Albania

Eight people have died in southern Albania when a car carrying suspected migrants swerved off a mountain road into a ravine, police said.

The car fell on the rocky bank of the fast-flowing Vjosa River, about 240 kilometers southeast of the capital, Tirana, around 4 a.m., according to a police statement.

In a devastating incident in southern Albania, eight people lost their lives, including seven suspected migrants, in a car crash early this morning while attempting to evade police pursuit, as reported by AFP.

On Wednesday the funerals of the two women - Today in Albania the body of the 21-year-old woman

The municipal council of Himare in southern Albania appointed Blerina Bala as the new acting mayor of the town on Friday, following the detention of Jorgo Goro.

Goro, affiliated with the ruling Socialist Party, was arrested last week on charges of alleged abuse of office, which he denies.

Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said on Wednesday that the case of Fredi Beleri, a mayor from Albania's Greek minority who was recently sentenced to two years in prison for buying votes, should be viewed as a European concern rather than a bilateral issue between the two Balkan neighbors.

I won't get into the discussion of whether putting Fredi Beleri's name on the New Democracy ticket for the upcoming European elections would serve the ruling Greek conservative party's interests; it would, in spades.

It came after a complaint by the elected mayor of Himara Fredi Beleris – Albania hopes the presence of another member of the minority will appease Greece

EU leaders on Thursday agreed to open talks with Bosnia on joining the bloc, though negotiations will only begin in earnest once the Balkan country has passed more key reforms.

"Congratulations! Your place is in our European family. Today's decision is a key step forward on your EU path," European Council head Charles Michel wrote on X, as leaders met at a Brussels summit.

Andreas Loverdos visited him stating, “the conviction to two years in prison is tangible evidence that the rule of law does not exist in Albania”

A senior US official visited Montenegro Monday to offer support to the small Balkan nation seeking to join the European Union.

During a press conference in the capital Podgorica, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar said Montenegro should be next in line to join the 27-nation bloc.