Kosova votes as citizens elect 120-seat parliament
TIRANA, June 7 – Voters in Kosova headed to the polls on Saturday to elect the 11th legislature of the 120-seat parliament. The Central Election Commission distributed voting materials across all 38 municipalities. A total of 23 political parties and three coalitions are competing, with 917 candidates running for office. …
Spring Festival names 12 finalists after opening night
TIRANA, June 7 – The Spring Festival returned to the Albanian stage after a 23-year break. It selected 12 finalists on its opening night, in a show marked by nostalgia, live orchestration and competition. The event took place at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. It brought together emerging …
Lake Shkodër receives UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status
TIRANA, June 6 – Lake Shkodër has received UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status, gaining international recognition for one of Albania’s most important natural assets. Meanwhile, Shkodër Mayor Benet Beci describes the decision as a source of pride for the city and for communities living around the lake. He says the designation …
Spring Festival returns to RTSH as 20 artists compete on opening night
TIRANA, June 6 – The Spring Festival returns to the Albanian Public Radio and Television tonight after a long absence. Twenty artists will take the stage in the opening show, which will feature special guests and a mix of classic and contemporary music. Meanwhile, the festival’s hosts, singer Bleona Qereti …
PM Rama: Iran Is Behind Tirana Protests
The prime minister casts the widening unrest as a “hybrid war,” citing antisemitic narratives, claims about resettling Palestinians and AI-manipulated content. Tirana Times, June 6, 2026 — Prime Minister Edi Rama has accused Iran of standing behind the growing protests in Tirana against the proposed Zvërnec tourism project, shifting the …
Western Balkans – EU summit in Montenegro pushes for faster enlargement and reforms
TIRANA, June 6 – European Union and Western Balkan leaders meet in Tivat for the Western Balkans–EU summit. They focus on speeding up enlargement and advancing reforms across candidate countries. Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa says enlargement remains merit-based, but he adds that the process must become faster and …
Nik Xhelilaj and Bleona Qereti host revived RTSH’s Spring Festival
TIRANA, June 6 – The Spring Festival returns to Albania after two decades. It takes place on June 6 and 7 at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana. The event brings together established and emerging artists. Organisers present the festival as a revival of a major cultural …
Rama: Sazan Island Remains State Property, Not for Privatization
Prime Minister Edi Rama said that Sazan Island will remain property of the Albanian state. He stressed that it will not be privatized. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s 35th anniversary event in Vlora, Rama said Sazan is a national asset. Therefore, any development project will be carried out in partnership …
EU Leaders: Albania Next in Line After Montenegro for Membership
Albania received strong support from European Union leaders at the summit in Tivat, Montenegro. EU officials said the country is moving in the right direction toward membership. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s goals are clear. She stated that Montenegro is expected to join the EU …
Rama: No Strategic Investor Status Requested for Zvërnec Project
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said that no request for strategic investor status has been submitted for the Zvërnec project. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s 35th anniversary event in Vlora, Rama rejected criticism of strategic investments. He said that when his government took office, Vlora lacked major …
Blendi Gonxhja announced that Albania welcomed more than 3 million foreign visitors between January and May 2026. Speaking at Tirana International Airport, Gonxhja said connectivity drives tourism growth. He described the arrival of the first direct flight from Canada to Tirana as a historic milestone for both civil aviation and …
Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the inaugural ceremony of the first direct flight between Tirana and Toronto, describing it as a new bridge connecting Albania and Canada. Speaking at Tirana International Airport, Rama said Albania has joined the map of transatlantic flights for the first time. He noted that what …
Albania has entered the era of transatlantic flights with the launch of the first direct route between Tirana and Toronto. At the inauguration ceremony, Enea Karakaçi described the new service as a historic milestone for Albanian civil aviation and a major opportunity for tourism, business, and people-to-people connections between Albania …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has praised Kapllani Guesthouse in Berat as a successful example of traditional hospitality and rural tourism development in Albania. In a social media post, Rama described the family-run guesthouse as a model of authentic tourism. The guesthouse welcomes both domestic and international visitors and offers traditional …
Albania and France have strengthened their cultural partnership through a new agreement on film co-production. The Albanian Council of Ministers approved the agreement with the French government, creating a new legal and financial framework to support joint film projects between the two countries. Under the agreement, co-produced works will receive …
The Albanian government has approved a direct loan agreement with the United States under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. The agreement provides $302 million to support Albania’s defense modernization and strengthen its military capabilities. Under the deal, Albania’s Ministry of Finance will sign the agreement on behalf of the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albania has completed an important phase of tourism transformation and must now move toward a new stage of development focused on higher revenues and higher-spending visitors. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Tirana–Toronto route at Tirana International Airport, Rama stressed that Albania should now …
Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albania has completed an important phase of tourism transformation and must now move toward a new stage of development focused on higher revenues and higher-spending visitors. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Tirana–Toronto route at Tirana International Airport, Rama stressed that Albania should now …
Cities across Albania will host a wide range of cultural, entertainment, and sporting events this weekend, offering activities for residents and visitors of all ages. One of the highlights is the Wheat Festival in Fier, which takes place at the Archaeological Park of Apollonia on Friday evening. Now in its …
*]: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:56288df9-49f5-45b2-affa-9d9567f8af40-5″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:56288df9-49f5-45b2-affa-9d9567f8af40-5″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-turn=”assistant”> The number of children in Albania is declining, while investments in education and social protection continue to lag behind European Union standards. These are among the key findings of UNICEF’s latest report on Albania, which outlines the priorities for cooperation with …