council will hold its next meeting on the situation in Kosovo today, with discussions expected to focus on political developments, the security situation, and the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. New York time, corresponding to 9:00 p.m. …