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FM Hoxha meets Bulgarian counterpart, discusses energy and infrastructure cooperation

TIRANA, June 10 – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha arrived in Sofia, where foreign ministers are meeting at the close of Bulgaria’s chairmanship of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) for 2025–2026. Earlier, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova received Hoxha for bilateral talks. The meeting reaffirmed the …

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PM Rama to Associated Press: No final Zvërnec project yet, misinformation fuels opposition

TIRANA, June 10 – Prime Minister Edi Rama told Associated Press that Albania will continue with plans for a luxury tourism investment linked to Jared Kushner despite ongoing protests against the project. Rama rejected environmental criticism and described it as a result of misinformation. He said the investment reflects growing …

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Kosova’s Acting President Haxhiu to attend Southeast European Cooperation Process Summit in Sofia

TIRANA, June 10 – Albulena Haxhiu, Acting President of Kosova, will travel to Sofia, Bulgaria, to take part in the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit. The summit will bring together leaders from Southeast Europe to discuss regional cooperation, security, connectivity, European integration and sustainable development. KosovaPress reported the information. …

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Albania’s Civic Awakening: A Year After Rama’s Landslide, the Illusion of Invincibility Breaks

by Elez Biberaj Tirana Times, June 09, 2026 – One year after Prime Minister Edi Rama swept to a fourth consecutive term, Albania finds itself in a profoundly different place than the triumphant narrative he projected. The government that claimed unrivaled authority now faces the most sustained civic uprising in …

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Hoxha-Byrne: Ireland Supports EU Enlargement, Albania Advances Through Reform Agenda

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha met with Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, to discuss Albania’s progress and prospects on its path toward European Union membership. During the meeting, the two officials reviewed developments in Albania’s EU integration process. They also exchanged …

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Kurti Meets Austrian Chancellor: Kosovo’s Council of Europe Membership a Priority

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, met in Vienna with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker during an official visit to Austria. Kurti thanked Austria for its long-standing support for Kosovo since the 1990s. He also highlighted Austria’s role in state-building efforts and its contribution through the NATO-led KFOR mission. Furthermore, …

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PM Rama: Kushner and Ivanka Trump Are Investors, Not Political Actors

Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected claims that a planned Zvërnec project involves political backing from the White House or former U.S. President Donald Trump. He addressed journalists from EU member states at a press conference. He said public debate distorts the facts and focuses on family connections. Furthermore, he said …

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Tonin Harapi: A Major Figure of Albanian Music

The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of composer Tonin Harapi, recognizing him as one of the most important figures in Albanian national music. He was born on June 9, 1926, in Shkodër. He grew up in a rich musical environment. He learned …

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Rama Responds to Senator Bernie Sanders: Albania Is Not a Stage for Foreign Political Battles

Prime Minister Edi Rama responded to a statement by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who claimed that over 100,000 Albanian citizens protested a tourism investment project in Zvërnec. Rama reacted on the social media platform “X.” He said no approved project, construction permit, or final development plan exists. Furthermore, he said …

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Rama to EU Journalists: Albania Is a Free Country Where People Can Protest

Prime Minister Edi Rama said that Albania guarantees the right to protest and allows citizens to demonstrate freely. He spoke at a press conference with EU journalists at the Prime Minister’s Office. Furthermore, he addressed recent protests against the Zvërnec investment project. He said a violent incident involving a security …

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Elbasan marks 82nd anniversary of its liberation with tribute to 23 fallen partisans

Elbasan marked the 82nd anniversary of its liberation on Wednesday with a ceremony honouring fallen members of the 15th Assault Brigade. Veterans of the National Liberation War, relatives of the fallen, local residents and local government representatives gathered at the monument dedicated to the 23 partisans who gave their lives …

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Transparency Board caps diesel at 205 lek and petrol at 164 lek per litre

The Transparency Board has set new nationwide price caps for retail and wholesale sales of diesel and petrol. At its meeting on Wednesday, 11 November, the Board set the maximum retail price for diesel at 205 lek per litre and the maximum wholesale price at 193 lek per litre. Petrol …

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PM Kurti says Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo would demonstrate genuine democracy

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has set a clear condition for Serbia’s next government to recognise Kosovo’s independence. In an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), Kurti expressed hope that the Student List, which reportedly won Serbia’s 25 October parliamentary elections, would take a new approach to Kosovo and commit …

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Students boycott classes and join nationwide protest

Anti-government protests continued on Wednesday, marking the 165th day of public mobilisation. A nationwide protest was announced in Tirana, with students and residents from several cities across the country expected to attend. The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. outside the Ministry of Education. Protesters are then expected …

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Shehu says EU report confirms Albania’s progress and warns violence cannot replace democratic dialogue

Arianit Shehu, executive director of the American Center for Countering Extremism and Terrorism (ACCET), says the European Commission’s progress report confirms that Albania is moving closer to European Union membership. In an opinion piece, Shehu argues that EU integration should take precedence over party interests. He describes the report, published …

