Latest News | Tirana News Digest

Rescued bear cub settles into new life in Pristina sanctuary

The Globe and Mail · July 9, 2025

A young male brown bear cub rescued from Albania has been settling into its new life at a wildlife sanctuary in Kosovo. A worker at the Four Paws Bear Sanctuary in Pristina said the cub, named Dori, was rescued after being illegally put up for...

Customs corruption ring at border crossing with Albania dismantled

Kathimerini ·

NEWS [InTime News] Thirteen customs officials – including the supervisor – stationed at the Mavromati border crossing to Albania have appeared before an investigating magistrate following their arrest by the police’s internal affairs division. The...

Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd Evaded Taxes by Declaring Losses for 20 Years; Fier Prosecution Issues 14 Precautionary Measures

Albanian Daily News ·

Fier Prosecution has issued 14 precautionary measures against Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd, accused for “Creation of fraudulent schemes regarding value added tax,” “Concealment of income,” “Laundering the proceeds of criminal offense or criminal...

Albania’s ‘Lads of London’ Create Bigger Problems for Their Home Country

Balkan Insight · July 2, 2025

A dry season, newswise, from the Balkans, has been filled a bit over the last week by a series of posts on X exchanged between British far-right leader Nigel Farage and Albanian MP Edi Rama over the level of criminality among Albanians living in...

Albania evacuates citizens from Iran amid strained ties

Gazeta Tema · July 1, 2025

TIRANA, July 1 – Albania has evacuated a family of five from Iran, despite having no diplomatic relations with Tehran, Foreign Minister Igli Hasani confirmed in a televised interview. Hasani told Top Channel the operation was completed five days...

Tourism lifts Albania’s fuel and beer sales

Gazeta Tema · July 4, 2025

A surge in tourist arrivals is boosting consumption of excise goods in Albania, including fuel, beer, cigarettes, and coffee, according to customs data for the first half of 2025. Fuel use hit a record 357,000 tonnes, up 14% year-on-year, driven...

Albania’s manufacturing sector faces fresh job cuts

Gazeta Tema · July 1, 2025

Albania’s garment and footwear industry faces new factory closures and layoffs after summer, driven by falling orders, euro depreciation, and rising costs, industry leaders warned. Edvin Prençe, head of ProEksport Albania, said the sector employs...

Albania sees strong deposit and lending growth

Gazeta Tema · June 30, 2025

Deposits in both the lek and euro have surged in Albania, according to Bank of Albania data as of the end of May. Lek-denominated savings reached 645 billion leks, rising by 5 billion from April, largely driven by businesses but significantly...

These Countries Let You Stay for 6 Months or More: Long-Term Travel on the Rise

Tunisie Numerique · July 7, 2025

As more travelers look to extend their stays abroad, certain countries stand out for offering particularly flexible visa policies—allowing stays of six months or even longer. In 2024–2025, about a dozen destinations have adopted immigration...

Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd Evaded Taxes by Declaring Losses for 20 Years; Fier Prosecution Issues 14 Precautionary Measures, Executes 9, Declares 5 Wanted

Albanian Daily News ·

Fier Prosecution issued 14 precautionary measures against Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd, accused for “Creation of fraudulent schemes regarding value added tax,” “Concealment of income,” “Laundering the proceeds of criminal offense or criminal...

Moldova and Albania Share Best Practices in the EU Accession Process

MoldovaLive · July 3, 2025

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov discussed the stages of EU accession negotiations and best practices for European integration with Albania’s Ambassador to the European Union, Ferit Hoxha, during a recent meeting...

Albania’s anti-corruption office probes DP’s $6M US lobbying deal

Gazeta Tema · June 30, 2025

Albania’s anti-corruption office has opened a criminal investigation into the Democratic Party’s (DP) $6 million lobbying contract with a Washington-based consulting firm. Signed on April 4, 2025, the contract was brokered through the “Make...

Opposition leader calls Albania 'Europe’s first narco-state' at OSCE

Gazeta Tema · July 3, 2025

TIRANA, July 3 — Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha told the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and members of the European People’s Party (EPP) that Albania has become “Europe’s first and only narco-state,” accusing the government of systemic...

Albanian Parliament Speaker Arrives on Two-Day Official Visit to Bulgaria

Bulgarian News Agency ·

Albanian Parliament Speaker Elisa Spiropali arrived on a two-day official visit to Bulgaria on Wednesday at the invitation of National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova, the legislature in Sofia reported in a press release. Spiropali was welcomed...

Bulgarian MEP Kyuchyuk: It Was a Mistake for Issues Like Identity and Language to Appear in a Political Report

Bulgarian News Agency ·

"I believe that from the very beginning it was a mistake for issues like identity and language to appear in a political report," said Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe/MRF) on Wednesday in response to a BTA question in Strasbourg. Asked...

EU Rapporteur Calls North Macedonia Reliable Partner, but Says Reforms Still Needed

Bulgarian News Agency ·

North Macedonia is a reliable partner, especially when it comes to foreign and security policy, but reforms are still needed for the country to move forward on the path to EU membership, European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur on North Macedonia...

The Hague Judgments Convention Enters into Force in the UK

JD Supra - California · July 9, 2025

On 1 July 2025, the Hague Convention of July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (the “Convention”) came into force in the UK. The Convention allows civil and commercial judgments from one...

St Pats form 'unacceptable' says Stephen Kenny as FC Hegelmann visit in UEFA Conference League

Irish Examiner · July 9, 2025

St Patrick’s Athletic must rediscover their shooting boots to clear the first hurdle of the Conference League against Lithuanian opposition. FC Hegelmann are joint-second in the table of the A Lyga that, like Ireland, runs through the summer. Last...

Italy and Albania target cocaine-linked property ring in joint operation

Gazeta Tema · July 3, 2025

Italian and Albanian prosecutors have frozen more than €4 million in assets as part of a joint investigation into a drug trafficking and money laundering network allegedly led by two Albanian brothers. The group is accused of smuggling cocaine...

Documentary About Albania! German Journalist and Director Visit Shkodra

Euronews Albania · July 2, 2025

Touristic Albania is gaining increasing attention from major international media outlets, which are turning their eyes to the country as an undiscovered and highly attractive travel destination. German journalist Sussane Petersen from the renowned...