Peleshi Meets Ambassadors of “Friends of the Western Balkans”: Parliamentary Cooperation as a Bridge to the EU
Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi met with ambassadors and Friendship Groups representing the “Friends of the Western Balkans” countries at the Parliament on Wednesday. The group includes Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Peleshi described these countries as important partners for Albania. He also thanked …
Vlora Hyseni placed under house arrest, suspended as State Intelligence Service chief
The Special Court against Corruption and Organised Crime (GJKKO) has ordered the security measure of “house arrest” and suspension from office for the head of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), Vlora Hyseni. According to information released in connection with the investigation, Hyseni is suspected of the criminal offences of “supporting …
High Costs Prevent 8% of Albanians from Undergoing Necessary Medical Examinations
Eight percent of Albania’s population aged over 16 did not undergo a necessary medical examination during 2024 due to the high cost. The latest Eurostat data on healthcare, based on citizens’ self-reported information, ranks Albania second after Greece among countries where costs prevent the largest share of people from receiving …
220 Emergency Department Visits a Day, Tourists Among Trauma Cases in Shkodra
According to the head of the Emergency Department, Ardian Dajti, the number of visits has increased significantly this season, reaching between 200 and 220 cases a day. He considers this one of the busiest seasons since operations began at the new hospital. “I have been working here for many years, …
Hoxha Meets Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Europe: Continued Coordination with the US on Shared Priorities
During his stay in New York, United States, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha met with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western, Central and Southern Europe Daniel Lawton. The meeting focused on opportunities to further strengthen the US-Albania strategic partnership, as well as the importance of continued and close …
European Commission: EU Negotiations with Albania on Track to Close by December 2027
The Commission is expected to formally back Albania’s 2027 accession timeline in a new action plan, which is also expected to include a list of key deliverables that Tirana will need to prioritise in order to complete the process by the end of next year. The European Commission is working …
Tax Authorities Continue Refunding Overpaid Tax, Around 2,200 Beneficiaries
The Tax Administration is continuing the process of refunding overpaid tax to individuals under the Annual Individual Income Declaration (DIVA) for 2025. According to the latest update from the General Directorate of Taxation, the next phase of the process includes 2,192 beneficiaries, with refunds amounting to €360,000. The refunds are …
Foreign Minister at Adriatic Charter Meeting: Kosovo’s Membership Would Strengthen Regional Security and Cooperation
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha took part in the meeting of foreign ministers of the Adriatic Charter, held under Croatia’s chairmanship. In his remarks, the minister stressed the need to strengthen this mechanism in the face of new security challenges and to promote more inclusive regional cooperation, …
Protest in Tirana Continues for 116th Day, Rally Outside Parliament Tomorrow
The citizens’ protest in Tirana entered its 116th day on Wednesday. As they have done since the protests began, demonstrators first gathered in Skanderbeg Square at 19:30 before moving to the Prime Minister’s Office, where they continued with their speeches. The protesters then began marching through the streets of Tirana. …
Municipal Spending Increased by Around 18% in 2025
Municipal spending increased sharply during 2025, but most of the funds continued to be used for salaries and day-to-day operations, while only around one-fifth went towards investment. According to the “Local Government in Albania 2025” report by the Institute for Albanian Municipalities, the country’s 61 municipalities spent around 87.1 billion …
The Albanian Parliament approved Albania’s participation in a peacekeeping mission as part of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza. Following the parliamentary vote, Defense Minister Ermal Nufi described the decision as a step that turns Albania’s commitment to peace into a concrete contribution on the ground. “A decision that turns …
Albania aims to significantly expand its railway network in the coming years. The country plans to improve connections between Tirana, Durrës, the airport and regional transport corridors by 2030. Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enkelejda Muçaj said today that the Tirana-Durrës railway and the link to Tirana International Airport …
An Italian military delegation, led by Major General Luigi Casali, paid an official visit to Albania as part of cooperation on the Porto Romano military port project. Deputy Defense Minister Blerina Abrazhda received the Italian delegation at the Ministry of Defense. During the visit, the delegation held a working meeting …
President Bajram Begaj met today with Montenegro’s Minister of Public Administration, Marash Dukaj. They discussed achievements and the role of the Albanian community in Montenegro. During the meeting, Begaj highlighted the Albanian community’s contribution at both local and central levels to Montenegro’s integration process. Begaj also described Albanians in Montenegro …
Socialist Party parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla met with U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres during his visit to the United States. Torres represents New York’s 15th Congressional District, which includes parts of the Bronx, home to a large Albanian-American community. The Bronx also hosts institutions that help preserve Albanian language and …
Culture and diplomacy took center stage at the “Diplomacy and Culture – Greece” meeting, organized by the Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD). Greek Ambassador to Albania Elina Komini attended the event as a guest. The meeting explored the role of culture and diplomacy in strengthening international relations and overcoming …
The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet today commemorated the 115th anniversary of the birth of “People’s Artist” Marie Kraja, describing her as one of the most prominent voices in Albanian opera and one of the founding figures of the institution. Marie Kraja was born on Sept. 24, 1911. She …
Agence France-Presse (AFP) has brought “Unbounded Voices: Women of the Balkans – Strength & Legacy” to Tirana. The photography exhibition opened today at Vila 31 x Art Explora with support from L’Oréal Group. The exhibition brings together intimate portraits of nine women from across the Balkans. Their stories explore daily …
Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption Adea Pirdeni met today with European Union Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa. During the meeting, Pirdeni and Ambassador Moreira de Sousa discussed the next steps in Albania’s EU accession negotiations, public administration reform and the fight against corruption. Pirdeni highlighted …
Vlora Hyseni’s public accusation against Klodiana Lala has triggered an unusually broad reaction from journalists’ organizations and opposition politicians, while raising a deeper question: was Albania’s intelligence service collecting information on investigative journalists, and could such information have been used to intimidate them? Tirana Times, September 24, 2026 – Klodiana …