Latest News from Albania
Turkish plane leaves China with evacuees
A cargo plane with 42 passengers departed from China's Wuhan city for Turkey after evacuating Turkish citizens from the heart of a deadly coronavirus outbreak, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Feb. 1.
Eleven military personnel, six health employees, two journalists, and a Foreign Ministry representative are on board the plane that arrived at 6 a.m. local time (2200GMT) in Wuhan.
Romania's Transgaz signs MoU on development of natural gas networks in Eastern Europe
Romania's Transgaz national natural gas transmission corporation signed on January 28 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Partnership for the Development of Natural Gas Networks in Eastern Europe (EE-NGP), according to a press statement released on Friday to the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The memorandum was signed by all the entities that are members of the project.
The Western Balkans will not benefit from Brexit - there are no shortcuts
"There are established rules for the accession process," Sassoli said at a news conference in Brussels.
Asked what the UK's exit from the EU means for the Western Balkan countries and whether any of them will be the ones that will take up its vacancy, he said that in addition to the established rules, there is a need for exchange of ideas and dialogue when it comes to enlargement.
Albanian, Kosovo Football Chiefs Plan Joint Cup Honouring Saint
Albania's governing football body, the FSHF, together with Kosovo's Football Federation, the FFK, has filed a request to UEFA to form a joint a new joint football competition named after the Catholic saint of Albanian origin, Mother Teresa. It will be called the "Mother Teresa Cup".
Albania Socialists Step Back From Media Laws Showdown
Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama speaking in parliament on 30 January. Photo: Malton Dibra/LSA
The head of the Socialist parliamentary group, Taulant Balla, said the vote would be postponed while the Council of Venice, the advisory body to the Council of Europe, carried out an express evaluation.
Roma Face Brunt of Western Balkans Demographic Crisis
This is the latest in a series of articles about the demographic crisis facing Central and Southeast Europe.
See also: Bye-Bye, Balkans: A Region in Critical Demographic Decline
ForMin Aurescu: Credible enlargement process of the European Union, a strategic investment
A credible enlargement process of the European Union is a strategic investment and the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia should be opened "without further delay or preconditions," Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Wednesday, as he participated in an event that marked the taking over by Croatia of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Merkel to push at March EU summit for Albania, N.Macedonia accession talks
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she would push for a start to European Union accession talks for Albania and North Macedonia at an EU summit in March.
EU plans intensive talks on future enlargement procedure
The President of the European Council said on Friday the bloc will be holding intensive discussions in coming weeks on how future enlargement should be managed.
Charles Michel, who was in the Albanian capital, Tirana, to meet with Prime Minister Edi Rama, said all member countries "are unanimous on one point — that the Western Balkans' future should be toward Europe."
Albanian Mayor Probed Over Cocaine Snorting Video
Prosecutors in Albania summoned a mayor for questioning on Thursday over a video filmed by a security camera from above, showing someone apparently snorting cocaine.
Balkans Risks Being Caught in Crossfire Over Middle East
Albania became the target of Iranian ire when it started hosting the MEK, a cult-like organisation and one of the bitterest adversaries of the Iranian regime. In 2013,
Transparency Questions over Albanian Effort to Rid Courts of Corruption
For the first time, however, the IMO observer assigned to the case - Italian judge Ferdinando Buatier de Mongeot - objected, and asked that his dissenting opinion be published alongside the Chamber's decision.
Huddled in conference, the Chamber's judges voted 6-1 against the request, according to documents obtained by BIRN via a freedom of information request.
Venice Commission to Probe Albania’s Media Laws
Pressure is growing on the Albanian government over its "anti-defamation" laws, after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, CoE, said it had asked its advisory body, the Venice Commission, for its opinion.
President Iohannis to attend Fifth World Holocaust Forum
AGERPRES special correspondent Florentina Peia reports reports: Romania's President Klaus Iohannis participates today in the Fifth World Holocaust Forum dedicated Holocaust remembrance, which takes place at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.
Corruption Fight Faltering in Balkans, Central Europe, Transparency Says
Both declined from last year, when Bosnia was ranked in 89th place, with 38 points, and North Macedonia came in 93rd place, with 37 points.
Bosnia shares its 106th place with Albania, which also declined in the rankings. It came in 99th place last year.