Ilir Beqaj, high Socialist official mired in corruption investigations, arrested for abuse of EU funds 

Ilir Beqaj, high Socialist official mired in corruption investigations, arrested for abuse of EU funds 

TIRANA, July 4, 2024 – Ilir Beqaj, Albania’s former minister of health who has a history of holding important position in the ruling Socialist Party, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of involvement in a corruption scheme to profit from funds

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Obituary: Ismail Kadare, global literary titan who helped ‘making Albania’

Obituary: Ismail Kadare, global literary titan who helped ‘making Albania’

TIRANA, June 1, 2024 – Albania’s greatest writer and perennial Nobel Prize candidate, Ismail Kadare, has died at the age of 88.   Kadare had permanently moved back to his homeland of Albania from France in recent years and died of

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Albania’s population shrank by 429,000,  census results show

Albania’s population shrank by 429,000,  census results show

TIRANA, June 28, 2024 – Albania’s population shrank by almost 14 percent in 12 years, losing about 429,000 residents, according to the country’s official 2023 census, the results of which were just released.  The census conductor, the Institute of Statistics

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With court recognition of Berisha-led DP, main opposition party shows signs of unity 

With court recognition of Berisha-led DP, main opposition party shows signs of unity 

TIRANA, June 25, 2024 – Ending years of turmoil, a court has placed Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party officially under the control of the faction that has the most support among voters.  The decision means the state-recognized seal and funding

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AIIS chosen as institutional partner of NATO Public Forum 2024 in Washington

AIIS chosen as institutional partner of NATO Public Forum 2024 in Washington

TIRANA, May 31, 2024 – The Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) has been chosen as an institutional partner of the NATO Public Forum 2024, the flagship public conference at the NATO Summit in Washington D.C. to be held on

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Albanians continue to lead W. Balkans list of EU asylum applications 

Albanians continue to lead W. Balkans list of EU asylum applications 

TIRANA, May 28, 2024 — Nationals from Albania and Kosovo top the list of asylum seekers from the Western Balkans applying in European Union countries during the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest report by the European Union

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Credit collections scheme leads to arrests, license suspensions 

Credit collections scheme leads to arrests, license suspensions 

TIRANA, May 26, 2024 – An Albanian court has ordered the arrest of several individuals in connection with a credit collections scheme that allegedly defrauded thousands of citizens. According to the prosecution, a non-banking lender and collection enforcement companies orchestrated

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Tourism boom not translating into into higher overall consumption, data shows 

Tourism boom not translating into into higher overall consumption, data shows 

TIRANA, May 11, 2024 – It’s the bright spot in Albania’s image: the country is currently seeing a boom in international tourist visits.  But most foreign tourists are spending too little money and their input has not been enough to

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Strengthening rule of law and democracy key to Albania’s EU bid, EU ambassador says 

Strengthening rule of law and democracy key to Albania’s EU bid, EU ambassador says 

TIRANA, May 9, 2024 – As Albania and the European Union marked Europe Week, the head of the European Union Delegation to Albania, Ambassador Silvio Gonzato says the fight against corruption and organized crime is essential for Albania’s progress towards

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Europol’s PANDORA operation shuts down 12 phone fraud call centres

Europol’s PANDORA operation shuts down 12 phone fraud call centres

In the early hours of 18 April 2024, German, Albanian, Bosnian-Herzegovinian, Kosovar and Lebanese police forces raided 12 call centres identified as the source of thousands of daily scam calls. 21 persons were taken into custody during this Europol-supported action

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