Latest News from Albania
Greek army says Mount Grammos road opening serves ‘national purposes’
Responding to a growing controversy about the opening of a road on a protected mountain in northwestern Greece, the Greek military has confirmed that it is responsible for the project, but claims that it serves "national purposes" and does not require approval from the usual channels.
Italy adopts a new decree to overcome hurdles jeopardizing its migration deal with Albania
Italy's far-right government on Monday approved a new decree aimed at overcoming judicial hurdles that risked derailing a controversial migration deal with Albania.
Has migration become Europe’s song that never ends?
Migration was - once again - at the heart of discussions at the latest EU leaders summit, as the issue has been taking on new dimensions across the continent. This renewed focus on migration comes after the far-right made gains in the European Parliament, in various elections in Germany and Austria, and follows the opening of Italy's controversial offshore detention centers in Albania.
Bulgarian Doctors Provide Free Check-ups for 300 Residents in Mala Prespa, Albania
Nearly 300 residents from Mala Prespa in Albania, where a Bulgarian community resides, received free medical check-ups from a team of prominent Bulgarian doctors led by the renowned cardiologist Prof. Dr. Ivo Petrov. The mission, organized for the second consecutive year, was initiated and funded by the Bulgarian Memory Foundation with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Migration: “Rama’s experiment” – Yesterday’s migrants, today’s guards
Images from the early 1990s of thousands of Albanians crammed onto all kinds of ships—most famously the “Vlora” with 10,000 passengers—on the journey of hope from Durrës to Italy are not so distant. It was August 8, 1991, when scenes of a drama were unfolding at the port of Bari that were destined to be repeated.
Migration: The “Italian model”, closed centres outside the EU and deportations – All the solutions the EU is considering for the refugee problem
The recent Brussels summit, which had immigration as its main menu, may have ended without a result, but Kyriakos Mitsotakis does not appear pessimistic. Not only because he believes that progressively Europeans are coming closer to the Greek position, realizing that the root of the problem is how to discourage migrants from coming onto European soil.
Albania’s ex-president Meta detained by police, spokesman says
Albania's former president Ilir Meta has been detained by police over corruption allegations, his spokesperson and lawyer said on Monday.
Meta's spokesperson Tedi Blushi told a press conference the arrest was "inappropriate" and that it would "be condemned by all patriotic and honest Albanians."
Former Albanian President Ilir Mehta arrested for corruption
The head of the Freedom Party and former Albanian president, Ilir Mehta, has been arrested. Meta’s arrest comes on the orders of the SPAK (anti-corruption body) and he is accused of corruption.
The former Albanian president is accused of three counts of corruption and failure to declare assets, according to top-channel.tv. Reports say he is also accused of money laundering.
Parliament: A “patchwork” of ten parliamentary groups – What’s happening with the electoral law and the 4-5% threshold
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Athens declines NATO Baltic mission
Greece has declined a request from the Baltic nations - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - to participate in air patrols over their airspace, citing its current obligations in the Balkans.
The Baltic countries, which do not have fighters of their own, had asked Greece to deploy F-16 jets to help safeguard their skies as part of a NATO air-policing mission.
Rome court rejects orders to detain migrants in Albania
A Rome court has rejected orders to detain a group of migrants in a reception facility in Albania and said they had a right to be brought to Italy, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's plan to divert asylum-seekers abroad.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: No more tolerance for national concessions – First priority is the deportation of migrants
Determined not to let the rhetoric of “national concessions” fester, Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared from Brussels, speaking in strong terms of “super-patriots” and implicitly but responding to Antonis Samaras’ new shots, even though he separated his views from the right-wing rebukes of the government, against the backdrop of the Greek-Turkish dialogue, and immigration.
Mitsotakis expresses scepticism about Italy-Albania migration agreement
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed skepticism about the Italy-Albania migration agreement in an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday.
Mitsotakis said that it remains to be seen whether the agreement will be effective and he expressed doubts about its potential to be replicated at a European level.
Bulgaria Backs Proposal for Migrant Centers Outside EU Borders
Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev shared his thoughts in Brussels regarding European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to establish centers for illegal migrants outside the European Union's borders. He stated, "This is not a bad idea; we have the first such example with Italy and Albania.
Mitsotakis to Financial Times: Cautious about Italy-Albania Migrant Agreement – Europe needs workforce as population shrinks
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed reservations about the Italy-Albania agreement to establish migrant reception centers outside Europe, questioning its viability at a European level. In an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday, Mitsotakis said, “Let’s be cautious here. This is a bilateral agreement. I’m not sure it can be applied across Europe.