Svetlana Timofeeva: ‘My Passion for Ruins Landed me in Albanian Prison’
Through a written interview from her cell in the Ali Demi prison in Tirana, the Russian blogger accused of espionage tells about her ill-fated adventure in Gramsh, her months spent in isolation – and her fear of possible extradition to Putin’s Russia. Original post Here
How Fear of Albanians Went Mainstream in 1990s Italy
The anti-Albanian campaigns in the British media today are all too reminiscent of the targeting of Albanians in Italy and Greece 30 years ago – and need to be fought, not indulged. Original post Here
Society for Albanian Studies calls for nominations for the annual Stavro Skendi Book Prize
TIRANA, April 12, 2023 – Nominations are being sought for the Stavro Skendi Book Prize for Achievement in Albanian Studies, the organization that governs the award said in a statement. Awarded by the Society for Albanian Studies – an affiliate organization of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian …
Isolation is not a joke: Leaving the ICSID would be a bitter mistake
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL Albania’s troubles with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) seem to be expanding well beyond the infamous case of settling over the closure of Agon Channel and the hefty fine of 120 million euros that the country has to pay up to Italian investor …
Albania to Honour Heroes Who Saved Jews from Holocaust
New museum will celebrate the Albanians who risked their lives to shield Jews from Nazi persecution – and whose story has remained largely untold. Original post Here
Faced with corruption and unpredictable tax system, top business associations demand comprehensive reforms
TIRANA, April 12, 2023 – Doing business in Albania is hard as the economic “environment is inefficient and requires significant improvement,” five chambers of commerce in Albania, including those representing American, German, French and Italian investors said in a joint statement issued on Tuesday. To attract more foreign investment, they …
Albania’s massive ICSID court loss has Tirana pondering exiting jurisdiction
TIRANA, April 11, 2023 – With Albania’s government losing its final appeal to reverse a €120-million penalty in the Francesco Becchetti affair case earlier this month, Tirana is mulling exiting the jurisdiction of the international arbitration court that issued the ruling, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama. The tribunal organized …
Politicians and Public Targeted in Online Intimidation Cases
BIRN’s latest three-month monitoring review of digital violations, covering the period from January to March, highlights how online targeting of politicians and government critics, as well as other forms of digital intimidation, have become significant issues of concern in the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe. Original post Here
Fresh Suspicions over Albania Airport after Turkish Partner Pulls Out
Environmentalists and the European Commission were already alarmed by Albanian plans to build an airport in a coastal region rich in biodiversity. Now one of the partners in the project has pulled out, taking its airport expertise with it. Original post Here
ODIHR starts monitoring mission for Albania’s May 14 administrative elections
TIRANA, March 8, 2023 – International observers of ODIHR, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, have started the mission of monitoring Albania’s local elections of May 14 with a press conference. The mission will be led by Ambassador Audry Glover, who has been in charge of international …
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, has reacted to the shooting reported during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Osmani wrote that Kosovo believes in the resilience of the United States and its institutions, and that they remain steadfast partners in promoting peace, security, and stability around the world. She …
Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted through a post on X regarding the shooting reported during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton. Rama wrote that such an attack strikes at freedom and the democratic way of life everywhere. Among other things, he condemned the attack, emphasizing that …
The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, reacted through a post on Facebook regarding the shooting reported during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Berisha described the attack as a “horror act.” Among other things, he added that the Democratic Party strongly condemns the attack, which according to him …
A bomb threat was reported around midday this Sunday at a shopping mall in the capital, where all employees and citizens inside the premises were immediately evacuated. Following the alert, police forces arrived at the scene and began the necessary checks and verifications to determine whether it was a false …
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, reacted following the shooting that occurred in the United States during an event attended by Donald Trump along with his wife, Melania Trump. Begaj condemned the incident, emphasizing that violence is unacceptable and goes against the fundamental values of democracy. According to him, …
Prime Minister Edi Rama took part this Sunday in the final of the National Science Festival. Rama awarded the three top prizes of the festival, which were won by the high schools “Zhani Ciko” (Patos), “28 Nëntori” (Shkodër), and “Asim Zeneli” (Gjirokastër). During his speech, Rama stated that the improvement …
Prime Minister Edi Rama said this Sunday during his podcast “Flasim” that he spoke about his visit to Greece as part of his participation in the Delphi Economic Forum. Rama emphasized that during his meeting with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, they expressed confidence that they will properly address long-standing …
A team from the Kosovo Security Force (FSK) has traveled to Gaza to conduct a reconnaissance mission in the area where its troops are expected to be deployed as part of an international peacekeeping mission. According to the announcement, the commander of the FSK, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, sent the …
*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] 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:8ee5ca2f-8063-447e-a506-1c2a349da3e4-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The archaeological site of Adrianopolis is one of the locations with special historical and cultural heritage value in the Gjirokastër region area. Thanks to growing interest, this site is now becoming an important center for tourism development. With projects …
The annual exhibition PranverArt has opened its 16th edition at the Tirana Art Gallery, bringing together a large number of artists from various fields of visual arts. Painting, sculpture, and ceramics are some of the mediums through which artists present their work, offering a diverse artistic panorama. In this edition, …