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Edi Rama at Chamber of Commerce of Catalonia: Albania now a top destination for Spanish youth

Edi Rama visited Barcelona. The Chamber of Commerce of Catalonia received him. He highlighted growing interest in Albania. He shared a photo from the meeting. Rama said Albania’s image in Spain has changed. He said Spain once viewed Albania negatively. He said Spanish youth now prefer Albania as a tourist …

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Ogerta Manastirliu: Rent bonus and compensation for families affected by fire

Ogerta Manastirliu visited families affected by the fire near Pharmacy 10 in Tirana. She said institutions are fully engaged. She promised concrete solutions as soon as possible. She said the Municipality of Tirana started work immediately. She said the Municipal Council will approve rent bonuses. She stressed no delays in …

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Hoxha meets Portuguese counterpart; support for Albania’s EU membership path

Ferit Hoxha met Paulo Rangel at the Diplomacy Forum in Antalya. He received support for Albania’s EU membership path. They agreed to intensify cooperation. They discussed trade, tourism, education, and culture. They reaffirmed strong bilateral friendship. They agreed to increase political dialogue. This marked their first bilateral meeting. Hoxha highlighted …

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Malaj meets senior U.S. official; focus on strengthening economic cooperation

Petrit Malaj met Jacob Helberg from the U.S. Department of State. They discussed current economic developments. They addressed global challenges. They explored opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation. They highlighted the strategic partnership between Albania and the United States. They stressed expanding cooperation to support economic development and stability. Malaj reaffirmed …

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Government declares Bylis and Orikum parks cultural heritage sites, approves Bushat and Delvinë zones

The Council of Ministers of Albania declared several sites immovable cultural heritage. It approved protection and management plans. Authorities declared the Bylis Archaeological Park and Klos area cultural heritage. They approved zoning and preservation measures. They set rules for protection and administration. The government also declared the Bushat archaeological Zone …

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After Distria’s gold, Fazliu, Gjakova and Cena compete at European Judo Championships

Kosovo continues competition at the European Judo Championships 2026 in Tbilisi after winning gold with Distria Krasniqi. Laura Fazliu competes in the -63 kg category. Akil Gjakova and Dardan Cena compete in the -73 kg category. Athletes aim for strong results for Kosovo. The team targets additional medals after Krasniqi’s …

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Akil Gjakova one win away from European bronze medal

Akil Gjakova competes at the European Judo Championships 2026 in Tbilisi. He fights for the bronze medal against Bilal Çiloğlu. Gjakova receives a bye in the first round. He beats Samuel Gassner by ippon in the second round. He defeats Benjamin Levy by ippon. He loses in the quarterfinals to …

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Beja at CEFTA: Albania strengthens role in regional trade facilitation

Besmir Beja visited the CEFTA Secretariat. He met Pranvera Kastrati to strengthen institutional cooperation. He prepared for Albania’s CEFTA presidency in 2026. Beja highlighted the role of the Albanian Customs Administration. He promoted trade facilitation. He advanced digitalization processes. He supported Authorized Economic Operators to improve the business climate. He …

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Albania sets fuel price caps with diesel not exceeding 210 lek per litre

.TIRANA, April 17 – Albania’s Transparency Board has set new maximum fuel prices that take effect at 1600 local time on Friday. The decision caps retail diesel prices at no more than 210 Lek per litre. The board set wholesale diesel prices at no more than 198 Lek per litre. …

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EU-harmonised inflation in Albania reaches 2.6% in March, driven by transport and food

TIRANA, April 17 – Albania’s annual inflation measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices stood at 2.6% in March. The data follows the methodology of Eurostat and reflects changes in consumer prices. The Institute of Statistics reported a monthly increase of 0.9% compared with February. Transport led the rise …

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Week in Review: Spyware, AI and Arrests

Tech concerns mount over elections in Serbia, spy chief’s arrest tests Albania’s NATO ties, protests over court verdicts continue in Kosovo and North Macedonia mulls impact of dangerous virus, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

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More than 9.4 million foreign nationals enter Albania in eight months

More than 9.4 million foreign nationals entered Albania in the first eight months of 2026, according to INSTAT. The figure represents a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2025. In August alone, foreign entries rose 2% year on year. The pace slowed from July, when entries increased 7.1%, but …

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Shëngjin bypass in Lezha expected to be completed in March 2027

Work is continuing on the Shëngjin bypass in Lezha, which will ease traffic and improve access to coastal tourist areas. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage from the construction site and said the bypass is expected to be fully completed by March 2027. The 8.1-kilometre road runs along the slopes …

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Albanian lawmaker Taulant Balla meets US General Wesley Clark in New York

Albanian lawmaker Taulant Balla met US General Wesley Clark during his visit to New York. Clark served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe and led NATO’s air campaign in 1999 during the war in Kosova. Balla expressed gratitude to Clark for his role during NATO’s intervention and for his support for …

