Balkan Farmers Struggle to Access Tens of Millions of Euros in EU Funds
Farmers in Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia face similar challenges when trying to access funds from the European Union’s IPARD programme. Original post Here
Ukrainian Visit to Serbia Yields Pledges to Revive Trade
Ukrainian Foreign Minister says Kyiv delegation’s two-day visit to Serbia – a friend of Russia’s – ended with agreement to restore bilateral trade to pre-war levels. Original post Here
Political Attacks, Misogynistic Insults Continue to Pollute Balkan Online Space
The aftermath of elections in Turkey and Croatia and the electoral campaign in North Macedonia prompted politically-motivated digital rights violations in the region this month, while Kosovo and Montenegro saw an increase in misogynistic attacks on women online. Original post Here
Balkan Support for EU Accession High, Except in Serbia – Survey
Corruption remains a serious concern for people across the Western Balkans, where trust in politicians is low but support for EU accession high, except in Serbia. Original post Here
Condolences – and Silence – from Balkans Over Iranian President’s Death
Expressions of sorrow over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials are coming from some Balkan countries but not others – depending on the state of their relations with Tehran. Original post Here
Unofficial Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Ceremony Causes Controversy in Albania
A same-sex couple held a private civil partnership ceremony at Tirana City Hall – but even though it had no legal standing, their ‘marriage’ sparked angry reactions from traditionalists. Original post Here
Conflict of Interest? Restaurant Investment Raises Questions for Albanian Minister
Municipality’s payments to a restaurant owned by the wife of the former deputy mayor – now a government minister – raises fresh questions about business connections between state officials and their private business partners. Original post Here
Never Forget: Albanians Commemorate Communist-Era Labour Camp Uprising
Victims of Albania’s communist regime and activists gathered at a former labour camp to honour the prisoners’ uprising in 1984 and call for the location to be preserved as a reminder of past suffering. Original post Here
‘The Same Coin’: Crackdown Exposes Organised Crime’s Penetration of Albanian Politics
Experts say an operation that used seized communications app data to investigate seven organised crime groups offers new evidence of the connections in Albania between gangsters, politics and the economy. Original post Here
Albania Bank Governor Faces Prosecution Threat Over Fraudulent Loans
Prosecutors say Gent Sejko has questions to answer over a dodgy company that harassed some 17,000 Albanians for nonexistant loans, and which operated under bank’s license for years. Original post Here
Tineke Strik, the MEP who led an environmental fact-finding mission to Albania, says its EU accession is in peril if the government doesn’t change course on protected areas. Original post Here
The village of Zogaj, located near Shkodra Lake, transformed into a summer celebration hub with the “Lake Festival,” an event that promoted local traditions, gastronomy and the natural beauty of the area. Residents and foreign tourists gathered by the lake to enjoy traditional flavors, music and the famous hospitality of …
Rama says Kanye West concert showcased Albania as a safe destination for major events and investment
Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Kanye West concert demonstrated that Albania can successfully host major international events in a safe and welcoming environment. He said the event sent a positive message to international visitors and investors by showing that Albania remains a secure destination for tourism, business and large-scale …
American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama and the people of Albania for their hospitality following his performance at Eagle Stadium in Tirana. In a social media post, West wrote, “Thank you Edi Rama and all of Albania for building a stadium and for …
Tirana hosted Kanye West’s first-ever concert in Albania, marking a milestone for the country’s live entertainment industry. Thousands of fans from Albania, Kosovo and across Europe traveled to the capital to attend the performance. Throughout the evening, West performed some of his biggest hits, while spectacular visuals and stage effects …
Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed condolences following the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, describing him as a visionary statesman and a historic leader of Qatar. In a social media message, Rama praised Sheikh Hamad’s role in transforming Qatar and laying the foundations for the country’s remarkable development. …
New York City has officially added “Little Albania” to its map of immigrant neighborhoods, recognizing the important role of the Albanian community in the city’s cultural and social life. The city included the Bronx neighborhood among 30 areas across New York’s five boroughs that represent diverse immigrant communities and their …
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 …
*]: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 …
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 …