Latest News from Albania
Albania’s Parliament Greenlights ex-Deputy PM’s Arrest
Albania's parliament voted on Friday to accept the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organised Crime's request to be able to arrest former Deputy Prime Minister, Arben Ahmetaj.
The SPAK had requested the arrest and a personal search warrant and a house search in connection with charges on corruption and money laundering.
Albanian court rejects Beleri’s appeal
An Albanian court has rejected the appeal by Fredi Beleri, the mayor-elect of Himare in southern Albania and an ethnic Greek, who was seeking release under restrictive measures.
On Friday, the judges ruled to uphold the pretrial detention measure.
Multimedia exhibition raises awareness on fragility of Aoos River
The fragility of the Aoos/Vjosa River, which crosses the border between Greece and Albania and represents one of Europe's few remaining free-flowing waterways, has inspired a multimedia exhibition that seeks to explore the confluence of history, culture, economy, and environmental sustainability.
Put to Bed by Albania, ‘Open Balkan’ Had Long Flattered to Deceive
After Albania declares 'mission accomplished', experts say few will mourn the apparent demise of the Open Balkan initiative.
‘For us, freedom is not self-evident’
On the evening of March 11, 2023, the eve of the municipal elections in neighboring Albania, the then candidate for mayor of Himare, ethnic Greek Fredi Beleri, and his aide, Pantelis Kokavesis, were arrested by the police for allegedly attempting to buy votes. Almost two months later, and while he has already been elected mayor, Beleri remains in pre-trial detention.
PM raises ethnic Greek mayor’s arrest with Rama
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue of the release of the ethnic Greek mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri, during a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama on Tuesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Albania Pressed to Act Over Currency’s Unexplained Rise
The rapid rise in the value of Albania's currency, the lek, is alarming exporters and tourist operators - but the government is unwilling to take action.
Albania Ruling Party Postpones Controversial Lustration Legislation
Sigurimi files in an exhibition in Tirana. Photo: LSA.
MPs from the governing Socialist Party on Monday decided to postpone approval of changes in two laws intended to ban people from running for parliament who collaborated with the Communist-era Sigurimi secret service after an intervention by the EU's ambassador to Tirana.
Albania Prosecutors Seek Former Deputy PM Arben Ahmetaj’s Arrest
Arben Ahmetaj, a long-time member of Albania's parliament and former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister is facing a request from prosecutors for his arrest on charges of corruption and money laundering.
Ahmetaj, 54, holds parliamentary immunity, so the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organised Crime, SPAK, has asked parliament for permission to arrest him.
Vucic: We started changing things after decades of silence in Serbian-Albanian relations
BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Albanian PM Edi Rama in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday evening they had started changing a bad political legacy after decades of silence between Serbia and Albania and Serbs and Albanians.
Vučić after meeting Rama: "No person in the right mind looks forward to conflicts"
Rama is visiting the region as part of preparations for the Berlin Process, which Tirana will preside over in October.
Money Troubles: Albania’s Strange Currency Crisis Defies Easy Solutions
Albania uses a flexible exchange rate regime, which means the currency fluctuates freely up and down, depending on supply and demand. This regime is preferred by free-market champions because it allows the market to regulate rates.
Albania Bank Rejects Calls to Act Against Currency’s Rapid Rise
Albania's Central Bank does not plan to intervene in the exchange rate to stop the fast rise of the national currency, the lek, which has caused major concerns among exporters who claim the strong currency is hitting their revenues and profits.
Queried at a press conference, the bank governor, Gent Sejko, said he had "no reason to intervene".
Sacked Albanian Judge ‘Didn’t Get Fair Hearing’: Strasbourg Court
The European Court of Human Rights, ECHR ruled on Tuesday that Albanian had violated former Supreme Court judge Admir Thanza's right to a fair and impartial hearing when he was dismissed from his position after failing a vetting process.
However, the Strasbourg court found that his dismissal was not a violation of his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Serb Soldier Given Alibi in Kosovo Wartime Massacre Trial
Tijana Vasic, the former sister-in-law of Milan Ivanovic, told Belgrade Higher Court on Monday that the defendant was at home with his family when the massacre of Kosovo Albanians in which he was allegedly involved took place in April 1999.