Albania Has Paused ‘Golden Passports’ Scheme, Rama Assures EU
Bowing to criticism from the EU, Albania’s PM on Thursday said Tirana was temporarily scrapping its ‘golden passports’ scheme, in a meeting with Commission vice president Josep Borrell. Original post Here
Meeting of Stabilization-Association/ Borrell in Tirana: Albania’s clear commitment to EU accession
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, is today in Tirana where he will participate in the Stabilization-Association Council. Glad to start my day in Tirana where we will hold the Stabilisation & Association Council with PM @ediramaal – historically for the 1st …
Democrat accuses Minister of destroying cultural monuments
MP of the Democratic Party (DP), Ina Zhupa has accused this Thursday Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti of having destroyed monuments to build blocks of flats. In her speech in the Assembly, Zhupa also pointed out that the European Union has described Albania as a country with high risk for …
“Committed to integration”, Borrell: We agreed to withdraw from the golden passport scheme
The meeting of the Stabilization-Association Council was held today in Tirana. After the meeting, the representative of the EU for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borell, the Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi and Prime Minister Edi Rama held a press conference. The Head of EU Diplomacy, Josep Borrell emphasized that …
EU integration/Varhelyi: European Union must keep the promise
After the meeting of the EU-Albania Association Stabilization Council, European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said that the EU must keep their promise for Albania’s integration into the European bloc. During his speech at the joint conference with Prime Minister Rama and Josep Borrell, he said that Albania has made progress. Varhelyi …
Tirana man arrested for attempted murder
A 48-year-old man has been arrested by the Vora police this Thursday morning after he tried to kill a person with a shotgun. This event took place in the premises of Vora area in Tirana, where the perpetrator Edmond Picari forcibly entered the bar where Ervin Picari was staying and …
Arrest warrant for Bulqiza’s mayor on corruption charges
Mayor of Bulqiza, Lefter Alla will be remanded into police custody, as he is accused of corruption and abuse of public tenders. Arrest warrant has been issued by the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bulqiza have conducted …
Albanian Opposition Faces Obstacle to Entering Local Election Race
The official opposition Democratic Party has been blocked from running in the May local elections over a legal technicality – which can only help Prime Minister Edi Rama’s governing Socialists. Original post Here
Vjosa officially National Park/Rama: We will protect forever the wildest river in Europe
The Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Tourism, Mirela Kumbaro are in Tepelena, where they are participating in an activity for the presentation of the Vjosa River as a National Park. During his speech, the head of government described the declaration of Vjosa as a National Park as …
Albania commemorates Gerdec blast victims
Albania commemorates this Wednesday 15 years since the tragedy of Gerdec, where 26 people lost their lives and more than 300 others were injured after a powerful explosion in a warehouse for the dismantling of ammunition. As a result of this explosion, hundreds of houses around the area in Gerdec …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania is stepping up work on its European Union integration process, with more than 20 draft laws already prepared for Chapters 16 and 29. Deputy Finance Minister Endrit Yzeiraj said the first half of 2026 brought heavy workloads and strategic tasks, but EU integration remained a …
Albania faces another potentially costly international dispute after losing several arbitration cases in recent years that have exposed the state to hundreds of millions of euros in compensation and related liabilities. Tirana Times, August 10, 2026 – Albania is no stranger to costly international arbitration. Over the past decade, the …
TIRANA, August 10 – High passenger and vehicle flows continue at Albania’s ports and border crossing points (BCP-s) during the peak tourist season. Thousands of people and vehicles have entered and left the country in recent hours. At the Port of Vlora, around 2,700 passengers are expected today on 3 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.4% in July 2026, from 2.5% in July 2025. Consumer prices also increased by 0.2% from June. According to INSTAT data, food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest contribution to annual inflation at 1.18 percentage points. The group covering housing, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Tradition, history and local cuisine came together at the 7th edition of “Mokra n’Fest”, held near the stone bridge in Golikë, Pogradec. The festival brought together local residents, visitors and emigrants who returned to their hometowns. An artisan fair and traditional food highlighted local products, including …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës Port recorded high passenger traffic during the first 10 days of August, as the summer travel season reached its peak. According to the Durrës Port Authority, 75,962 passengers travelled through the port between August 1 and 10. Most of the traffic involved arrivals, with 51,259 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës remains a popular choice for foreign tourists spending their summer holidays in Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a video today featuring visitors from Germany, the Netherlands, England, the Czech Republic, Italy and other countries. Rama said the city’s sea, history, culture and Albanian hospitality …
TIRANA, August 10 – Problem loans in Albania’s banking system fell again in June. They accounted for 3.7% of total lending, down from 3.77% in May. According to Bank of Albania statistics, this marks the lowest level since 2007. The ratio also fell by 0.31 percentage points from June 2025. …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania faces a high wildfire risk this afternoon and tomorrow, with temperatures reaching 40°C. The Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO) has placed 5 counties under a high-risk warning for forest fires. The warning covers Lezha, Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan and Fier. IGJEO expects a moderate risk in Shkodër, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s civil aviation sector is recording new highs in 2026 as summer tourism drives passenger and flight traffic. Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi visited the public company Albcontrol today, to review measures for managing the increased air traffic. Albcontrol Director Dritan Isaku said the organisation …