News
Gogu discusses judicial reform and faster court proceedings with Italian counterparts

TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ Justice Minister Toni Gogu held three meetings in Rome with representatives of Italian institutions, focusing on strengthening cooperation between Albania and Italy in the field of justice. During his visit to the Italian Senate, Gogu met with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, …

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Gonxhja: Young people are not our adversaries—and meaningful dialogue must bridge our divides

TIRANA, November 11 /ATA/ – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja participated today in an expanded meeting of the National Youth Council. Gonxhja noted that beyond the specific topics discussed, the meeting highlighted the level of education, critical thinking and sensitivity of a generation that seeks to be …

News
Goxhobelli: Cadastral map digitalisation to be completed by year-end, work finished in 1,345 zones

TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ State Cadastre Agency Director Lorena Goxhobelli announced today that the digitalisation of cadastral maps is ongoing, with the aim of completing the process by the end of the year. She said that some services may be temporarily restricted for 21 days during the digitalisation process. “These services …

News
State Election Commissioner appoints 120 observers for local elections of May 9, 2027

TIRANA, November 11/ATSH/ – The State Election Commissioner decided today to appoint 120 observers for the local government elections scheduled for May 9, 2027. The deployment of these observers aims to identify and document election campaign activities, with the objective of verifying compliance with legal obligations by electoral subjects and …

News
Customs collections grow by 440 million lekë in October, defying exchange rate impacts

TIRANA, November 11 /ATA/ – The Customs Administration collected 21.1 billion lekë in revenue last month, marking a 440-million-lekë increase compared to the same period last year. Official data shows this positive performance held steady despite significant currency headwinds. The depreciation of the euro (down roughly 5%) and the US …

News

Elbasan marks 82nd anniversary of its liberation with tribute to 23 fallen partisans

Elbasan marked the 82nd anniversary of its liberation on Wednesday with a ceremony honouring fallen members of the 15th Assault Brigade. Veterans of the National Liberation War, relatives of the fallen, local residents and local government representatives gathered at the monument dedicated to the 23 partisans who gave their lives …

News

Transparency Board caps diesel at 205 lek and petrol at 164 lek per litre

The Transparency Board has set new nationwide price caps for retail and wholesale sales of diesel and petrol. At its meeting on Wednesday, 11 November, the Board set the maximum retail price for diesel at 205 lek per litre and the maximum wholesale price at 193 lek per litre. Petrol …

News

PM Kurti says Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo would demonstrate genuine democracy

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has set a clear condition for Serbia’s next government to recognise Kosovo’s independence. In an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), Kurti expressed hope that the Student List, which reportedly won Serbia’s 25 October parliamentary elections, would take a new approach to Kosovo and commit …

News

Students boycott classes and join nationwide protest

Anti-government protests continued on Wednesday, marking the 165th day of public mobilisation. A nationwide protest was announced in Tirana, with students and residents from several cities across the country expected to attend. The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. outside the Ministry of Education. Protesters are then expected …

News

Shehu says EU report confirms Albania’s progress and warns violence cannot replace democratic dialogue

Arianit Shehu, executive director of the American Center for Countering Extremism and Terrorism (ACCET), says the European Commission’s progress report confirms that Albania is moving closer to European Union membership. In an opinion piece, Shehu argues that EU integration should take precedence over party interests. He describes the report, published …

News

Gogu discusses judicial reform and faster court proceedings with Italian counterparts

TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ Justice Minister Toni Gogu held three meetings in Rome with representatives of Italian institutions, focusing on strengthening cooperation between Albania and Italy in the field of justice. During his visit to the Italian Senate, Gogu met with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, …

News

Gonxhja: Young people are not our adversaries—and meaningful dialogue must bridge our divides

TIRANA, November 11 /ATA/ – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja participated today in an expanded meeting of the National Youth Council. Gonxhja noted that beyond the specific topics discussed, the meeting highlighted the level of education, critical thinking and sensitivity of a generation that seeks to be …

News

Goxhobelli: Cadastral map digitalisation to be completed by year-end, work finished in 1,345 zones

TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ State Cadastre Agency Director Lorena Goxhobelli announced today that the digitalisation of cadastral maps is ongoing, with the aim of completing the process by the end of the year. She said that some services may be temporarily restricted for 21 days during the digitalisation process. “These services …

News

State Election Commissioner appoints 120 observers for local elections of May 9, 2027

TIRANA, November 11/ATSH/ – The State Election Commissioner decided today to appoint 120 observers for the local government elections scheduled for May 9, 2027. The deployment of these observers aims to identify and document election campaign activities, with the objective of verifying compliance with legal obligations by electoral subjects and …

News

Customs collections grow by 440 million lekë in October, defying exchange rate impacts

TIRANA, November 11 /ATA/ – The Customs Administration collected 21.1 billion lekë in revenue last month, marking a 440-million-lekë increase compared to the same period last year. Official data shows this positive performance held steady despite significant currency headwinds. The depreciation of the euro (down roughly 5%) and the US …