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Constitutional Court drafts 2027-2029 strategic plan with OSCE, Konrad Adenauer Foundation support

TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA/ –  Albania’s Constitutional Court has begun drafting its Strategic Action Plan for 2027-2029, with support from the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). During a two-day workshop, court members, together with experts and advisers from the OSCE and KAS, worked on defining …

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Reconstruction, Koçiu: 75 More Apartments handed over in Kombinat

TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA/ Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu announced today that a further 75 apartments had been handed over this week to families affected by the 26 November 2019 earthquake in the Kombinat area of Tirana. Koçiu shared footage of a family moving into its new home in Kombinat, assuring …

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Minister: 72% of Culture Ministry budget to go to arts and heritage, new management model planned for Byllis

TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA-By Maela Marini/ – Around 72% of the 2027 budget of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport will be allocated to the arts, culture and cultural heritage, with a focus on restoring and protecting castles, museums, archaeological sites and historic monuments, Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on …

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Berisha: Tackling depopulation and doubling wages and pensions are top priorities

TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA/ Democratic Party chairman Sali Berisha said today that Albania faced an existential threat from depopulation, adding that doubling wages and pensions was a central pillar of the party’s programme. Addressing residents of Kukës, Berisha also highlighted the need to transform the country’s national wealth into greater …

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Tirana introduces first fully electric buses as city pushes ahead with public transport overhaul

TIRANA, Nov 13 /ATA/ – The Albanian capital is stepping up efforts to modernise its public transport system, with the introduction of its first fully electric buses as part of a broader strategy to reduce pollution, expand public transport and improve urban infrastructure, the Tirana Municipality said. The city’s Unaza …

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Week in Review: To Be Or Not To Be

Amid fresh starts and problems old and new, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week suggests that many countries in the region are at a crossroads. Which way will they go? Original post Here

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Heavy rain floods Theth in northern Albania, leaving tourist area without power

Heavy rainfall and rising water levels have caused flooding in Theth, a tourist destination in northern Albania. Overflowing streams have sent water towards several tourist businesses, reaching areas around guesthouses and disrupting their activities. Meanwhile, the area has been without electricity for around 24 hours due to the conditions. Continuous …

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Kosova assembly set to revote on law governing the Specialist Chambers

Kosova’s Assembly is expected to vote again on the law governing the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. The vote concerns the same text approved on October 6 and returned for reconsideration by President Justina Shiroka Pula on October 22. If at least 61 lawmakers vote in favour, the assembly will …

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Polish writer Małgorzata Rejmer visits Albania’s National Library for European Authors Day

Albania’s National Library hosted Polish writer Malgorzata Rejmer on Thursday as part of “READ FOR REAL – European Authors Day 2026”. The European literary initiative promotes authors, reading and cultural dialogue between countries. This marks Albania’s first participation in the initiative, joining the European network of countries hosting literary events. …

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Artificial intelligence takes centre stage at scientific conference

The Academy of Sciences of Albania has organised the two-day international scientific conference “AI Horizon – A New Space for Creativity and Innovation”. The conference focuses on developments in artificial intelligence and the opportunities it offers across different fields. It began on November 12. The Academy’s Section of Technical and …

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Customs Administration collects 207 billion leks in revenue in first 10 months of 2026

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – The Customs Administration collected 207 billion leks in revenue in the January-October period of 2026, an increase of 7.6 billion leks compared with the same period a year earlier, official data showed on Saturday. The figure marks the highest customs revenue recorded for the first …

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Berisha urges opposition parties to field joint candidates in local elections

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha has called on opposition forces to unite behind joint candidates in the upcoming local elections. Speaking during an online exchange with citizens on Saturday, Berisha said guidelines setting out the procedures for selecting candidates for mayoral positions had …

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Albania showcases tourism offer at Thessaloniki fair, seeks to deepen cooperation with Greece

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – Albania is showcasing its tourism potential at the PHILOXENIA 2026 International Tourism Fair in Thessaloniki, Greece, from Nov. 13 to 15, seeking to expand its reach in international markets and strengthen tourism ties with neighbouring countries. As part of the event, Jola Hysaj, director-general of …

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NATO Summit Off for 2027, Raising Questions About Albania’s Ambitions

The uncertainty over the summit exposes tensions between Prime Minister Rama’s international ambitions, Albania’s limited resources and a deepening political crisis at home. TIRANA, Albania – Albania will not host a NATO summit in 2027, Prime Minister Edi Rama has acknowledged, reversing months of confident government announcements about what had been …

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Saudi Arabia Launches Innovative Business Platform for Foreign Investors

By Sidonja Manushi TIRANA, Albania – The Federation of Saudi Chambers has launched International Business Concierge (IBC), a new platform designed to facilitate the entry of foreign companies into the Saudi market, support business establishment and encourage international investment in the Kingdom. The initiative forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader …

News
PM Rama reshuffles Socialist Party regional leadership, names Ervin Demo and Albana Koçiu to lead Tirana

