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Begaj in Slovenia: Communication between the two countries is at a high level

The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj was in Slovenia for an official visit. The head of state said that the relations between the two states are good and that the political dialogue is at a high level. He said that Albania considers Slovenia as a partner, not only regionally, …

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‘Brother, Tiger!’ SMS Exchanges Reveal Disgraced Albanian Politician’s Ties to Fugitive Businessman

Data from the investigation file obtained by BIRN shows Albania’s former Deputy PM Arben Ahmetaj – charged with corruption and money laundering – had a close relationship with Mirel Mërtiri, a controversial businessman now on the run, at least since 2012. Original post Here

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AIIS hosts Foreign Policy Forum with UAE Ambassador

TIRANA – On July 6, 2023, the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) organized its signature Foreign Policy Forum welcoming as a keynote speaker H.E. Sulaiman Hamed Salem Almazroui, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Hellenic Republic and nonresident ambassador to Albania.  The forum, entitled “The UAE between the …

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Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj leaves Albania ahead of approval of arrest request on corruption charges

TIRANA, July 12, 2023 – Representatives of the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition in the Council of Mandates of Albania’s parliament reached an agreement on Wednesday to open the way for the Special Prosecutor’s request to arrest former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj on corruption charges.  However, the Socialists …

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Rama meets Macron in Vilnius, President of France is preparing to come in Tirana

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a photo where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Vilnius, Lithuania. He says that the French president is preparing to come to Tirana, as part of the Albania, as a NATO member country, has proven its commitment and seriousness, taking concrete steps to …

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Attack on former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja, the Court leaves in prison Ramazan Rraja

The Special Court has rejected Ramazan Rraja’s request for a change in the security measure and has not change the meausure the arrest and imprisonment decision. Rraja was arrested as the person who provided the conditions for the assassination of former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja and for carrying weapons without a …

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Korca’s teachers haven’t been paid for work in June

About 200 teachers in Korca and Maliq have not yet received their salary for the month of June.  According to the head of the Education Union in Korça, the reason for the delay is the treasury, which has not yet disbursed the salaries. According to him, there are also teachers …

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Under Spain’s EU Presidency, the Issue of the Western Balkans Will Be Sidelined

Spain’s 6-month presidency of the Council of the EU has been upended by a snap election in July. Yet regardless of who wins that vote, prospects for progress on the issue of EU enlargement are poor. Original post Here

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Albania Pressed to Act Over Currency’s Unexplained Rise

The rapid rise in the value of Albania’s currency, the lek, is alarming exporters and tourist operators – but the government is unwilling to take action. Original post Here

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A 31-year-old thief arrested in Tirana

A 31-year-old man from Kamza was arrested on charges of theft this Wednesday. He was put in handcuffs, as it is suspected that on July 10 he stole work tools in two different businesses. In the meantime, the young man is expected to be interrogated about the motives that led …

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Rama Meets Macron in Paris to Strengthen Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Edi Rama met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday. Rama thanked Macron for the warm welcome and said he was pleased with the meeting. During a working lunch, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Albania and …

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Macron Reaffirms France’s Support for Albania’s EU Integration

French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France’s support for Albania’s European Union integration after meeting Prime Minister Edi Rama in Paris. Following the talks, Macron highlighted the growing ties between France and Albania. He pointed to progress in innovation, education, higher education, culture, and tourism as evidence of the close relationship …

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Costa: Albania Could Conclude EU Accession Talks by 2027

European Council President António Costa said Albania could complete its European Union accession negotiations by 2027 if it maintains its current pace of reforms. Speaking at the EU–Moldova Summit in Brussels, Costa described Albania’s goal of closing negotiations by the end of 2027 as ambitious but achievable. He noted that …

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Peleshi: 92% of Albanians Support EU Membership

Albania leads the Western Balkans in public support for European Union membership. Data from the European Commission shows very high levels of backing for EU integration. Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi stated that Albanians remain among the strongest supporters of the European project. He emphasized that 92% of citizens support …

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Albania, Moldova, Ukraine and North Macedonia Sign Agreement to Promote Free Elections

The Central Election Commission of Albania and its counterparts in Moldova, Ukraine, and North Macedonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen democratic resilience and European cooperation. First, the agreement was signed during the closing session of the regional conference “Money in Politics 2026.” As a result, the event marked …

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Gogu Meets Bar Association, Stresses Stronger Cooperation in Justice System

