Latest News from Albania
For the Right Buyer, Albania Sells Prime Public Land for Peanuts
Albania's government is selling prime public land on Albania's coast and in the capital at far below market rates, but why?
Türkiye bags most medals in Islamic Solidarity Games
Türkiye has bagged a whopping 265 medals in the fifth Islamic Solidarity Games being held in the Central Anatolian province of Konya, while the Turkish men's national U23 football team has become the champion of the tournament recently.
Albania Pushes for ‘Golden Passports’ Despite EU Criticism
An Albanian biometric passport. Photo courtesy: Bevis Fusha / Safran
After first changing the law on private-public partnerships (PPP) by adding the citizenship programmes to lists in which the law can be used, the Albanian government is now mulling hiring private firms to promote this scheme to foreigners.
August 13, 2010: 12 years since the murder of Aristotelis Goumas at Himara of Northern Epirus (video-photos)
Albania has yet to be held accountable for the “velvet ethnic cleansing” of the indigenous Greek Minority of Albania
British Rightist Ex-Politician Farage Criticised for Attacks in Albanian Migrants
Statements made British rightist former politician Nigel Farage about Albanian illegal migrants to the UK have caused anger on social media, especially on Twitter, after a statement in which he said: "Now that one in ten foreign-born parents in the UK are Albanian, any guess as to the ratio in five years' time?" Albanian institutions have not commented on the statements of the former UKIP party
Albania sent a note to Europe: We adopted the resolution that also concerns Kosovo
This is the Resolution on the unfoundedness of claims about the illegal trade in human organs in Kosovo and Albania, adopted in the Albanian parliament on July 21, 2022, with a request to submit it to the competent authorities, Kosovo Online learns.
Kosovo Allocates 40 Million Euros for Serbs’ Unpaid Electricity
The Kosovo government has allocated €40 million to cover unpaid electricity in the four Serb-dominated municipalities in the north. The funds will be allocated to the Kosovo Energy Distribution and Supply Company, KOSTT.
President Erdoğan meets Albania’s Edi Rama
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama yesterday in the capital Ankara.
The Albanian president also attended the official opening ceremony of the fifth Islamic Solidarity Games, hosted by central Konya province on Aug. 9. President Erdoğan inaugurated the official opening of the international games.
Rise in TikTok Ads Among Albanians Selling Smuggling Operations to UK
Anonymous accounts advertising transfers of people from Albania to the United Kingdom have spiked on TikTok using the route called English Channel, which smugglers are believed to use, according to media reports.
The Buccaneers: Spanish Drug Conviction Counts for Little in Albania
Asked by BIRN whether it saw any issue in the fact prosecutors had not used anti-mafia legislation against Gjini or Shkalla, the Prosecution against Corruption and Organised Crime, SPAK, said it had "no comment on the matter." The law should be applied to both men automatically.
Albanians Trade Accusations Over Beach Security After Child’s Death
Albanians are calling for better beach security and protection after a series of accidents and disasters, the latest being the death of a seven-year-old child on Tuesday, killed by a speedboat that was passing near where people were swimming.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has dismissed the concern, however, saying that "until yesterday, this has been the most secure [summer] season".
Albania’s Rama Savages Media Reporting on Child’s Death at Sea
Albania PM Edi Rama during a press conference following the Western Balkans Summit in Tirana. Photo: LSA
Prime Minister Edi Rama lashed out at local media after an off-duty police officer accidentally killed a child with his boat at sea, likening them to animals.
Albania Needs ‘Functioning Market Economy’ Before Joining EU, Expert Warns
EU expert Andi Hoxhaj tells BIRN that besides the usual governance-related issues, the 'crony capitalism' of its economy might delay Albania's EU integration.
Bulgaria and North Macedonia Signed the Protocol to the Good Neighbour Agreement
The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and North Macedonia signed the bilateral protocol to Art. 12 of the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation.
The document will form part of Skopje's negotiating framework for EU membership and contains measures for the history, hate speech and culture curricula.
Week in Review: Summer Heat, Rising Political Temperatures
(Un)prepared
North Macedonia's Air Tractor firefighting plane. Photo by Zvonko Plavevski
High summer temperatures in South-East Europe traditionally go hand in hand with forest fires in the region. Last summer, as in many previous years, different corners of the region were devastated by drought and wildfires.