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Interior Minister Demo: 156 injured in four days of protests, urges parents not to let children be used in violence

Interior Minister Ervin Demo has once again responded to the protests and violent incidents reported over the past four days. In a statement, Demo provided an overview of the situation, revealing that 156 people had been injured, including 97 police officers, 45 protesters and 12 bystanders. The minister paid particular …

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QSUT: 11 injured during protest, including 3 minors, 3 police officers and 2 bystanders

Tirana University Hospital Centre (QSUT) has updated its figures on the condition of those injured during the protest, as of 6:45 p.m. According to the statement, a total of 11 people have sought medical assistance, including protesters, minors, police officers and bystanders. Full statement: Update / Injuries during the October …

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Albania PM Defiant as Protests Spread to Provincial Cities

After the capital endured a third night of violent clashes between student-led protesters and police, Edi Rama vowed not to bow to the demands for him to quit. Original post Here

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Week in Review: Bad Deals and Scandals

Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week takes a look at salacious tales making unpleasant headlines, political deals being mooted and insiders spilling secrets. Original post Here

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Albania’s construction sector grows 36% in four years, among Europe’s fastest expansions

Albania’s construction sector expanded rapidly between 2020 and 2024, ranking among Europe’s fastest-growing markets. The latest Eurostat data show that real construction activity rose by 36% over the four-year period. Eurostat measures construction’s gross value added in real terms, using comparable prices and 2020 as the base year. Albania’s index …

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Albania beat Turkey 4-2 in second futsal friendly in Tirana

Albania’s national futsal team secured a 4-2 victory over Turkey in their second friendly match in Tirana, bouncing back after losing the opening encounter. Shqipron Brahimi opened the scoring for Albania, giving the home side an early boost. Ermir Kryeziu then delivered an impressive performance, scoring twice, while Qendrim Bakia …

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Archives Donate Rare Documents to Albanian Alphabet Museum in Bitola

The General Directorate of Archives (GDA), in cooperation with the Historical and Diplomatic Archives of Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will donate reproductions of rare documents related to the 1908 Congress of Manastir to the Museum of the Albanian Alphabet in Bitola, North Macedonia. The initiative will support …

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Albania marks 68 years of UNESCO membership, highlighting its cultural and natural heritage

Albania joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 68 years ago, becoming part of an international effort to protect cultural and natural heritage around the world. UNESCO safeguards invaluable heritage sites that bear witness to human life and activity across the centuries. The organization has 194 member …

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Albania’s Interfaith Council calls for peace, justice and national dialogue amid rising tensions

The Interfaith Council of Albania has issued a public statement calling for peace, justice, responsibility and national dialogue. The appeal comes as the country faces protests and rising tensions. Representatives of Albania’s official religious communities urged authorities to take citizens’ and students’ concerns seriously. They called for concrete and transparent …

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INSTAT: Albania’s tourism growth slows sharply in August despite rise in hotel occupancy

Albania’s hotels and other accommodation facilities recorded a sharp slowdown in tourism growth during the peak summer season. Both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased at much slower rates than a year earlier, according to the country’s statistics agency, INSTAT. The number of visitors staying in Albanian accommodation rose by …

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Albania’s Capital Rocked by Chaotic Weekend of Street Unrest

Thousands of people joined student-led protests in Tirana at the weekend to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, as clashes with police resulted in more injuries and arrests. Original post Here

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Kosovo Wins Two Medals at WAKO Kickboxing World Cup in Uzbekistan

Kosovo kickboxers Nart Kastrati and Art Dulaj won two medals at the WAKO Kickboxing World Cup, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from October 13 to 18. Kastrati claimed silver in the under-81kg category after reaching the final, while Dulaj secured bronze in the under-67kg division. According to the Kosovo Kickboxing Federation, …

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Blue Economy Summit in Orikum: Gonxhja Highlights Marine Tourism as a Year-Round Source of Investment and Jobs

Marine tourism and the potential of sailing marinas to boost Albania’s economy took centre stage at the Balkan Blue Economy Summit, held at Marina Orikum as part of the “Balkans Sea Fair.” Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said marine tourism could attract more investment, improve service quality and …

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Egnatia Beat Vllaznia 3-1 to Close in on League Leaders

Egnatia beat Vllaznia 3-1 on Sunday to strengthen their title challenge and move within one point of league leaders Teuta. The hosts took control early in Rrogozhina. Alessandro Albanese opened the scoring in the ninth minute, while Danjel Adjessa doubled Egnatia’s lead in the 41st minute to give the home …

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European Parliament lawmakers condemn protest violence in Albania, urge dialogue

*]: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:7820d53c-fce0-4375-9777-7d149d39c22e-552″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:7820d53c-fce0-4375-9777-7d149d39c22e-552″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-2″ data-turn=”assistant”> div:has([data-free-thinking-preview-answer=true])+:is(.text-message,.relative:has(>.text-message))]:-mt-2 grow”> Two European Parliament representatives have expressed deep concern over recent developments in Albania, particularly incidents in Tirana over the past few days. They condemned escalating violence during protests, attacks on public institutions and damage to public and private property. …

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Kosovo and Greece drive Albanian export growth in September