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced changes to the Socialist Party’s regional leadership at a meeting of its National Assembly taking place this Saturday in Lalzi Bay. Under the reshuffle, Ervin Demo and Albana Koçiu will jointly lead the party’s operations in Tirana. The changes come as the Socialist Party prepares …

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PM Rama says European Commission made ‘historic’ recommendation for Albania to begin EU accession treaty preparations in 2027

Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Prime Minister Edi Rama discussed the European Commission’s latest enlargement report, describing its recommendation for Albania as historic. Rama said the report contained a passage that, in his view, had received too little attention given its significance for Albania’s European integration. He was …

News
PM Rama on protests: ‘They threw stones and Molotov cocktails. Now it’s our turn to speak to citizens in every neighbourhood and village’

Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on the protests that have taken place across Albania in recent weeks, saying demonstrators had thrown stones and Molotov cocktails. He said the Socialist Party would step up its efforts to engage with citizens. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Rama said the opposition …

News
PM Rama says 60% of media content is against the government, accuses TV channels of glorifying violence and proposes national debate

Prime Minister Edi Rama responded to criticism of media freedom in Albania, claiming that government critics are widely represented in the Albanian media and that Albania stands apart from other countries when it comes to freedom of expression. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Rama said 60% of the …

News
Berisha: Never has an EU report been more critical—there is simply no perspective left under Rama

TIRANA, November 14 /ATA/ – Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha spoke today during an online discussion with supporters. He addressed Prime Minister Rama’s speech at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, as well as recent developments—specifically the European Commission’s report and the decision against holding the 2027 NATO summit in Tirana, …

News

Customs Administration collects 207 billion leks in revenue in first 10 months of 2026

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – The Customs Administration collected 207 billion leks in revenue in the January-October period of 2026, an increase of 7.6 billion leks compared with the same period a year earlier, official data showed on Saturday. The figure marks the highest customs revenue recorded for the first …

News

Berisha urges opposition parties to field joint candidates in local elections

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha has called on opposition forces to unite behind joint candidates in the upcoming local elections. Speaking during an online exchange with citizens on Saturday, Berisha said guidelines setting out the procedures for selecting candidates for mayoral positions had …

News

Albania showcases tourism offer at Thessaloniki fair, seeks to deepen cooperation with Greece

TIRANA, Nov 14 /ATA/ – Albania is showcasing its tourism potential at the PHILOXENIA 2026 International Tourism Fair in Thessaloniki, Greece, from Nov. 13 to 15, seeking to expand its reach in international markets and strengthen tourism ties with neighbouring countries. As part of the event, Jola Hysaj, director-general of …

News

NATO Summit Off for 2027, Raising Questions About Albania’s Ambitions

The uncertainty over the summit exposes tensions between Prime Minister Rama’s international ambitions, Albania’s limited resources and a deepening political crisis at home. TIRANA, Albania – Albania will not host a NATO summit in 2027, Prime Minister Edi Rama has acknowledged, reversing months of confident government announcements about what had been …

News

Saudi Arabia Launches Innovative Business Platform for Foreign Investors

By Sidonja Manushi TIRANA, Albania – The Federation of Saudi Chambers has launched International Business Concierge (IBC), a new platform designed to facilitate the entry of foreign companies into the Saudi market, support business establishment and encourage international investment in the Kingdom. The initiative forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader …

News

PM Rama reshuffles Socialist Party regional leadership, names Ervin Demo and Albana Koçiu to lead Tirana

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced changes to the Socialist Party’s regional leadership at a meeting of its National Assembly taking place this Saturday in Lalzi Bay. Under the reshuffle, Ervin Demo and Albana Koçiu will jointly lead the party’s operations in Tirana. The changes come as the Socialist Party prepares …

News

PM Rama says European Commission made ‘historic’ recommendation for Albania to begin EU accession treaty preparations in 2027

Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Prime Minister Edi Rama discussed the European Commission’s latest enlargement report, describing its recommendation for Albania as historic. Rama said the report contained a passage that, in his view, had received too little attention given its significance for Albania’s European integration. He was …

News

PM Rama on protests: ‘They threw stones and Molotov cocktails. Now it’s our turn to speak to citizens in every neighbourhood and village’

Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on the protests that have taken place across Albania in recent weeks, saying demonstrators had thrown stones and Molotov cocktails. He said the Socialist Party would step up its efforts to engage with citizens. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Rama said the opposition …

News

PM Rama says 60% of media content is against the government, accuses TV channels of glorifying violence and proposes national debate

Prime Minister Edi Rama responded to criticism of media freedom in Albania, claiming that government critics are widely represented in the Albanian media and that Albania stands apart from other countries when it comes to freedom of expression. Speaking at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, Rama said 60% of the …

News

Berisha: Never has an EU report been more critical—there is simply no perspective left under Rama

TIRANA, November 14 /ATA/ – Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha spoke today during an online discussion with supporters. He addressed Prime Minister Rama’s speech at the Socialist Party’s National Assembly, as well as recent developments—specifically the European Commission’s report and the decision against holding the 2027 NATO summit in Tirana, …