Blog
News

Athens Condemns Alleged Vote-Buying Arrest of Greek Politician in Albania

Police arrested Fredi Beleri, a Greek expatriate mayoral candidate in the southern Albanian municipality of Himara, on suspicion of vote-buying, sparking diplomatic protests from Athens. Original post Here

Read More
News

Albania, Greece spar over mayoral candidate’s arrest 

TIRANA, May 12, 2023 – Albanian police have arrested the opposition’s candidate for the mayor of Himara on charges of vote buying, leading to a spat between Greek and Albanian authorities over the ethnic Greek party representative’s detention two days before the Albanian municipal elections.  The arrested candidate, Fredi Beleri, …

Read More
News

The arrest of Fredi Beleri, the Greek ambassador emergency meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Greek ambassador in Tirana, Kostandina Kamitsi, met this morning with the director of the region at the Albanian Foreign Ministry. The Greek diplomat has expressed to the Albanian side her concern about the arrest of Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara. …

Read More
News

Fredi Beleri’s arrest, Dendias calls Rama

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias contacted Prime Minister Edi Rama after the arrest of Fredi Beleri for vote buying. The conversation between them comes after the Greek ambassador in Tirana, Konstantina Kamitsi, following Dendia’s instructions, held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sources told ABC News that the …

Read More
News

In Local Polls, Albania’s Socialists Face Opposition in Disarray

Campaign policies are in short supply ahead of Albania’s May 14 local elections, in which the ruling Socialists face a Democratic Party split in two. Original post Here

Read More
News

Fredi Beleri, the candidate for Himara Municipality is arrested

Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara, was arrested. He was escorted shortly after midnight to the premises of the police department of Vlora. Sources told ABC News that Beleri was arrested on the charge of buying and selling votes. He was escorted …

Read More
News

The car of the Russian embassy in Tirana crashes, one person dies, another is injured

The police have provide details of the serious accident that happened yesterday evening in the area of ​​Sauk in Tirana, where the vehicle of the Russian embassy was involved. The car collided with the metal road banner, went off the road and then hit the curb. As a result of …

Read More
News

LGBT Watchdog Chides Balkan, Central Europe Countries for Rights Setbacks

ILGA-Europe, in its latest annual report and rankings, singled out Serbia and Turkey for backsliding in the field of LGBTI rights. Original post Here

Read More
News

Duda: Albania deserves to be part of the EU as soon as possible

The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, is in our country this Thursday, where he is conducting an official visit. Duda is the first Polish president after 20 years to visit our country, who in his speech has emphasized that it is important that his visit has already …

Read More
News

Cannabis plot with about 500 plants found in Shkodra

A plot of cannabis, consisting of about 500 seddlings has been discovered this Thursday morning in a public property in the village of Ashtë of Shkodra, along the banks of Drin river. According to the police, the narcotic plants were found during drone controls, carried out in the framework of …

Read More
News
Berisha at IDU Forum in Zagreb: Electoral Autocracy and “Narco-State” Hindering EU Integration

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, spoke at the forum of the International Democrat Union (IDU) in Zagreb, where he addressed Albania’s European Union integration process and the factors he claims are obstructing it. He identified what he described as “electoral autocracy” and a “narco-state” as the main …

News
Malaj: Only Two Secondary Acts Remaining Before Launch of Online Betting

The Minister of Finance, Petrit Malaj, stated today that the process for opening online sports betting is in its final stage, with only two secondary legal acts remaining to be approved before licensed operators can begin operating legally. In a press conference, Malaj said that these acts are being coordinated …

News
Rama Responds to Criticism of Government Information Agency: SIGMA Report Shows the Truth

Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted this Thursday on the social network X (formerly Twitter), referring to a SIGMA OECDreport on the Media and Information Agency (MIA). In his response, Rama emphasized that the institution has received a positive evaluation in an international report, rejecting what he described as earlier criticism …

News
Kosovo Elections: EU Expresses Regret

The European Union has expressed regret that political parties in Kosovo failed to identify a unifying figure for the position of president, leading the country to organize its third election in less than a year and a half. An EU spokesperson told Radio Free Europe that the bloc has continuously …

News
50,000 Trauma Cases Annually, Doctor Calls for Education to Reduce Harm

Albania records over 50,000 trauma cases per year, with the majority resulting from road accidents and workplace incidents. This figure was highlighted by Agron Dogjani, a surgeon at the University Hospital of Trauma (Albania), during a conference on lifestyle and risk reduction. He emphasized that trauma cases peak during the …

News
Judges’ Salaries: Parliament Begins Review of Constitutional Court Rulings

The Council on Legislation in Parliament has begun reviewing two decisions of the Constitutional Court related to the determination of judges’ salaries and the parliamentary rules of procedure. The legal service of Parliament has proposed that, regarding the new formula for judges’ salaries, the Council should decide whether to address …