Kosovo and Greece were among the main contributors to Albania’s export growth in September 2026, while the European Union retained its dominant position in the country’s foreign trade, accounting for 54.6% of total trade. According to foreign trade data, Albanian exports to Kosovo rose by 22.5% in September compared with …

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Albanian karate athlete Neevis Hasani wins bronze at world championships

Albanian karate athlete Neevis Hasani has won a bronze medal at the World Karate Championships in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced. Hasani finished third in the junior under-55kg category, securing a place among the competition’s top three athletes. He reached the podium after a series …

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Ertjan Kofsha wins European gold in snatch, silver in total

Albanian weightlifter Ertjan Kofsha has won European gold in the snatch event and silver in the overall total, the Albanian Weightlifting Federation announced. In a social media post, the federation praised Kofsha’s performance and described his medals as another important achievement for Albanian weightlifting. The competition took place in Durrës, …

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Luiza Gega wins Balkan half-marathon title in Serbia

Albanian distance runner Luiza Gega returned to international athletics competition with a victory on Sunday, October 18, winning the 21km race at the Balkan Championships in Apatin, Serbia. Her two-year absence from international athletics competitions did not affect her form. The athlete, who represents K.S. Tirana, claimed first place in …

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Gonxhja: Intangible Cultural Heritage Is a Living Legacy Passed Down Through Generations

On International Intangible Cultural Heritage Day, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja paid tribute to the bearers of Albanian traditions who preserve and pass the country’s cultural heritage from one generation to the next. Gonxhja highlighted the importance of protecting this living heritage, including iso-polyphony, songs accompanied by …

News

Albania’s Capital Rocked by Chaotic Weekend of Street Unrest

Thousands of people joined student-led protests in Tirana at the weekend to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, as clashes with police resulted in more injuries and arrests. Original post Here

News

Kosovo Wins Two Medals at WAKO Kickboxing World Cup in Uzbekistan

Kosovo kickboxers Nart Kastrati and Art Dulaj won two medals at the WAKO Kickboxing World Cup, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from October 13 to 18. Kastrati claimed silver in the under-81kg category after reaching the final, while Dulaj secured bronze in the under-67kg division. According to the Kosovo Kickboxing Federation, …

News

Blue Economy Summit in Orikum: Gonxhja Highlights Marine Tourism as a Year-Round Source of Investment and Jobs

Marine tourism and the potential of sailing marinas to boost Albania’s economy took centre stage at the Balkan Blue Economy Summit, held at Marina Orikum as part of the “Balkans Sea Fair.” Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said marine tourism could attract more investment, improve service quality and …

News

Egnatia Beat Vllaznia 3-1 to Close in on League Leaders

Egnatia beat Vllaznia 3-1 on Sunday to strengthen their title challenge and move within one point of league leaders Teuta. The hosts took control early in Rrogozhina. Alessandro Albanese opened the scoring in the ninth minute, while Danjel Adjessa doubled Egnatia’s lead in the 41st minute to give the home …

News

European Parliament lawmakers condemn protest violence in Albania, urge dialogue

*]: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:7820d53c-fce0-4375-9777-7d149d39c22e-552″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:7820d53c-fce0-4375-9777-7d149d39c22e-552″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-2″ data-turn=”assistant”> div:has([data-free-thinking-preview-answer=true])+:is(.text-message,.relative:has(>.text-message))]:-mt-2 grow”> Two European Parliament representatives have expressed deep concern over recent developments in Albania, particularly incidents in Tirana over the past few days. They condemned escalating violence during protests, attacks on public institutions and damage to public and private property. …

News

Kosovo and Greece drive Albanian export growth in September

Kosovo and Greece were among the main contributors to Albania’s export growth in September 2026, while the European Union retained its dominant position in the country’s foreign trade, accounting for 54.6% of total trade. According to foreign trade data, Albanian exports to Kosovo rose by 22.5% in September compared with …

News

Albanian karate athlete Neevis Hasani wins bronze at world championships

Albanian karate athlete Neevis Hasani has won a bronze medal at the World Karate Championships in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced. Hasani finished third in the junior under-55kg category, securing a place among the competition’s top three athletes. He reached the podium after a series …

News

Ertjan Kofsha wins European gold in snatch, silver in total

Albanian weightlifter Ertjan Kofsha has won European gold in the snatch event and silver in the overall total, the Albanian Weightlifting Federation announced. In a social media post, the federation praised Kofsha’s performance and described his medals as another important achievement for Albanian weightlifting. The competition took place in Durrës, …

News

Luiza Gega wins Balkan half-marathon title in Serbia

Albanian distance runner Luiza Gega returned to international athletics competition with a victory on Sunday, October 18, winning the 21km race at the Balkan Championships in Apatin, Serbia. Her two-year absence from international athletics competitions did not affect her form. The athlete, who represents K.S. Tirana, claimed first place in …

News

Gonxhja: Intangible Cultural Heritage Is a Living Legacy Passed Down Through Generations

On International Intangible Cultural Heritage Day, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja paid tribute to the bearers of Albanian traditions who preserve and pass the country’s cultural heritage from one generation to the next. Gonxhja highlighted the importance of protecting this living heritage, including iso-polyphony, songs accompanied by …