Latest News from Albania
North Macedonia Must Do away with Discrimination against Bulgarian Minority
Bulgaria is pushing for an end to "discrimination" against the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia, with Bulgarian Rumen Radev discussing the topic with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Belen on Monday in Vienna.
In Montenegro, Ancient Olive Groves Return to Rightful Owners
Strolling among the olive trees, the Adriatic Sea on the horizon, Dervishi said he planned to revive his family's olive oil tradition.
"My grandfather had more than 200 olive trees in Valdanos and he was known as a respectable olive oil producer," he told BIRN. "I can't achieve his level of production but at least I will try to make our olive grove sustainable."
UNESCO Gives North Macedonia More Time to Protect Ohrid
The UN cultural organisation, UNESCO, on Friday gave North Macedonia two more years to take action to properly protect the heritage of the lakeside city of Ohrid and its surroundings - or be added to the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
Checkmate! Kosovo Elderly Find Solace – and Rivalry – in Ancient Game
A hierarchy of royal figures occupies two wooden tables placed near the fountain, the so-called Fontana, in the Ulpiana neighborhood of the Kosovo capital, Pristina.
Amid cries of defeat and triumph, the elderly from the area gather every afternoon to play chess under the shade of the trees.
Balkan Region’s Media Pluralism Stagnated in Pandemic, Report Warns
Balkan countries have experienced a general stagnation or deterioration in terms of media pluralism and media freedoms during 2020, shows a new study, "Media Pluralism Monitor 2021", published by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom at the European University Institute.
Why did Erdogan start the "battle for Kosovo" from Cyprus?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been saying that for years and decades when it comes to the Balkans and Kosovo, although recently there have been cracks in the relations between Ankara and Pristina, longtime Serbian media correspondent from Ankara Vojislav Lalic told Sputnik about Erdogan's new message that contradicts Serbia's national interests.
Remote Albanian Village Happily Juggles Different Identities
Three years ago, Albania declared the village home to an ethnic Bulgarian minority.
Some were nonplussed. The village has rich traditions of its own but no visible connection with Bulgaria, though many are Gorani a Slavic Muslim community that straddles Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania and whose language is Slavic.
Asian Migrants Fill Jobs That Picky Albanians Now Spurn
Haque is one of 10 Bangladeshi workers employed by the INCA factory in Lezha. The manager says Albania no longer supplies enough labour, forcing him to seek workers far away.
"I plan to stay here for a long time because I have no other solution," Abudalep, 28, another Bangladeshi migrant employed at the INCA factory told BIRN. "In my country there is no work," he adds.
Struggle to Save Wild Vjosa River Nears Decisive Moment
In an interview with BIRN, a German ecologist warns of what Europe risks losing if dams get the better of the 'unique' Vjosa River running through Greece and Albania.
Albania’s EU Path Held Hostage by ‘EU Nationalisms’, PM Says
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama has criticised the way the European Union is handling the integration process for his own country and that of neighbouring North Macedonia, saying the two countries are being held hostage by the nationalisms of larger EU members.
ForMin Aurescu: COVID-19 pandemic will not be the EU's last challenge; further consolidation needed
The European Union needs to be further consolidated because the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will not be the EU's last challenge, Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Thursday. "This pandemic will not be the EU's last challenge.
Albania Ex-Deputy Interior Minister Under Arrest on Bribery Charges
Albania's Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organised Crime, SPAK, on Tuesday said that a former Deputy Interior Minister from the ruling Socialist Party, Rovena Voda, was under house arrest for suspected bribery.
Angela Merkel's farewell message: Serbia in the EU
She told her successors that the process should not be interrupted and that, despite the need for a lot of engagement and patience, they should use the opportunity to accept the countries of the Western Balkans - Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.
Russia Dismisses Albanian Spying Reports as ‘NATO Propaganda’
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday accused Albanian media of "fuelling hype around the criminal cases opened by local prosecutors against two Russians allegedly suspected of espionage", calling the whole affair "NATO propaganda".
TAP signs deal with Albania to deliver first gas exit point Fier
A cooperation and handover agreement for the Fier South gas facility was signed between Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) AG, the Albanian Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and Albgaz Sh.a., a statement from TAP said on July 7.
TAP will design, procure and construct the gas exit point with a multimillion Euro investment.