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OTP Bank Albania: Establishing a firm foundation to serve Albania’s dynamic economy and society 

OTP Bank Albania CEO Bledar Shella Hungary’s largest OTP Bank Group entered Albania’s market four years ago, and its subsidiary OTP Bank Albania has recently grown further through a merger, positioning itself to to serve a greater portion of Albania’s economy, which it sees as a dynamic and promising.  The …

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Is Albania’s new dominant-party system here to stay? 

By ANDI BALLA The ruling Socialist Party scored a sweeping victory in Albania’s May 14, 2023 municipal elections. SP won 54 out of 61 municipalities, including every single large city. Socialist mayors will govern more than 94 percent of the country’s population, adding to the SP domination at the national …

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Mother, daughter prosecuted for trying to smuggle EUR 40,000 through Rinas

Rinas Police has seized 40,000 euros in the airport checks, while the mother and daughter who tried to cross the border were prosecuted in connection with the incident. The police informs that the large amount of money was hidden in the body of the two citizens, while the materials were …

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Jailed Himara’s mayor to appear at court, might lose mandate

Candidate of the “Together We Win” coalition for the Municipality of Himara, Fredi Beleri, was arrested a day before the elections, after being caught buying votes, but was able to win the battle for the Municipality of Himara behind jail. Vlora’s Court imposed the measure of “prison arrest”, while he …

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No settlement deal between Berisha, Veliaj on defamation Trial

Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, filed a defamation lawsuit against the former Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, after the latter accused him of ties to Iran and first session with the representation of the two parties was held this Friday. This session lasted only 20 minutes, where the lawyers of Berisha …

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Electric scooters’ serial thief arrested in Tirana

A 20-year-old man has been arrested this Friday by the Tirana police after allegedly stealing electric skateboards in Tirana. According to the police, 20-year-old Emiljan Guraj and his minor accomplice, 16 years old, are suspected of being the authors of at least 7 cases of theft of skateboards. His arrest …

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Accused of “concealing and non-declaration of assets”, SPAK demands a year in prison for the former head of C. Court

The Special Prosecutor’s Office requests a year in prison for Bashkim Deda, the former head of the Constitutional Court, according to Ermal Vija, ABC News journalist. According to Article 59, is required the suspension of the execution of the sentence and placement on probation for 2 years. Deda is accused …

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Democrats react after the resignation of Alibeaj

Democratic MP Ervin Salianji has declared Thursday that the resignation of Enkelejd Alibeaj from the position of Democratic Party’s (DP) Parliamentary Group’s Head is an attempt for further fragmentation of the opposition political force. In a statement to the media, the politician said that after the disappointing result of May …

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SP urges opposition to return to parliament for pressing issues

Chairman of the Parliamentary Group in the Socialist Party (SP), Taulant Balla has called this Thursday on the opposition MPs to return to Parliament in order to carry on with the discussions regarding the ombudsman’s election and justice reform. In his speech, Balla underlined that their boycott right after the …

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Tirana young man arrested after robbing private post office

Tirana Police has handcuffed this Thursday a 27-year-old man who robbed by knife a sum of money from a private post office on Wednesday evening. According to the police, the incident happened yesterday evening, in the branch of a private post office on “5 Maji” street, where citizen Ordis Molla …

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Justice begins at magistrates’ school, not in courtroom, minister says

TIRANA, June 4 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu said today that justice reform in Albania has entered a new phase. He said the process now shifts from institution building to consolidation. He linked this shift to professional and ethical training of new magistrates. He spoke at the closing conference of …

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U.S. supports stronger measures against cultural heritage trafficking, US Deputy Ambassador to Albania says

TIRANA, June 4 – The United States supports stronger measures against trafficking in cultural heritage objects. US Deputy Ambassador to Albania Kethrin Hammond made the statement today during a meeting on prevention efforts. She said the United States backs Albania’s efforts to strengthen national security. The fight targets trafficking in …

News
Data protection in the era of artificial intelligence discussed with financial sector

TIRANA, June 4 – The Office of the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection held a discussion titled “Personal Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Sector” with representatives from banking institutions, non-bank financial entities, the insurance sector, data protection officers, technology experts and information …

News
Rubio: Kosovo’s NATO Membership Is Not Currently at the Top of Allies’ Agenda

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that NATO enlargement to include Kosovo is not currently a top priority for the alliance’s member states. However, he emphasized that this does not mean such membership could not happen in the future. Speaking during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio also said that …

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Costa to Vučić: Kosovo–Serbia Dialogue and the Ohrid Agreement Are Vital for Regional Security

The President of the European Council, António Costa, called on Serbia to accelerate its reform agenda and advance dialogue with Kosovo, stressing that European Union enlargement is a strategic necessity. Speaking at a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Costa stated that the path toward EU membership is based on trust and tangible progress …

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Vjosa Osmani in Gjilan: We Believe in Work, Results, and the Alliance with the United States

