Albania Promotes “eTransport” Platform to Improve Public Transport Access for Citizens and Tourists
Albania is expanding its digital public transport services as the summer tourist season increases travel demand across the country. The General Director of the Road Transport Services Directorate (DPSHTRR), Kreshnik Bajraktari, has launched an intensive information campaign in the field to promote the eTransport platform. The initiative aims to provide …
PM Rama meets North Rhine-Westphalia premier to discuss investment and Albania’s EU membership
TIRANA, July 1 – Prime Minister Edi Rama met Hendrik Wüst during his visit to Bochum, Germany. Rama said the talks focused on expanding cooperation between Albania and North Rhine-Westphalia, one of Germany’s leading economic and industrial regions. He identified investment, digital technology, vocational education, and Albania’s European Union membership …
“Shtëpia e Midhjeve” ranks second at TEA Awards 2026 in gastronomy category
“Shtëpia e Midhjeve” (The House of Mussels), a culinary destination located near Saranda, has ranked second in the “TEA’s Gastronomy Award” category at the TEA Awards 2026 ceremony. The National Tourism Agency says this recognition places “Shtëpia e Midhjeve” among the most highly rated gastronomic destinations based on visitor reviews …
United States Chargé d’Affaires in Prishtina highlights partnership with Kosova at U.S. independence anniversary event
TIRANA, July 1 – United States Chargé d’Affaires Anu Prattipati reaffirmed Washington’s support for Kosova during an event marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. Prattipati said the partnership between the United States and Kosova rests on shared values, mutual respect, and a common commitment to security and opportunity. She …
Frang Bardhi remembered as Albania’s first lexicographer
TIRANA, July 1 – Albanian humanist Frang Bardhi passed away on July 1, 1643. He was a lexicographer, historian, folklorist, ethnographer and senior Catholic cleric. Bardhi was born in 1606 in Kallmet, Zadrima. He completed his studies at the religious college in Loreto, Italy, in 1628. He later earned a …
FM Hoxha says EU enlargement is strategic necessity for Europe
TIRANA, July 1 – Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha said EU enlargement is a strategic necessity for Europe’s security, stability and competitiveness during a conference in Luxembourg on EU support for the Western Balkans, held by the European Court of Auditors. The Albanian chief diplomat said the Western Balkans and the …
EU4Culture Program Concludes After Restoring 23 Cultural Heritage Sites in Albania
The EU4Culture program has officially ended in Albania after restoring and revitalizing 23 cultural heritage sites across the country. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) implemented the project, which the European Union funded with a total budget of €40 million. The program ran from October 2020 to June …
Apolonia Archaeological Park declared immovable cultural heritage, new management plan approved
TIRANA, July 1 – The Council of Ministers declared the Apolonia Archaeological Park an immovable cultural heritage asset, also approving its boundary definition, zoning, and a new protection and management plan. The Albanian government said the new status applies in line with the official zoning map and coordinates set in …
The Cost of Non Enlargement: Why the EU Cannot Afford to Leave the Western Balkans Behind
Tirana Times, June 29, 2026 – For years, the debate on European Union enlargement has been dominated by the presumed costs of admitting new members: institutional complexity, financial burdens, political resistance and the challenges of integrating countries still undergoing democratic and rule of law reforms. Yet a more strategic question …
The Strategic Price of Non-Enlargement
By Albert Rakipi Tirana Times, June 30, 2026 – For more than two decades, the Western Balkans have lived inside the promise of European integration. In Albania, support for membership in the European Union has often remained above 90 percent. I have sometimes described this support as almost “totalitarian.” Yet …
Albania remembers Guljelm Radoja, one of the country’s most distinguished actors, on the anniversary of his birth on July 2, 1945, in Shkodër. After completing his studies in Dramaturgy at the former Higher Institute of Arts, now the University of Arts, in 1972, Radoja began his professional career at the …
The Embassy of the United States in Albania issued a security alert on Wednesday, advising American citizens to exercise caution and avoid protest areas in Tirana. According to the embassy, demonstrations are taking place along the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, between Skanderbeg Square and Mother Teresa Square, where the Prime …
Albania has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its capacity to manage health emergencies and expanding cooperation with international partners to protect public health. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection announced that representatives signed the Istanbul Declaration during the ministerial conference of the World Health Organization titled “Advancing Health Security …
Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected claims that Albania is facing a crisis of trust and ruled out resignation while protests continued over a planned tourism development project. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, he described the demonstrations as a clear expression of democracy and free speech. He said citizens actively …
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the High Judicial Council (KLGJ) held a roundtable in Tirana on the topic “Communication of Courts with the Media.” During the meeting, KLGJ Chair Ilir Rusi emphasized that institutional communication represents a key element of modern justice administration. He said …
Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi has condemned the violence that occurred during Thursday’s protest outside Parliament, saying attacks against Albanian State Police officers, MPs and public institutions are unacceptable. Peleshi stressed that the right to protest must be exercised peacefully, expressing solidarity with police officers injured while on duty and calling for respect for …
*]: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:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-6″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-14″ data-turn=”assistant”> Albania’s High Prosecutorial Council (HPC) has launched the administrative procedure for selecting candidates for the country’s next Prosecutor General, issuing a public call for applications during its plenary session on Thursday. Under Albanian law, the Prosecutor General is elected by Parliament …
The Albanian Journalists’ Union (UGSH) has condemned attacks against journalists during Thursday’s protest outside Parliament, describing acts of violence against media workers carrying out their reporting duties as criminal acts that cannot be tolerated. In a statement, the Union said that amid clashes between protesters and police, journalists, camera operators …
*]: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:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-10″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-10″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-22″ data-turn=”assistant”> The European Union should allocate more funding to energy infrastructure in Albania and across the Western Balkans, Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi said during the Energy Community Ministerial Council meeting held in Pristina. Karakaçi stressed the need for faster action to expand …
*]: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:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-5″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:9cfb2850-4d0c-44d8-95a6-4db4afd2a16c-5″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-turn=”assistant”> Citizens have begun marching toward the Prime Minister’s Office as Thursday marks the 33rd consecutive day of protests. Demonstrators, carrying banners and Albanian flags, continued their march despite the high temperatures. During the march, protesters chanted slogans calling for the resignation …