Minister of Justice Toni Gogu held his first meeting with the new leadership of the National Bar Association in Tirana. First, both sides focused on strengthening institutional cooperation in the justice sector. They also discussed the implementation of new commitments following Albania’s signing of the Council of Europe Convention on …

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Economy Committee: Bank of Albania Must Maintain a Cautious Approach to Exchange Rate Policy

The Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance reviewed the draft resolution on the annual activity report of the Bank of Albania for 2025. The committee also defined key priorities for the institution’s work in 2026. First, committee rapporteur and chair Milva Ekonomi praised the role of the Bank of …

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Military exercise in Cape Gjuhëz area, navigation banned on June 23–24

The Municipality of Vlora has announced that navigation will be prohibited in the Cape Gjuhëz area on June 23 and 24, 2026, due to a coastal military exercise and live-fire drill conducted by the Albanian Armed Forces. According to an official notice from the Ministry of Defense, Military Unit No. …

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Parliament calls for stronger oversight of bank lending, key issues reviewed

The Albanian Parliament has called on the Bank of Albania to strengthen its supervision of banks with high exposure to large businesses and the real estate sector. This was one of the main points of a draft resolution approved by the Economy Committee. The resolution highlights the need to analyze …

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Macron reacts after meeting with Rama: France reaffirms support for Albania’s EU integration

French President Emmanuel Macron shared a message on social media platform X following his meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Élysée Palace. Macron stated that France “reaffirms its support for Albania’s European integration and for the continuation of the reforms necessary to advance on its European path.” …

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Rama Meets Macron in Paris to Strengthen Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Edi Rama met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday. Rama thanked Macron for the warm welcome and said he was pleased with the meeting. During a working lunch, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Albania and …

News

Macron Reaffirms France’s Support for Albania’s EU Integration

French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France’s support for Albania’s European Union integration after meeting Prime Minister Edi Rama in Paris. Following the talks, Macron highlighted the growing ties between France and Albania. He pointed to progress in innovation, education, higher education, culture, and tourism as evidence of the close relationship …

News

Costa: Albania Could Conclude EU Accession Talks by 2027

European Council President António Costa said Albania could complete its European Union accession negotiations by 2027 if it maintains its current pace of reforms. Speaking at the EU–Moldova Summit in Brussels, Costa described Albania’s goal of closing negotiations by the end of 2027 as ambitious but achievable. He noted that …

News

Peleshi: 92% of Albanians Support EU Membership

Albania leads the Western Balkans in public support for European Union membership. Data from the European Commission shows very high levels of backing for EU integration. Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi stated that Albanians remain among the strongest supporters of the European project. He emphasized that 92% of citizens support …

News

Albania, Moldova, Ukraine and North Macedonia Sign Agreement to Promote Free Elections

The Central Election Commission of Albania and its counterparts in Moldova, Ukraine, and North Macedonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen democratic resilience and European cooperation. First, the agreement was signed during the closing session of the regional conference “Money in Politics 2026.” As a result, the event marked …

News

Gogu Meets Bar Association, Stresses Stronger Cooperation in Justice System

Minister of Justice Toni Gogu held his first meeting with the new leadership of the National Bar Association in Tirana. First, both sides focused on strengthening institutional cooperation in the justice sector. They also discussed the implementation of new commitments following Albania’s signing of the Council of Europe Convention on …

News

Economy Committee: Bank of Albania Must Maintain a Cautious Approach to Exchange Rate Policy

The Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance reviewed the draft resolution on the annual activity report of the Bank of Albania for 2025. The committee also defined key priorities for the institution’s work in 2026. First, committee rapporteur and chair Milva Ekonomi praised the role of the Bank of …

News

Military exercise in Cape Gjuhëz area, navigation banned on June 23–24

The Municipality of Vlora has announced that navigation will be prohibited in the Cape Gjuhëz area on June 23 and 24, 2026, due to a coastal military exercise and live-fire drill conducted by the Albanian Armed Forces. According to an official notice from the Ministry of Defense, Military Unit No. …

News

Parliament calls for stronger oversight of bank lending, key issues reviewed

The Albanian Parliament has called on the Bank of Albania to strengthen its supervision of banks with high exposure to large businesses and the real estate sector. This was one of the main points of a draft resolution approved by the Economy Committee. The resolution highlights the need to analyze …

News

Macron reacts after meeting with Rama: France reaffirms support for Albania’s EU integration

French President Emmanuel Macron shared a message on social media platform X following his meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Élysée Palace. Macron stated that France “reaffirms its support for Albania’s European integration and for the continuation of the reforms necessary to advance on its European path.” …