EU Accession Momentum: Albania moved closer to EU membership after completing the first three sections of accession talks—science, education and foreign relations—while the government targets full negotiations by 2027 and EU membership by 2030. SPAK Court Update: SPAK asked the court to sentence Monika Kryemadhi’s mother, Fatime Kryemadhi, to probation instead of prison in a money-laundering case tied to a nearly €800,000 luxury villa, alongside requests for asset confiscation and a conviction for a former AKEP head. Financial Crime Crackdown: Albania’s central bank revoked 83 currency exchange licenses after inspectors found failures on identity checks, sanctions screening and transaction monitoring; separately, tax authorities audited about 200 high-income individuals, flagging €770,000 in suspicious findings. Tourism Under Attack Online: Police are investigating a coordinated fake-review campaign targeting hotels and restaurants, with investigators saying they found over 10,000 suspicious accounts and that the scheme is hitting businesses during peak summer season. Human Rights Watch: Albania’s Ombudsman is inspecting Shënkoll Prison over overcrowding and a shortage of medical staff, warning conditions fall below European standards. EU-Funded Security Work: The EU’s special envoy for disarmament visited Albania to assess SALW control efforts supported through UNDP/SEESAC. Travel Disruption: A Ryanair flight to Tirana turned into a 12-hour ordeal after severe weather forced two diversions and police intervention during a passenger “mutiny.”