SPAK operation with the French authorities, three Albanians arrested and assets seized
SPAK has developed a joint operation with the French authorities, which led to the crackdown on a drug trafficking group. The criminal group operated in the Lyon region and supplied sales groups in the Rhone, Ain, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie regions from an Albanian citizen in France. The gang was led …
Albanian’s Leap to Freedom Was Only the Start of His Journey
An Albanian who 34 years ago jumped over an embassy wall in Tirana to escape the country’s repressive communist regime recalls his struggle to find freedom and a new home in Western Europe. Original post Here
Obituary: Ismail Kadare, the global writer who helped ‘making Albania’
TIRANA, June 1, 2024 – Albania’s greatest writer and perennial Nobel Prize candidate, Ismail Kadare, has died at the age of 88. Kadare had permanently moved back to his homeland of Albania from France in recent years and died of a heart attack Monday morning, doctors at Tirana’s largest public …
Drug trafficking and organized criminal group/ SPAK sends for trial Gezim Çela and 13 others
The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has closed the investigations and sent Gëzim Çela and 13 other people to trial for drug trafficking and organized criminal group. Gëzim Çela and Arlind Ismailukaj are considered to be the leaders of the criminal group that were hit during the “Flame at Sea” operation. …
Ismail Kadare, Greatest Albanian Writer, Dies at 88
The author of dozens of books translated into dozens of languages was feted abroad, in France especially – but some at home were less forgiving of his role during the communist era. Original post Here
Albanian renown writer Ismail Kadare, dies age 88
The Albanian renown writer, poet and novelist, Ismail Kadare died this Monday in Tirana, age 88. Were his familiars that found him lifeless in his home. He is the only Albanian national who was many time a candidate to win the Nobel price in Literature. In 1992, Kadare was awarded …
Oncology scandal, Rama: A crime against humanity
Prime Minister Edi Rama qualifies as a crime against humanity, the use of a doctor’s uniform, to extract money with blood for medicines of the sick, referring to the Oncology scandal. During his speech at the meeting of heads of services at QSUT, Rama said that nothing is missing in …
Albania’s population shrank by 429,000, census results show
TIRANA, June 28, 2024 – Albania’s population shrank by almost 14 percent in 12 years, losing about 429,000 residents, according to the country’s official 2023 census, the results of which were just released. The census conductor, the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), said the number of residents of Albania is now …
Rama: We will forgive fines for illegal construction
Prime Minister Edi Rama has handed over the ownership titles of the houses in Theth and in some other areas of the North, where the inherited problems have been solved. During his speech, he said that fines for constructions without permission will be waived, as they were done out of …
A 25 year old arrested for smuggling emigrants
A 25-year-old man was arrested as part of the police operation codenamed “Axis” The 25-year-old man was caught red-handed on the “Korçë-Pogradec” road axis, near the village of Vërdovë, Pogradec, transporting 17 immigrants from third countries, in the direction of Tirana, with an “Opel” van, against profit, with purpose of …
In many cases, men separated or divorced from their partners are failing to pay, paying too little, or paying too late for the upbringing of their children, putting a large financial burden on single mothers, according to a BIRN survey. Original post Here
Since end-May, anti-government protests in Albania have evolved into the largest civil mobilisation since the fall of the dictatorial regime in the early 1990s. With traditional media largely silent, the digital space has become both a refuge for protest and a testing ground for digital authoritarianism. Original post Here
The sixth Porto Palermo Festival opened with the environmental awareness event “Preserving Our Sea 4”, putting marine protection and coastal clean-up at the centre of the festival. Violinist Olen Çezari organized the initiative with the support of the Municipality of Himarë. Himarë Mayor Vangjel Tavo joined the clean-up campaign. He …
The construction site for the Shalë–Tropojë road project is ready, marking an important step toward connecting the Dukagjin area with the Albanian Alps. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images from the site and described the project as a strategic investment. The new road will connect Shala with Tropoja through Qafa …
The European Union has launched a new funding scheme to help Albanian wood-processing companies invest in innovative circular economy solutions. The Wood2Value scheme will support investments in technologies and production processes that reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and increase competitiveness. The EU Delegation in Tirana said selected companies can receive …
Albania’s Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development (AZHBR) has qualified 20,636 applications under Measures 5–9 of the 2026 National Agriculture Support Scheme after completing the initial administrative review. The scheme supports sustainable agriculture, higher production standards and inland fisheries. AZHBR approved 362 applications under Measure 5, which supports biological pest …
Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed his solidarity with Germany and the German people following the tragic incident at the Pride Parade in Berlin. In a statement on social media, Rama condemned the attack and said there can be no tolerance for hate, violence or extremism in any form. He stressed …
Albania has expanded its protected areas network and placed nearly one-quarter of its territory under national nature protection. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu shared a video showing the country’s environmental progress from 2013 to 2026. She highlighted stronger environmental laws, better management of protected areas and new initiatives to protect …
The “Double Your Business” programme supports Albanian entrepreneurs and creates new financing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, said Taulant Balla during a visit to the “Belba” winery in Kavajë. Balla visited the winery, which two brothers established after bringing their experience from Italy and combining it with Albania’s traditional …
TIRANA, July 24 – Prime Minister Edi Rama presented “Besa”, a document he described as the political and governing strategy for the government’s fourth term, during a joint meeting of the government and the Socialist Party parliamentary group. Rama said recent protests should serve as a moment of reflection rather …