Over 5,300 children with disabilities receive support in Albanian schools
More than 5,300 children with disabilities receive support in Albanian schools, Deputy Health and Social Welfare Minister Ina Majko said as the new school year begins. Majko said support for children and their families includes dedicated services aimed at promoting inclusion in education. She highlighted assistant teachers, psychosocial services and …
84th Anniversary of the Peza Conference
Albania marks today the 84th anniversary of the Peza Conference, held on September 16, 1942, by representatives of Albanian antifascist forces seeking to establish a united front against the occupiers. The conference adopted several important decisions, including the creation of the National Liberation Antifascist Front. The front brought together antifascists …
Hague Trial Panel Finds Four Former KLA Leaders Criminally Responsible for War Crimes
The Trial Panel at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague has found former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi criminally responsible for war crimes. Presiding Judge Charles Smith presented the panel’s findings today during the first-instance judgment hearing. The panel found …
Hague Court Convicts Four Former KLA Leaders, Hands Down Prison Sentences
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague today convicted four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders of war crimes and handed down prison sentences. Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi received a 25-year prison sentence. The Trial Panel found him criminally responsible for war crimes including murder, torture, cruel treatment and …
Albania Moves Toward EU Agriculture Standards at ICE 2026 Conference
The Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development (AZHBR) took part in the ICE 2026 Conference on the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) in Sofia. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), together with the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and the Bulgarian Paying Agency, organized the …
Albania Emerges as One of Europe’s Fastest-Growing Nature Tourism Destinations in 2026
Albania is emerging as one of Europe’s fastest-growing nature tourism destinations in 2026, as more international travelers choose its mountain villages, national parks, rivers, coastal landscapes and protected areas. According to Travel and Tour World, Albania’s combination of the Albanian Alps, Ionian coastline and protected natural landscapes is attracting adventure …
Rama: Italy Is Albania’s European Alter Ego
Prime Minister Edi Rama said Italy is Albania’s “European alter ego” during a visit to Naples, where he attended the inauguration of Albania’s Honorary Consulate. Rama said the new consulate represents more than a diplomatic office. He described it as a bridge between the two countries and highlighted the strong …
INSTAT: Tourism Services Perform Strongly as Real Estate Sales Rise 38.9%
Real estate recorded the strongest sales growth in Albania’s services sector during the second quarter of 2026, while tourism-related activities also continued to expand at a strong pace. According to data from the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), the net sales volume index for real estate rose 38.9% compared with the …
NTA and Infinity Film Production Launch New Partnership to Promote Albania
Cinema is playing an increasingly important role in promoting Albanian tourist destinations by bringing the country’s cities, landscapes and cultural values to a wider audience. In this context, the National Tourism Agency (NTA) and Infinity Film Production signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to promote the feature film “A Christmas Serenade” …
One Night, Different Rhythms and a Stop We Never Planned
There’s a moment during a good night out when you realize that the party is no longer just the party you came for. It has become something else. At Moyo Beach, in the south of Albania, everything started exactly as you might imagine: the sea, summer, people, lights, and music …
By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – The Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ has convicted former President Hashim Thaci and three other Kosovo Liberation Army leaders of war crimes but acquitted them of crimes against humanity. The sentence for Thaci is 25 years. This is happening while Aleksandar Vucic is resigning from …
Millions of euros flowed to companies linked to Strabag while Oleg Deripaska remained a major shareholder, exposing gaps in Albania’s ability to identify who ultimately benefits from public money Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – For years, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska’s economic interests in Albania were largely invisible. They did …
The Hague verdict against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders has drawn reactions from the sports world. Former Albania national team footballer Taulant Xhaka has publicly expressed his support for Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. Xhaka posted a poster on Instagram featuring the four former KLA …
Endrit Thaçi, son of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, has voiced support for a protest organized by the War Veterans’ Organization of the Kosovo Liberation Army (OVL-KLA). He shared the organization’s call for a “Protest in Defense of the KLA.” Meanwhile, the protest will take place on Friday at 12:00 …
RTSH has officially begun implementing its 2026–2030 transformation and restructuring process. The Task Force established to lead and coordinate the process held its first meeting today. The European Broadcasting Union organized the meeting as a workshop focused on RTSH’s Transformation Strategy and its implementation. Radka Betcheva, the European Broadcasting Union’s …
Charles L. Smith, the presiding judge of the Trial Panel, has issued a decision launching procedures for reparations to victims in the case against Hashim Thaçi, Jakup Krasniqi, Rexhep Selimi and Kadri Veseli. The Trial Panel issued the decision on September 16 and published it today. It decided to initiate …
Justice Minister Toni Gogu said today that Albania will continue its digitalization process and use of artificial intelligence. He stressed that the country will protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Gogu spoke in Parliament during the review of the draft law on the ratification of the Council …
Defense cooperation and regional security issues were at the center of meetings held during the 2026 US-Adriatic Charter Conference of Chiefs of Defense in Zadar, Croatia. The US Embassy in Tirana said that US General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the US European Command (USEUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), …
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met today with Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Bedri Hamza. The meeting came one day after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers issued verdicts against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. The four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders received combined sentences of …
The Albanian diaspora in the United States held a protest in Times Square, New York, following the first-instance verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders. Tirana Prefect Shkëlqim Hajdari shared images from the gathering on social media. He conveyed the …