Latest News from Albania

Albania Parliament’s Race to Fill Media Board Causes Alarm

Albania's parliament on Monday announced vacancies for four positions on the board of the country's Audio-visual Media Authority, AMA, without waiting for the new parliament elected in the April 25 elections to give its view, prompting concerns about the creation of a one-sided board supportive of Edi Rama's ruling Socialists.

Pandemic: Businesses Look to Western Balkans to Move Production Lines

Countries from Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are likely to benefit from the trend of relocating production by EU companies from Asia close to home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This is stated in a report of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Research.

Three Member States Back Start of Accession Talks for Albania, N. Macedonia

The foreign ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovenia voiced unanimous support on Saturday for North Macedonia and Albania to start EU membership talks, arguing that bilateral issues should not block the EU's enlargement into the Western Balkans.

FMs of Slovenia, Austria, Czechia point to role of EU enlargement to W Balkans

Tirana – The foreign ministers of Slovenia, Austria and the Czech Republic, Anže Logar, Alexander Schallenberg and Jakub Kulhanek, stressed the role of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans as they met senior Albanian officials in Tirana on Sunday, a day after visiting neighbouring North Macedonia.

FMs of Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic express support to N Macedonia’s EU path

Skopje – Foreign minister of Slovenia, Austria and the Czech Republic, Anže Logar, Alexander Schallenberg and Jakub Kulhanek, expressed support to North Macedonia’s EU path at a working visit to the country on Saturday. Macedonian FM Bujar Osmani thanked for their support and called for EU accession talks to start as soon as possible.

Four Balkan Countries Eye Eurovision Crown

Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia have all qualified for the final of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest, to be held on Saturday, May 22, 2021 in Rotterdam. Some 26 countries made it to the final in total.

Albania Remains Hostage to Its Communist Past

This March marked the 30th anniversary of the first multiparty elections in Albania that followed the fall of the communist regime, which, according to Neil Kritz, researcher at the American Institute for Peace, was one of the most tightly closed regimes in the world.

Sanctions on Berisha May Help Albania’s Democrats, Experts Say

After the news that the US has barred former Democratic Party leader and Albanian President and PM Sali Berisha, experts told BIRN that his opposition centre-right party might benefit from this decision in the long run.

Albania Jails Former General Prosecutor Llalla for Corruption

Adriatik Llalla, 52, a former General Prosecutor of Albania, was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison and his assets confiscated after being found guilty of not declaring his wealth and other irregularities on asset declarations. He becomes one of the highest officials in the country to be found guilty of such charges.

Ex-President of Albania Denied Entry to US over Corruption

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has officially denied a request for entry in to the US by former Albanian president Sali Berisha.

"Today, I am announcing the public designation of Sali Berisha, former President, Prime Minister and Member of Parliament of Albania, due to his involvement in significant corruption," Blinken said in a statement. 

EU Lack of Resolve Fuels Euroscepticism in Western Balkans – North Macedonia’s Premier

North Macedonia's prime minister, Zoran Zaev, has warned the EU that it's taken a reputational hit in the Balkans and will lose more ground to rival powers if it doesn't start membership talks with his country and Albania soon.

Blue Crab Invaders Catch Albania’s Fishermen in Their Claws

Blue crab. Photo: Pixabay

In their native United States, these crabs are highly prized, but in Albania they are invaders - and more trouble than they are worth.

"These crabs are predators," Nika told BIRN. "They have almost annihilated all the fish in the lagoons, including fish and eels that we are very much interested in," he added.