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‘Urban Renaissance 2.0’: Rama Unveils €1.5 Billion Program, Electric Buses Planned for All Municipalities

Prime Minister Edi Rama on Friday unveiled the “Urban Renaissance 2.0” program, which foresees €1.5 billion in investments aimed at transforming Albania’s urban infrastructure and public services. One of the program’s main pillars is the modernization of public transport. Rama announced that a joint company will be established between the …

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Defense Minister Nufi Reveals Who Will Set the Date for the NATO Summit in Tirana

Defense Minister Ermal Nufi, in an interview with Euronews Albania’s Thimi Samarxhiu, spoke about Tirana’s selection as the host city for a future NATO Summit. He said the summit is expected to take place in 2027 or early 2028, stressing that the final date will be decided by NATO heads …

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Ombudsman on Protests: My Duty Is to Identify Cases Where Citizens’ Rights Are Violated

Albania’s Ombudsman, Endri Shabani, was in Vlora on Friday to present the Ombudsman’s 2025 Annual Report. Speaking to the media, Shabani said the purpose of the institution’s visit was to hear citizens’ complaints and concerns firsthand. According to Shabani, the majority of complaints in Vlora relate to property issues and …

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Rama: Urban Renaissance Has Fulfilled Its Mission, Now It’s Time for the Next Phase

Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania’s Urban Renaissance program has fulfilled its original mission, announcing a new stage of urban development during the presentation of the “Urban Renaissance 2.0” initiative. Rama described the new program as the beginning of a fresh phase of national development, arguing that the original Urban …

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Diana Gellçi’s Question to Reinier de Graaf: What Would You Say Today?

This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post Diana Gellçi’s Question to Reinier de Graaf: What Would You Say Today? appeared first on Tirana Times. Original post Here

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‘Cancel It!’: State Cash for Kanye West Show Sparks Outrage in Albania

The government’s use of 4.2 million euros from its emergency reserve to finance the controversial rapper’s concert – after earlier pledging to spend nothing – has angered its critics. Original post Here

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Kumbaro: Bënja Thermal Baths attract growing numbers of tourists as infrastructure upgrades continue

The Bënja Thermal Baths near Përmet continue to attract large numbers of domestic and international visitors seeking relaxation in the area’s thermal waters, unspoiled nature and the scenic Langarica Canyon. Minister Mirela Kumbaro said authorities are continuing to improve infrastructure and services alongside the growing number of tourists. She said …

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Traffic restrictions announced in Tirana ahead of Kanye West concert

TIRANA July 10 – Tirana Police has announced temporary traffic restrictions on several roads ahead of the “YE” music event featuring artist Kanye West, scheduled for July 11 in Kashar. The restrictions will start at 07:00 and remain in force until midnight on the secondary section of the Durrës–Tirana highway, …

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Stable weather with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius

TIRANA, July 10 – Albania will experience stable atmospheric conditions on Friday, according to the Military Meteorological Service. The country will have mostly clear skies throughout the day. Light passing clouds may appear around midday. Meanwhile, winds will blow mainly from the northwest at an average speed of 7 m/s. …

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Painter Taso to open “The Drunken City” exhibition in Pogradec

The Art Gallery at Pogradec’s Multifunctional Centre will open “The Drunken City,” a solo exhibition by renowned Albanian painter Anastas Kostandini (Taso), on 18 July at 19:00. The exhibition will showcase 50 pastel artworks that portray everyday life in Pogradec through nostalgia, humour and the warmth of local traditions. Inspired …

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Rama says Kanye West concert showcased Albania as a safe destination for major events and investment

Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Kanye West concert demonstrated that Albania can successfully host major international events in a safe and welcoming environment. He said the event sent a positive message to international visitors and investors by showing that Albania remains a secure destination for tourism, business and large-scale …

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Kanye West thanks Albania for warm welcome after Tirana concert

American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama and the people of Albania for their hospitality following his performance at Eagle Stadium in Tirana. In a social media post, West wrote, “Thank you Edi Rama and all of Albania for building a stadium and for …

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Tirana joins the global concert map with Kanye West

Tirana hosted Kanye West’s first-ever concert in Albania, marking a milestone for the country’s live entertainment industry. Thousands of fans from Albania, Kosovo and across Europe traveled to the capital to attend the performance. Throughout the evening, West performed some of his biggest hits, while spectacular visuals and stage effects …

News
Rama pays tribute to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, calling him a visionary leader of Qatar

Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed condolences following the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, describing him as a visionary statesman and a historic leader of Qatar. In a social media message, Rama praised Sheikh Hamad’s role in transforming Qatar and laying the foundations for the country’s remarkable development. …

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“Little Albania” in New York recognizes the contribution of the Albanian community

New York City has officially added “Little Albania” to its map of immigrant neighborhoods, recognizing the important role of the Albanian community in the city’s cultural and social life. The city included the Bronx neighborhood among 30 areas across New York’s five boroughs that represent diverse immigrant communities and their …

