Albanian President: The EU to lift visas for Kosovo, open negotiations with Albania
Albanian President Ilir Meta has received on Monday the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker who is accompanied by the Enlargement Commissioner, Johannes Hahn. The EU senior officials are visiting Tirana as part of their Western Balkans tour. Original post Here
Serbia to invest €200 million for Nis-Merdare motorway
Serbia’s minister of Infrastructure, Zorana Mihajlovic, said that by the end of 2018 the Government will launch a tender and pick a contractor for the construction of a motorway linking Serbia with Kosovo. Original post Here
Juncker in Tirana: Not here with an accession date
The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has arrived in Tirana on Sunday afternoon as part of the Western Balkans tour when he met the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Original post Here
Kosovo presents half a billion Euro projects at the Western Balkans Investment Summit
Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, has arrived in London, attending the Western Balkans Investment Summit, organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Original post Here
Kosovo Consulate in France attacked, state flag removed
Kosovo’s Consulate in Strasbourg of France has been attacked over the weekend, when unknown people have removed the flag of Kosovo and damaged its coat of arms. The Government of Kosovo has condemned the attack. Original post Here
Pacolli says demarcation will be ratified by mid-March
Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, says ratification of the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro opens the way for Kosovo to get visa liberalisation. He said that it is very likley for Kosovo Assembly to vote its ratification by mid-March and not next Wednesday when MPs will convene …
Thaci: Serbia cannot join the EU without recognising Kosovo
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci during an interview with the regional TV N1 said that he expects at the end of the dialogue with Serbia, Kosovo becomes member of the United Nations. He also said that a final agreement on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia might be reached by …
Juncker kicks off Balkan tour with visit to Macedonia, Albania
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has started his Western Balkans tour by visiting Macedonia and Albania on Sunday in a bid to expand the European Union and explain to the region leaders the EU strategy on Western Balkans which was published at the beginning of this month. Original post Here
Technical dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia resumes on Monday
The technical dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade resumes in Brussels, on 26 February, after it was suspended last month by Serbian delegation. Original post Here
Kosovo war crimes court to issue first indictments in March
Gazeta Express has learned that the outgoing Special Prosecutor, David Schwendiman, who will be leaving the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office on 31 March 2018 – was requested to sign an indictment and the first arrests of the war crime suspects by the Special Court are expected next month. Some of Kosovo’s …
The moralistic reaction to leaked tapes of women filmed secretly in intimate acts shows Albania is still struggling to accept women as sexual beings – while also failing legally to protect victims of non-consensual exposure. Original post Here
An anti-government protest led by students demanding better educational conditions escalated into violent clashes between demonstrators and police in the Albanian capital. Original post Here
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has condemned acts of vandalism at the Apostolic Nunciature in Tirana on Tuesday, including the removal of the Holy See’s flag. The ministry stressed that diplomatic missions must remain inviolable and retain their dignity under national law and international law. It also said …
The US Army will rotate troops from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and support units from the 1st Infantry Division into Kosovo to support NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR). The incoming troops will replace the Florida Army National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The rotation will also bring in elements of …
Albania aims to conclude agreements to avoid double taxation with all 27 European Union member states as it aligns its tax legislation and practices with European standards. Deputy Finance Minister Andi Memeti outlined the objective during a parliamentary committee discussion on ratifying an agreement with Lithuania. He said these agreements …
The National Territorial Council has cleared the way for the new Kavaja Market in the city centre. French architect Manuelle Gautrand designed the project to introduce a contemporary architectural concept to the urban space. The development covers 3,130 square metres of land, with a building area of 1,405 square metres. …
Kosovo President Justina Shiroka-Pula met on Tuesday with the families of former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, who face trial at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. Shiroka-Pula stood by the families and acknowledged the hardship they face. She pledged …
Students from several universities boycotted classes on Tuesday and gathered outside the Ministry of Education to protest for a second consecutive day. The boycott involved students from the University of Medicine, the Agricultural University, the Polytechnic University, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Philology. …
President Bajram Begaj met Michael Granoff, chairman of the board of the Albanian-American Development Foundation, and other board members at the Brigades Palace. Begaj praised the foundation’s contribution to economic development. He stressed the importance of continuing its projects in education, tourism, cultural heritage and agriculture, as well as efforts …
Justice Minister Toni Gogu responded to the violence during Tuesday’s protest outside the Ministry of Education. In a Facebook post accompanying footage from the demonstration, he said violence, calls for chaos and attacks on institutions and businesses were not solutions. Gogu stressed that the right to protest is fundamental and …