Opposition demands 100% open lists, unveils bill to separate state from political parties
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ Oerd Bylykbashi, the Democratic Party’s co-chair of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform, accused the Socialist Party of lacking the political will to address OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. Speaking at the committee’s meeting, Bylykbashi said the reform should prioritise separating the state from the ruling party and …
Begaj, Mattarella hail Arbëreshë community as cornerstone of Albanian-Italian ties
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ – Albanian President Bajram Begaj and his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, on Monday hosted the mayors of all Arbëreshë municipalities in Italy at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, highlighting the community’s role in preserving the historic bonds between the two countries. The Arbëreshë, descendants of Albanians …
Gjiknuri attributes electoral reform delays to lack of consensus
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ The co-chair of the parliamentary electoral reform committee Damian Gjiknuri said the electoral reform process had fallen behind schedule and risked missing its agreed deadlines due to lack of consensus with the opposition. Addressing the committee meeting, Gjiknuri said the work had fallen behind the planned …
Food and transport prices push Albania’s inflation to 3.4% in October
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ – Albania’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.4% in October 2026, up from 2.3% a year earlier, driven mainly by higher food and transport prices, data from the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) showed on Monday. Consumer prices increased by 0.5% from September, according to INSTAT’s …
‘Talk to Prime Minister’ platform records more than 971 citizen interactions
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ – “Talk to the Prime Minister” platform has recorded more than 971 interactions with citizens to date, the Agency for Media and Information (MIA) said on Monday. The platform collects questions, concerns, criticism, suggestions and opinions from citizens both in Albania and abroad. Complaints account for …
EU ambassador delivers 2026 Report to Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Hoxha: Most comprehensive progress assessment
TIRANA, November 9 /ATA/ – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha met today with Head of the European Union Delegation to Albania, Ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa, who presented him with a copy of the 2026 Progress Report for Albania. Minister Hoxha described this report as the most …
New draft law on investments open for public consultation; Ibrahimaj invites business feedback
TIRANA, November 9 /ATA/ – Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj announced that the new draft law “On Investments” has been released for public consultation, inviting businesses, investors, business associations and experts to submit their suggestions and proposals. In a social media post, Ibrahimaj emphasized that the initiative aims …
Government plans April pension indexation, doubles monthly bonus with 20 billion leks fund
TIRANA, Nov 9 /ATA/ – The government has earmarked 4 billion leks for pension indexation in its 2027 draft budget, aiming to bring the annual adjustment forward to April, Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said on Monday. Presenting the draft budget to parliament’s Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance, …
Constitutional Court issues reasoned ruling on Virtual Minister Diella
TIRANA, November 9 /ATSH/ – The Constitutional Court today issued its final ruling on a petition filed by 39 MPs seeking to annul parts of two presidential decrees concerning the Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Diella. In a ruling reached on October 8, 2026, and announced on November 9, 2026, the …
New monthly baby bonus scheme for children under 5 launches July 1, 2027
TIRANA, November 9 /ATSH/ – Starting July 1, 2027, a new “baby bonus” scheme will be implemented, providing monthly financial support to Albanian families for every child up to the age of 5. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced today the financial amounts that families will receive, based on the number …
Albania’s 2027 draft budget will support European Union accession negotiations and prepare the country for membership, State Minister and Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka said on Tuesday. Speaking to the Assembly’s Committee on European Affairs and Foreign Policy, Dhuka said Albania had opened all negotiating chapters, received a positive assessment of …
Albania’s European identity, cultural heritage and aspirations for the future will take centre stage during Albania’s European Week in Ottawa in 2026. The Embassy of the Republic of Albania to Canada will organise the event in collaboration with the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Ottawa. …
Interior Minister Ervin Demo said police success depends on how safe citizens feel, how well authorities protect young people and how effectively they restrict criminal groups’ activities. Speaking at a joint conference of the State Police and Italy’s Guardia di Finanza on 2026 aerial monitoring results, Demo praised 15 years …
Interior Minister Ervin Demo said Albania plays an active role in Europe’s security architecture and in tackling cross-border threats. He made the remarks opening the international conference “Regional security: New risks, stronger cooperation” in Tirana. The event brought together Regional Cooperation Council Secretary-General Amer Kapetanović, Italian Interior Ministry representatives, the …
The European Union Ambassador to Tirana, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, held a meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, during which she presented the 2026 Albania Report. In a post published on Tuesday, the EU Delegation announced that the meeting addressed issues related to the environment, transparency, land ownership rights, …
Aerial monitoring and the use of modern surveillance equipment have increased the Guardia di Finanza’s ability to identify suspected cannabis cultivation sites in Albania. During a joint press conference with the Albanian State Police, a representative of the Italian authorities emphasized that cooperation between the two sides has delivered concrete …
The Transparency Board decided to reduce fuel prices during its meeting on Tuesday. During the meeting, the Board decided that gasoline will be sold at no more than 167 lek per liter, while diesel will be sold at no more than 208 lek per liter. “The retail price of diesel …
For the first time, PET scan examinations will be publicly funded. The project has been included in the draft 2027 budget, with an allocation of 250 million lek, and approximately 2,500 patients are expected to benefit from the service. The announcement was made by the Minister of Health and Social …
Albania recorded positive natural population growth in the third quarter of 2026, with 742 more births than deaths. According to data from INSTAT, a total of 5,787 births and 5,045 deaths were registered during this period. However, the birth rate continues to decline. Compared to the same period in 2025, …
Around 450,000 to 500,000 citizens across Albania use public transport, but the cost of the service and the tax burden on operators risk becoming even heavier. This concern was raised by the National Association of Urban Transport in a letter addressed to Parliament, outlining a series of requests for tax …