News
Albulena Haxhiu Sets June 7 as Date for New Elections in Kosovo

In a statement to the media, Albulena Haxhiu announced that June 7 has been set as the date for holding new early parliamentary elections. Haxhiu’s decision comes shortly after a meeting with leaders and representatives of political parties in the country to determine the election date. “After hearing the proposals …

News
Serbian Government Blocks Funds for the Presevo Valley

The head of the Albanian National Council, Enkel Rexhepi, stated that the Serbian government has blocked transfers and donations from Kosovo intended for development and the preservation of national identity in the Presevo Valley. “This is not a technical issue. It is about blocking funds… that directly affect 3,650 students, …

News
Over 817,000 passengers pass through Tirana airport in March

Tirana International Airport (TIA) recorded over 817,000 passengers and 4,708 flights in March, connecting to 80 destinations across 27 countries. The data show strong travel demand and continued growth in air traffic through Tirana. The most requested destinations were Milan, London, Rome, Pisa, and Bologna, reflecting high travel flows between …

News
Former Finance Minister Arben Malaj warns of structural risks to growth in Albania

TIRANA, April 30 – A World Bank report forecasts a slowdown in Albania and the Western Balkans, raising concerns over growth prospects and social welfare. Speaking on “Mirëmëngjes Shqipëri” (“Good Morning Albania”), former Finance Minister Arben Malaj said international institutions projected continued growth but also highlighted structural weaknesses in the …

News

Berisha at IDU Forum in Zagreb: Electoral Autocracy and “Narco-State” Hindering EU Integration

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, spoke at the forum of the International Democrat Union (IDU) in Zagreb, where he addressed Albania’s European Union integration process and the factors he claims are obstructing it. He identified what he described as “electoral autocracy” and a “narco-state” as the main …

News

Malaj: Only Two Secondary Acts Remaining Before Launch of Online Betting

The Minister of Finance, Petrit Malaj, stated today that the process for opening online sports betting is in its final stage, with only two secondary legal acts remaining to be approved before licensed operators can begin operating legally. In a press conference, Malaj said that these acts are being coordinated …

News

Rama Responds to Criticism of Government Information Agency: SIGMA Report Shows the Truth

Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted this Thursday on the social network X (formerly Twitter), referring to a SIGMA OECDreport on the Media and Information Agency (MIA). In his response, Rama emphasized that the institution has received a positive evaluation in an international report, rejecting what he described as earlier criticism …

News

Kosovo Elections: EU Expresses Regret

The European Union has expressed regret that political parties in Kosovo failed to identify a unifying figure for the position of president, leading the country to organize its third election in less than a year and a half. An EU spokesperson told Radio Free Europe that the bloc has continuously …

News

50,000 Trauma Cases Annually, Doctor Calls for Education to Reduce Harm

Albania records over 50,000 trauma cases per year, with the majority resulting from road accidents and workplace incidents. This figure was highlighted by Agron Dogjani, a surgeon at the University Hospital of Trauma (Albania), during a conference on lifestyle and risk reduction. He emphasized that trauma cases peak during the …

News

Judges’ Salaries: Parliament Begins Review of Constitutional Court Rulings

The Council on Legislation in Parliament has begun reviewing two decisions of the Constitutional Court related to the determination of judges’ salaries and the parliamentary rules of procedure. The legal service of Parliament has proposed that, regarding the new formula for judges’ salaries, the Council should decide whether to address …

News

Albulena Haxhiu Sets June 7 as Date for New Elections in Kosovo

In a statement to the media, Albulena Haxhiu announced that June 7 has been set as the date for holding new early parliamentary elections. Haxhiu’s decision comes shortly after a meeting with leaders and representatives of political parties in the country to determine the election date. “After hearing the proposals …

News

Serbian Government Blocks Funds for the Presevo Valley

The head of the Albanian National Council, Enkel Rexhepi, stated that the Serbian government has blocked transfers and donations from Kosovo intended for development and the preservation of national identity in the Presevo Valley. “This is not a technical issue. It is about blocking funds… that directly affect 3,650 students, …

News

Over 817,000 passengers pass through Tirana airport in March

Tirana International Airport (TIA) recorded over 817,000 passengers and 4,708 flights in March, connecting to 80 destinations across 27 countries. The data show strong travel demand and continued growth in air traffic through Tirana. The most requested destinations were Milan, London, Rome, Pisa, and Bologna, reflecting high travel flows between …

News

Former Finance Minister Arben Malaj warns of structural risks to growth in Albania

TIRANA, April 30 – A World Bank report forecasts a slowdown in Albania and the Western Balkans, raising concerns over growth prospects and social welfare. Speaking on “Mirëmëngjes Shqipëri” (“Good Morning Albania”), former Finance Minister Arben Malaj said international institutions projected continued growth but also highlighted structural weaknesses in the …