Latest News from Albania

EU Needs Western Balkans, Summit Leaders Say

A summit of regional leaders on Monday in Montenegro heard that the EU project is incomplete without the Western Balkans.

The EU accession process is not a technical but a political issue in which the specificities of each country must also be taken into account, it was further concluded.

Albania delays hydrocarbon bidding

Albania delayed by a month to mid-July the bidding for companies keen to explore for oil and gas on five onshore blocks and indefinitely for two offshore blocks, officials said on Monday.

A week before offers for the onshore bids were due on June 15, Energy Minister Damian Gjiknuri ordered the bidding date be postponed for another month to give companies more time.

Albania Arrests Nine Over Health Insurance Fraud

Four officials and five owners and employees of pharmacies accused of stealing 56 million leks (400,000 euro) have been arrested in recent days as the Albanian government faces its biggest corruption scandal since it came to power 18 months ago.

Two similar cases involving suspected fraud of several million euros are also currently under investigation.

Balkan Governments Urged to Commit to Climate Targets

On World Climate Day on Friday, the SEE SEP network of CSOs from South East Europe, called on the governments of the region to act promptly and put forward ambitious commitments for the upcoming global climate agreement in Paris.

Almost 2,500 migrants repatriated in May

A total of 2,469 migrants detained in Greece without proper travel documents were returned to their homelands in May, the Greek Police said Thursday.

Kosovo FM Accused of Interfering With Justice

Dutch ambassador Robert Bosch told newspaper Kosovo Sot on Thursday that Thaci's claim that the verdict convicting the ex-guerrillas was politically motivated was inappropriate.

"Officials should never comment on the decision of the court," said Bosch.

Albania Public Procurement Unfair, Report Says

A new report, presented on Wednesday, argues that during the monitoring period the Public Procurement Commission uncovered hundreds of legal breaches by officials in hundreds of cases but imposed only a single administrative fine and did not refer any cases to the prosecutor's office.

Albania Rejects Fining TV Stations For Bias

Albania's Central Election Commission has rejected proposals from the bipartisan Media Monitoring Board to fine seven news television stations for offering unequal amounts of coverage to political parties campaigning for the local elections on June 21.

Vucic says Serbia will reduce dependency on Russian gas

Vucic says Serbia will reduce dependency on Russian gas

Aleksandar Vucic has told AP in an interview that his government "will accept U.S. calls to reduce dependency on Russian gas."

Serbia, Albania to Build EUR 1 B Nis-Durres Motorway

Serbia and Albania will sign a protocol for the construction of a EUR 1 B motorway that will link Nis with the Adriatic port of Durres, Serbia's Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said on Saturday.

Macedonia Crisis Linked to Fate of Turkish Stream, Russia's EU Envoy Says

The key issue about Russia's Turkish Stream project is in what direction the future gas pipeline will go after reaching Turkey's border with Greece, Russia's ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov has said.

There are three options, three countries after the pipeline enters Greece, Russian news agency Interfax quoted Chizhov as saying in an interview.

US State Department Hails Vucic Visit to Albania

The US government has praised Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama for trying to move on from the conflicts of the past toward a new era of friendship and cooperation in the Balkans.

Rudimental, Ella Eyre to Perform for Sofia Music Fans

The extremely successful Rudimental and Ella Eyre will be coming to Bulgaria for a special performance on September 12. They will be presenting some of their brand new projects alongside their greatest hits and collaborations at Sofia Inter Expo Center.

Pages