Latest News from Albania

Low Turnout Marks Albania Local Elections

Election day was generally calm without major incidents but the turnout was much lower than in the 2013 general elections.

Preliminary data from the Central Election Commission shows about 45 per cent of voters cast their ballot. This is the lowest turnout in 25 years.

Ruling Coalition Faces Test in Albanian Polls

Albanians on Sunday go to the polls to elect 61 new mayors and 1,610 councillors in local elections that are considered a double challenge for the country.

Polling stations opened at 7am and close at 7pm. About 3.37 million Albanians are eligible to cast votes.

MEP Urges Albania Parties to Cut Crime Links

Eduard Kukan, former Slovak foreign minister and Member of the European Parliament, on Friday urged Albania's parties to respect the law and to fulfil promises to ban people with criminal backgrouns from holding or stand for office.  

Turkey cheaper than Europe but cars, booze, tobacco remain expensive

Turkey is more expensive than a few European countries but it remains cheaper than a majority of the continent, according to a new comparative purchasing power parity index released June 19 by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜ?K).

However, car prices stood above European levels, as did the prices of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and consumer electronics.

Albania Seizes Assets of Accused Money Launderer

Prosecutors have asked the Tirana First Instance Court to sequester two bank accounts belonging to an arrested businessman, with $940,000 (?824,000) and 18.5 million lek (?131,000) in them, as well as two luxury automobiles.   

Albania Mayor Threatens Journalists on Video

An undated video showing the mayor of the town of Elbasan warning journalists they will be fired if they pose difficult questions has put a fresh spotlight on the plight of the media in Albania.

"You often forget that you have a job and that with your mouth and your camera, you are damaging the interests of your owners," Sejdini warns his interlocutors in the video.

Bulgarian Co Hired as Subcontractor to Help Repair Albania Power Plant

A Bulgarian company is now engaged in repair works at Komani, Albania's biggest hydro power plant (HPP), local reports suggest.

The BGN 1 M (EUR 0.5 M) has been commissioned by the Albanian utility KESH, the state-owned electric company in the country.

Greek postman travels the world to deliver refugees letters (Photos)

Thessaloniki Motorcyclist Ilias vrochidis, aged 31, started a journey in July 2013 aimed at exploring Balkan and African countries so as to deliver letters to the families and friends of migrants who have come to Greece. His goal was to raise public awareness on migrant issues.

NATO Warsaw Summit Should Invite Macedonia, Montenegro to Join - Polish DefMin

NATO should invite Macedonia and Montenegro to join when it holds its next summit in Poland in July of next year, Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has said.

"It would be excellent news if the invitations could be sent from (the NATO summit in) Warsaw to Macedonia and Montenegro," Reuters quoted Siemoniak as saying at a conference in Wroclaw, Poland on Friday.

BIRN Hosts Media Freedom Conference

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network's regional media conference, entitled 'Media Freedom Challenges', will be held on Friday June 12, in Sarajevo, where BIRN's directors and media experts will debate the main obstacles to media freedom in the Balkans.

Albania High Court Dismisses MP's Assault Case

In a surprise decision, Albania's High Court has freed Arben Nroka and Pjerin Ndreu, MPs for the ruling Socialist Party, of charges of beating Genc Strazimiri, an MP from the opposition Democratic Party on July 14, 2014.

Kosovo Reburies Albanian Hero Isa Boletini

Isa Boletini, a military leader and national hero in Kosovo and Albania, is being reburied at a ceremony in the northern town of Mitrovica, almost a century after his death.

Albanian Justice System Slammed as Totally Corrupt

A Special Parliamentary Commission on Monday delivered a damning report on the courts in Albania, saying corruption is widespread at all levels.

This includes the appointment of judges in the most important courts.

Albania Seizes TV station in Money Laundering Case

Albanian prosecutors have seized the bank accounts and shares of companies under the ownership of the Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti and his business partners following a long investigation into money laundering.

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