Presidential candidate from the Vjosa Osmani camp visited Gjilan, where she thanked citizens for their support, describing it as a decisive turning point toward change and unity. During a gathering in Gjilan, Osmani stated that her political vision is based on concrete actions and measurable achievements. “We believe in work, not in endless …

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Euro Falls Against the Albanian Lek Again, Approaching the 95-Lek Threshold

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-turn-id-container=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The exchange rate of the euro against the Albanian lek has reached a new historic low. According to the official rate published by the Bank of Albania, one euro is currently exchanged at 95.3 lek, the lowest level ever recorded. …

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Agricultural Census Bill Approved; Farmers Who Do Not Respond May Face Fines

*]: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:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-10″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The government has approved the draft law “On the Agricultural Census,” a process aimed at comprehensively registering agricultural economic units throughout the country. The initiative directly affects farmers, families working agricultural land, livestock units, and agricultural holdings that produce both …

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Construction Project in Zvërnec: Rama Reveals the Architect, Calling Him a “Great Artist of Nature”

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced in a Facebook post the architect who has been commissioned for the Zvërnec development project. Rama described landscape architect Dong Yugan as a “great artist of nature” and noted that he presented his vision on Thursday at the Bread&Heart Festival in Tirana. Rama stated that the project aims to achieve a …

News
President of Lithuania Visits Tirana, Received by Rama at the Prime Minister’s Office

Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, at the Prime Minister’s Office this Thursday. It has been reported that the meeting focused on strengthening relations between the two countries, Lithuania’s support for Albania’s European Union accession process, and the EU’s enlargement to include the Western Balkan …

News

Justice begins at magistrates’ school, not in courtroom, minister says

TIRANA, June 4 – Justice Minister Toni Gogu said today that justice reform in Albania has entered a new phase. He said the process now shifts from institution building to consolidation. He linked this shift to professional and ethical training of new magistrates. He spoke at the closing conference of …

News

U.S. supports stronger measures against cultural heritage trafficking, US Deputy Ambassador to Albania says

TIRANA, June 4 – The United States supports stronger measures against trafficking in cultural heritage objects. US Deputy Ambassador to Albania Kethrin Hammond made the statement today during a meeting on prevention efforts. She said the United States backs Albania’s efforts to strengthen national security. The fight targets trafficking in …

News

Data protection in the era of artificial intelligence discussed with financial sector

TIRANA, June 4 – The Office of the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection held a discussion titled “Personal Data Protection and Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Sector” with representatives from banking institutions, non-bank financial entities, the insurance sector, data protection officers, technology experts and information …

News

Rubio: Kosovo’s NATO Membership Is Not Currently at the Top of Allies’ Agenda

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that NATO enlargement to include Kosovo is not currently a top priority for the alliance’s member states. However, he emphasized that this does not mean such membership could not happen in the future. Speaking during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio also said that …

News

Costa to Vučić: Kosovo–Serbia Dialogue and the Ohrid Agreement Are Vital for Regional Security

The President of the European Council, António Costa, called on Serbia to accelerate its reform agenda and advance dialogue with Kosovo, stressing that European Union enlargement is a strategic necessity. Speaking at a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Costa stated that the path toward EU membership is based on trust and tangible progress …

News

Vjosa Osmani in Gjilan: We Believe in Work, Results, and the Alliance with the United States

Presidential candidate from the Vjosa Osmani camp visited Gjilan, where she thanked citizens for their support, describing it as a decisive turning point toward change and unity. During a gathering in Gjilan, Osmani stated that her political vision is based on concrete actions and measurable achievements. “We believe in work, not in endless …

News

Euro Falls Against the Albanian Lek Again, Approaching the 95-Lek Threshold

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-turn-id-container=”ad450730-ee0a-4766-9ef5-0ed587dfa543″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The exchange rate of the euro against the Albanian lek has reached a new historic low. According to the official rate published by the Bank of Albania, one euro is currently exchanged at 95.3 lek, the lowest level ever recorded. …

News

Agricultural Census Bill Approved; Farmers Who Do Not Respond May Face Fines

*]: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:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e83a8c35-3104-4124-b1ce-8fcde7e40777-4″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-10″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The government has approved the draft law “On the Agricultural Census,” a process aimed at comprehensively registering agricultural economic units throughout the country. The initiative directly affects farmers, families working agricultural land, livestock units, and agricultural holdings that produce both …

News

Construction Project in Zvërnec: Rama Reveals the Architect, Calling Him a “Great Artist of Nature”

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced in a Facebook post the architect who has been commissioned for the Zvërnec development project. Rama described landscape architect Dong Yugan as a “great artist of nature” and noted that he presented his vision on Thursday at the Bread&Heart Festival in Tirana. Rama stated that the project aims to achieve a …

News

President of Lithuania Visits Tirana, Received by Rama at the Prime Minister’s Office

Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, at the Prime Minister’s Office this Thursday. It has been reported that the meeting focused on strengthening relations between the two countries, Lithuania’s support for Albania’s European Union accession process, and the EU’s enlargement to include the Western Balkan …