Judicial Appointments: Albania’s High Judicial Council elects three new members—Sandër Simoni, Fatri Islamaj, and Brunilda Kadi—reshaping the leadership of the country’s top judicial body. Constitution vs Politics: Supreme Court chief Sokol Sadushi says judges’ salary disputes can’t be settled via political dialogue; the Constitutional Court must rule. Local Government Under Pressure: Tirana City Council asks SPAK and prison authorities to let detained Mayor Erion Veliaj attend its Sept. 29 meeting, in person or by video, as territorial reform legislation is on the agenda. National Security Focus: President Bajram Begaj convenes a National Security Council on Monday after the arrest of former SHISH chief Vlora Hyseni, amid questions over alleged state-secret leaks. AI and Disinformation: Prime Minister Edi Rama tells the UN Albania is building a “digital mirror” AI system to track coordinated political manipulation, citing the “Flamingo Revolution” protests as an example. Economy Watch: EBRD keeps Albania’s 2026 GDP growth forecast at 3.5%, citing tourism and remittances while flagging energy and climate risks. Energy Transition: ERE drafts rules for renewable energy communities, setting procedures for registration and operation. Public Procurement: Albania cancels a €45m hemodialysis tender after a sole bidder was declared winner, citing significant errors in tender documents. Tourism Momentum: Albania climbs 10 places to 53rd in the WEF global tourism index, and records 2.4m foreign entries in August. EU Diplomacy: Ursula von der Leyen begins a Balkan tour in Tirana, with Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia next.