News
Rama shares footage of Kanye West concert venue: €4 million is an investment, not an expense

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again defended the upcoming Kanye West concert in Tirana, scheduled for Saturday evening. In a post on social media, Rama shared footage of the completed concert venue, saying the stadium is ready and that the event will place Albania on the global map of music fans. The prime …

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Kolonja attracts foreign tourists with traditional cuisine and unspoilt nature

*]: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:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-58″ data-turn=”assistant”> Visitors to the southeastern Albanian region of Kolonja are not only exploring its natural attractions and cultural heritage sites, but also learning how to prepare traditional dishes before enjoying them. Cooking alongside local residents has become one of the area’s most popular experiences …

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Competition Authority launches grocery price monitoring following public complaints

Albania’s Competition Authority has launched a market monitoring process focused on the retail sale of essential grocery products, following complaints from citizens and concerns raised by members of parliament over the prices of everyday consumer goods. According to an official statement, the monitoring will cover the country’s main supermarket chains …

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Rama shares negative review of Rozafa Castle: Hopes prosecutors will act against ‘blackmailers’

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again reacted to negative online reviews, this time sharing a video highlighting critical ratings of Rozafa Castle in Shkodra. The prime minister said such posts are harming Albania’s tourism sector and expressed hope that prosecutors will swiftly take action against those he described as individuals who …

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Rama on protests: Algorithm amplified negativity, ‘adding fuel to the fire’

Prime Minister Edi Rama met with young people in Jalë on Saturday, where he discussed the recent protests and the impact of social media algorithms. Rama said algorithms play a significant role in amplifying negativity, online noise and manipulated content, describing such videos as “fuel added to a fire” that, he argued, was started by …

News

Rama says Kanye West concert showcased Albania as a safe destination for major events and investment

Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Kanye West concert demonstrated that Albania can successfully host major international events in a safe and welcoming environment. He said the event sent a positive message to international visitors and investors by showing that Albania remains a secure destination for tourism, business and large-scale …

News

Kanye West thanks Albania for warm welcome after Tirana concert

American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama and the people of Albania for their hospitality following his performance at Eagle Stadium in Tirana. In a social media post, West wrote, “Thank you Edi Rama and all of Albania for building a stadium and for …

News

Tirana joins the global concert map with Kanye West

Tirana hosted Kanye West’s first-ever concert in Albania, marking a milestone for the country’s live entertainment industry. Thousands of fans from Albania, Kosovo and across Europe traveled to the capital to attend the performance. Throughout the evening, West performed some of his biggest hits, while spectacular visuals and stage effects …

News

Rama pays tribute to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, calling him a visionary leader of Qatar

Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed condolences following the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, describing him as a visionary statesman and a historic leader of Qatar. In a social media message, Rama praised Sheikh Hamad’s role in transforming Qatar and laying the foundations for the country’s remarkable development. …

News

“Little Albania” in New York recognizes the contribution of the Albanian community

New York City has officially added “Little Albania” to its map of immigrant neighborhoods, recognizing the important role of the Albanian community in the city’s cultural and social life. The city included the Bronx neighborhood among 30 areas across New York’s five boroughs that represent diverse immigrant communities and their …

News

Rama shares footage of Kanye West concert venue: €4 million is an investment, not an expense

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again defended the upcoming Kanye West concert in Tirana, scheduled for Saturday evening. In a post on social media, Rama shared footage of the completed concert venue, saying the stadium is ready and that the event will place Albania on the global map of music fans. The prime …

News

Kolonja attracts foreign tourists with traditional cuisine and unspoilt nature

*]: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:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:e5659a20-7ccd-4ac7-ac8b-8f8f08377e9a-28″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-58″ data-turn=”assistant”> Visitors to the southeastern Albanian region of Kolonja are not only exploring its natural attractions and cultural heritage sites, but also learning how to prepare traditional dishes before enjoying them. Cooking alongside local residents has become one of the area’s most popular experiences …

News

Competition Authority launches grocery price monitoring following public complaints

Albania’s Competition Authority has launched a market monitoring process focused on the retail sale of essential grocery products, following complaints from citizens and concerns raised by members of parliament over the prices of everyday consumer goods. According to an official statement, the monitoring will cover the country’s main supermarket chains …

News

Rama shares negative review of Rozafa Castle: Hopes prosecutors will act against ‘blackmailers’

Prime Minister Edi Rama has once again reacted to negative online reviews, this time sharing a video highlighting critical ratings of Rozafa Castle in Shkodra. The prime minister said such posts are harming Albania’s tourism sector and expressed hope that prosecutors will swiftly take action against those he described as individuals who …

News

Rama on protests: Algorithm amplified negativity, ‘adding fuel to the fire’

Prime Minister Edi Rama met with young people in Jalë on Saturday, where he discussed the recent protests and the impact of social media algorithms. Rama said algorithms play a significant role in amplifying negativity, online noise and manipulated content, describing such videos as “fuel added to a fire” that, he argued, was started by …