Q&A: Emigration is a regional issue and long-term effort is needed to address it, says Croatian Ambassador to Albania Zlatko Kramaric
Tirana Times interviews the Ambassador of Croatia to Albania, Zlatko Kramaric, on Croatia’s decade in the EU, relations with Albania and Western Balkans integration prospects. Q: Albania and Croatia enjoy a very good bilateral relation with collaboration in many fields. How do you find the relations at the moment of …
Albanian court rules Turkish crypto scam kingpin can be extradited to his homeland to face trial
TIRANA, Apr. 18, 2022 – Albania’s High Court has court ruled to allow the extradition of Fatih Ozer to face a trial in his homeland of Turkey, where he is wanted for allegedly scamming nearly 400,000 people out of millions dollars through a cryptocurrency exchange. Ozer was arrested last year …
Albania Economists Slate PM’s ‘New Salaries’ Pledge as ‘Unrealistic’
PM Rama’s promise to hike wages, starting in the public sector, has been deemed totally unrealistic by a range of economic experts. Original post Here
Confidence Tricks: Tirana’s Place in an International ‘Investment’ Scam
Fake ‘call centres’ across Albania were part of a lucrative stock market investment scam operating across Europe; the suspects include an Albanian man with significant political connections. Original post Here
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 …
Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu and Agriculture Minister Andis Salla visited an olive collection and processing center in Dushk. Officials described the investment as a development engine for Elbasan County. The facility, built by Sami Debrova, exports to international markets. It highlights the potential of Albanian agriculture. Koçiu called the …
Ervin Demo inspected works on the Shkëmbi–Kala road in Berat. The project aims to create a ring route around the historic area of Kala–Goricë–Mangalem. The road stretches 1.3 km. It will become an attractive walking route for visitors and nature lovers. The project improves access to the city’s historic neighborhoods. …
Blendi Gonxhja announces that Albania will host the world padel elite at the “FIP Platinum Albania 2026” tournament in Tirana, scheduled for May 26–30 at Skanderbeg Square. He holds a joint press conference with Luigi Carraro, highlighting the event’s international importance. Gonxhja states that the tournament proves Albania’s organizational capacity …
TIRANA, April 30 – Kosova interim president Albulena Haxhiu starts consultations with political parties on Wednesday (30 April) to set the date for early parliamentary elections. She schedules the meeting for 15:00 as part of efforts to reach agreement on a date acceptable to all parties. A day earlier, Haxhiu …
TIRANA, April 30 – Weather conditions in Albania on Thursday bring cloudy skies and rain across most of the country. Kukës, Dibër and Durrës counties expect weak to locally moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms. Other regions record lighter rain during the day. In the northeast, above 1,000 metres altitude, precipitation …
Besfort Lamallari inaugurated the new police station in Krujë. The project marks an important step in modernizing the State Police and improving service quality for citizens. Officials attended the ceremony, including Police Director General Skënder Hita and Tirana Police Director Elton Alushi. Lamallari said modernization goes beyond infrastructure. He stressed …
Prime Minister Edi Rama said the historic neighborhoods of Pogradec are being revitalized. He called them a future growth hub for the lakeside city. Historic areas across the country are returning to life. Projects preserve historical and architectural values. They also add new elements. These changes turn the areas into …
Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee visited Turkey to strengthen interparliamentary cooperation. Talks focused on joint programs for young people. The Albanian delegation included Igli Hasani, Ervin Hoxha, Sara Mila, and Edmond Haxhinasto. They met with Fatma Aksal, head of the Turkey–Albania Parliamentary Friendship Group. Mila proposed creating a cooperation …
Ferit Hoxha met with the Special Envoy of the Czech Republic for the Western Balkans, Edita Hrda. The meeting focused on EU enlargement in the region. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to the enlargement process of the European Union in the Western Balkans. They described it as a strategic …
The World Bank projects that the economy of Albania will grow by 3.4% this year, mainly driven by tourism. However, the institution warns that the conflict in the Middle East remains a major risk that could slow economic growth. It calls for stronger structural reforms to sustain the current momentum. …