Latest News from Albania
Albanian Plan to Privatise VAT Payments Queried
Economists have attacked the Albanian government's plan to allow a private firm to manage data on business VAT payments as lacking in transparency, unnecessary and potentially corrupt.
A private company will be invited to invest in a 10-million-euro technological platform that will be attached to the tax system to track every business transaction in real time.
Albania, Montenegro Flag Up Adriatic Highway
Albanian officials say the highway that will connect the Adriatic with the Ionian sea is one of the most important regional infrastructural projects that it is putting into effect.
Bulgaria Climbs Up in EIU Democracy Index
Bulgaria has climbed 9 spots over the past year in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index in 2015 compared to the year before.
Kidnapped boy, aged 4, traumatized after mother’s murder and 18 days on the run (vid)
Wife killer James Claude Lesi, aged 24, told the police of how he managed to survive for 18 days in the cold after killing his wife and kidnapping his 4-year-old son Fivos. On the first night, they both camped out in a tent on the mountains before finding an abandoned car to sleep in and then hiding out in other shelters wherever they could.
Albanian Schools Struggle to Reabsorb Returning Pupils
Albania's schools are struggling to re-absorb thousands of children whose studies were interrupted when their parents took them to Western Europe in the hope of claiming asylum.
Albanians Fundraise For First Roma Caravan Park
A group of civil activists in Albania is raising money to build the first camper van park for Roma in Tirana.
The practice of using camper caravans as homes is frequent among Roma communities in other countries but this is the first time such an initiative has taken place in Albania.
Serbian, Albanian, Italian FMs hold trilateral meeting
Ivica Dacic says trilateral meetings of the foreign ministers of Serbia, Italy and Albania should continue "as they are good for regional stability."
The Serbian foreign minister also stressed on Wednesday that "more effort should be made to have joint projects fully implemented."
Albania Protest Victims' Families Vow to Fight on
Albania on January 21 marks the fifth anniversary of the 2011 bloodbath when Republican Guard officers killed four protesters at an anti-government rally in Tirana.
Five years on, none of six guards initially investigated for the murder is in jail and the Supreme Court has not started any process towards two of them, although the General Prosecutors office asked it to.
Serbian FM meets with Albanian counterpart in Tirana
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met on Wednesday in Tirana with Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati.
They spoke before the second trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Serbia, Italy, and Albania.
Albania Offers Protection to Army Intelligence Staff
Albania's government is for the first time to grant special protection to employees and others working with the Defence Intelligence and Security agency, AISM, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.
New Albanian Party to Target Disappointed Voters
The former boss of Albania's energy corporation aims to start a new party within the next month with the aim of taking part in the general elections scheduled for mid-2017.
Gjergj Bojaxhi tested his level of public support when he stood as an independent candidate in the local elections in June 2015 and won 16,000 votes in Tirana.
Albanian Activists Accuse Kosovo Police of Abuse
The Albanian citizens who tried to join the opposition rally in Pristina on January 9 have written a letter of protest to the Kosovo embassy in Tirana and made an official complaint to the Albanian police alleging that they were assaulted and turned back at the Vermica border crossing.
Albania Pays Dearly for Cherie Blair's Legal Advice
The Albanian government has raised the compensation for legal advice offered by Omnia Strategy in the dispute with US company by 150,000 euros, bringing the payment to a total of 645,000 euros.
No reason was given for the increased payment in the government decision, which was taken on December 28 but published in the official gazette on Tuesday.
Albania Conducts Mass Testing of Teachers
All teachers in Albania with fewer than 20 years' experience are being tested in order to measure their abilities in the first-ever attempt to work out what professional training is required across the country.
On January 23, around 15,000 teachers all over Albania are going to take the test; around 4,000 more in the Tirana municipality have already taken it in November 2015.
Albania's Illegal Hunters Flaunt Prey Online
Hunters bragging about killing wild rabbits in snowy parts of Albania have become a hit on social media in the last days of December and the first days of 2016.
None of these hunters can be unaware of the fact that their shoots are totally illegal.
All hunting in Albania was banned for two years in 2014 and the moratorium does not run out until March.