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New US ambassador Eric Wendt arrives in Tirana

New US Ambassador Eric Wendt arrived in Tirana on Friday. He is expected to present his credentials to President Bajram Begaj on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at 11:00 at the Palace of Brigades. Begaj and Wendt are also expected to hold a private meeting. The US Senate confirmed …

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PM Rama: I have raised Albania’s flag higher than ever on the road to EU

Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania’s national flag has reached a higher standing internationally than ever before. He made the remarks during his visit to New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. In a post on X, Rama said his mission to take the national flag …

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Albania and Greece expand electronic customs data exchange

Albania and Greece aim to strengthen customs cooperation. Their plans include joint border management, electronic data exchange and easier trade and movement between the two countries. General Director of Customs Besmir Beja met his Greek counterpart, Dimitrios Bourikos, in Tirana for the 14th Bilateral High-Level Meeting. The meeting covered joint …

News
Rama at the European Corporate Council: Peace is a prerequisite for economic development

Prime Minister Edi Rama took part in the eighth edition of the European Corporate Council, where he focused in his remarks on the importance of peace, economic development and creating opportunities for future generations. Rama described his participation in the forum as a “special honour and privilege”, praising its role …

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Vuno officially declared a “Historic Centre”, government approves protected area

The Council of Ministers has officially declared the village of Vuno an immovable cultural property with the status of a “Historic Centre”. The decision, approved at the government meeting on September 25, 2026, also provides for the designation of a protective zone, as well as the approval of a plan …

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Rama makes strong statement from New York: Joe Biden betrayed Hashim Thaçi, “the George Washington of Pristina”

Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated from New York that the United States could have done more to prevent, in his view, the start of the process that led to the conviction of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. During a speech at …

News

Week in Review: Spyware, AI and Arrests

Tech concerns mount over elections in Serbia, spy chief’s arrest tests Albania’s NATO ties, protests over court verdicts continue in Kosovo and North Macedonia mulls impact of dangerous virus, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

More than 9.4 million foreign nationals enter Albania in eight months

More than 9.4 million foreign nationals entered Albania in the first eight months of 2026, according to INSTAT. The figure represents a 5.3% increase from the same period in 2025. In August alone, foreign entries rose 2% year on year. The pace slowed from July, when entries increased 7.1%, but …

News

Shëngjin bypass in Lezha expected to be completed in March 2027

Work is continuing on the Shëngjin bypass in Lezha, which will ease traffic and improve access to coastal tourist areas. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage from the construction site and said the bypass is expected to be fully completed by March 2027. The 8.1-kilometre road runs along the slopes …

News

Albanian lawmaker Taulant Balla meets US General Wesley Clark in New York

Albanian lawmaker Taulant Balla met US General Wesley Clark during his visit to New York. Clark served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe and led NATO’s air campaign in 1999 during the war in Kosova. Balla expressed gratitude to Clark for his role during NATO’s intervention and for his support for …

News

New US ambassador Eric Wendt arrives in Tirana

New US Ambassador Eric Wendt arrived in Tirana on Friday. He is expected to present his credentials to President Bajram Begaj on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at 11:00 at the Palace of Brigades. Begaj and Wendt are also expected to hold a private meeting. The US Senate confirmed …

News

PM Rama: I have raised Albania’s flag higher than ever on the road to EU

Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania’s national flag has reached a higher standing internationally than ever before. He made the remarks during his visit to New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. In a post on X, Rama said his mission to take the national flag …

News

Albania and Greece expand electronic customs data exchange

Albania and Greece aim to strengthen customs cooperation. Their plans include joint border management, electronic data exchange and easier trade and movement between the two countries. General Director of Customs Besmir Beja met his Greek counterpart, Dimitrios Bourikos, in Tirana for the 14th Bilateral High-Level Meeting. The meeting covered joint …

News

Rama at the European Corporate Council: Peace is a prerequisite for economic development

Prime Minister Edi Rama took part in the eighth edition of the European Corporate Council, where he focused in his remarks on the importance of peace, economic development and creating opportunities for future generations. Rama described his participation in the forum as a “special honour and privilege”, praising its role …

News

Vuno officially declared a “Historic Centre”, government approves protected area

The Council of Ministers has officially declared the village of Vuno an immovable cultural property with the status of a “Historic Centre”. The decision, approved at the government meeting on September 25, 2026, also provides for the designation of a protective zone, as well as the approval of a plan …

News

Rama makes strong statement from New York: Joe Biden betrayed Hashim Thaçi, “the George Washington of Pristina”

Prime Minister Edi Rama has stated from New York that the United States could have done more to prevent, in his view, the start of the process that led to the conviction of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. During a speech at …