AKSHI Shares Albania’s Digital Transformation Experience with Kurdistan Region Delegation
The National Agency of Information Society (AKSHI) hosted a high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, led by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, to discuss digital transformation and innovation in public administration. AKSHI Director General Igli Tafa and other representatives welcomed Talabani and his delegation, which included the Minister …
Rama Arrives at NATO Summit, Meets Erdoğan Ahead of Bilateral Talks
Prime Minister Edi Rama and his wife, Linda Rama, arrived at the official reception and dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan during the NATO Summit in Ankara. Rama met President Erdoğan and the First Lady before posing for an official photograph. He also …
EU Parliament Rapporteur Urges Kurti to Form Functional Coalition
European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo Riho Terras urged acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti to show statesmanship by building a functional governing coalition and securing the election of the country’s next president. Terras made the appeal after meeting Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Lumir Abdixhiku and Alliance leader Ardian Gjini. …
Hoxha, Canadian Counterpart Explore New Economic and Trade Cooperation
Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Summit in Ankara to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation. The two ministers agreed to strengthen political dialogue and create new opportunities for cooperation, with a particular focus on the economy and trade. Hoxha highlighted …
Hoxha: Albania Seeks New Partnership Opportunities with Iraq’s Kurdistan Region
Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha met with Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and his delegation to discuss expanding cooperation between Albania and the region. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on recent regional developments and explored new opportunities for cooperation in areas of …
Zaçaj at IMF and World Bank Meeting: Albanian Economy Shows Resilience Amid Global Uncertainty
First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, Holta Zaçaj, participated in the meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Constituency, held on July 6–7, 2026, in Lisbon, Portugal. During the high-level gathering, central bank governors, finance ministers, and senior representatives from member countries discussed the latest …
Terras: Kosovo’s Future Lies in the EU, but Membership Requires Reforms
European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo Riho Terras said Kosovo’s future belongs in the European Union. However, he stressed that the country must continue reforms to achieve membership. “We are working in this direction,” Terras said after meetings with Kosovo’s political leaders in Pristina. During his visit, Terras met with Acting …
A salute to America
By Marco Rubio Two hundred and fifty years ago today, in a brick hall in Philadelphia, our forefathers declared their independence from the most powerful empire on earth. They were not fools. They knew exactly what the words on that parchment would mean. They knew that in that moment, they …
NATO’s Ankara Summit and Albania’s Uncertain Moment
Tirana Times, July 07, 2026 – The next NATO Summit, where the leaders of Allied member states gather annually, will take place on July 7–8, 2026, at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. It will be NATO’s 36th summit and the second hosted by Türkiye, after the Istanbul Summit of 2004. …
Concrete, Cocaine and Corruption: Albania’s Fragile Growth Model
Albania’s Concrete Economy: How Construction Became the Country’s Dominant Growth Model Tirana Times, July 7, 2026 – A booming construction sector has made Albania an outlier in Europe, but behind the cranes and luxury towers lies a deeper story of weak productivity, distorted investment and suspected flows of illicit money. …
Pristina and Tirana push back against Kyiv’s stance, insisting that Kosovo’s sovereignty cannot be diminished or equated with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Tirana Times , August 09, 2026 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s confirmation in Belgrade that Kyiv has not changed its position on Kosovo has triggered criticism in Albania and …
The agreement with Turkey and nuclear-armed Pakistan strengthens Riyadh’s position as a central architect of regional security, while reflecting a broader shift toward a more multipolar international system. Tirana Times, August 08, 2026 – The signing of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan represents more …
Activist Julide Yazici, who is wanted by Turkey, was remanded in custody in Tirana pending extradition proceedings, despite having political asylum status in France. Original post Here
TIRANA, August 7 – The “Fustanella” (Albanian kilt) exhibition has opened at the Ethnographic Museum in Berat, presenting one of the most recognizable symbols of Albanian cultural identity through a blend of art and tradition. The exhibition presents the fustanella, the traditional pleated kilt worn by Albanian men, as both …
TIRANA, August 7 – Defense Minister Ermal Nufi visited the Naval Vessels Division of Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in Muggiano as part of cooperation on the Fincantieri Albania project in Vlora. The Muggiano facility is one of Europe’s leading centers for the construction of naval vessels and maritime defense systems. During …
TIRANA, August 7 – Albania’s Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSHEE) has strengthened technical and operational measures to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in Lezha and Shëngjin during the summer tourist season through investments in the distribution network. Speaking from the reconstructed Lezha substation, OSSH engineer Marjo Lajthia said the investments have …
TIRANA, August 7 – Albania’s Civil Protection Agency reported eight active wildfires across the country on Thursday, while firefighters brought several blazes under control in Elbasan County. Firefighting operations continue on Mount Dajti near Tirana. The response includes 30 firefighters, 10 staff from the Protected Areas Administration and an Albanian …
TIRANA, August 7 – Albania attracted 1,955,099 foreign visitors in July 2026, extending the country’s tourism growth, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Thursday. Gonxhja said the figure compares with 1,825,490 foreign visitors in July 2025. The increase of 129,609 visitors represents year-on-year growth of about 7.1%. …
Tirana Times, August 07, 2026 — Albania’s Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime has brought new allegations against former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, widening one of the most politically sensitive investigations since the country launched its justice reform. Balluku appeared before the special prosecution office, known as SPAK, …
TIRANA, August 7 – Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that another section of Pan-European Transport Corridor VIII has opened for traffic as works continue on the Elbasan–Qafë Thana road axis. The new section stretches from the exit of Labinot-Fushë village to beyond Miraka village. It includes two lanes for both …