Today: Nov 13, 2026

Are Europe’s Star Architects Helping Launder Albania’s Criminal Economy?

12 mins read
June 29, 2026
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The Albanian Files suggests that international architecture may have served not only as design, but as a prestigious façade for opaque money, captured institutions and one-man rule. Tirana Times, June 29, 2026 – A glossy architectural volume meant to celebrate Albania’s transformation has unexpectedly become one of the most revealing political documents of the year. The Albanian Files, a 750-page publication by Lars Müller Publishers, brings together projects, notes and reflections from dozens of internationally known architects and studios that have worked in Albania over the past two decades. Prime Minister Edi Rama, a former artist who has long presented…

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