Europe Albania Police and prosecution reports show a rise in seizures of small arms across Albania, as crime gangs search both modern weaponry and cheaper firearms, looted from military depots in the 1990s; the country has thus become a hub for small-arms trafficking
Europe Albania Thousands of believers gathered in Skanderbeg Square to perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan 2026; according to the 2023 Albanian census, Muslims constitute approximately 45,86% to 50,67% of the population
Europe Albania Protests organized last Saturday by opposition Democratic Party have degenerated into violence against people and property, resulting in arrests and a notable development as case materials have been submitted to Special Prosecution Against Corruption
Europe Albania 20 people have been arrested in the port city of Durres as prosecution said they played a role in shipping hazardous waste produced by an Albanian steel mill to Thailand; the operation is being continued for the arrests of 13 other suspects
Europe Albania The year-long ban on social network TikTok has been lifted upon government decision; reports say new filters have been introduced to implement the desired grade of security for children, though details haven't been disclosed yet
Europe Albania For many families in Tirana buying an apartment, a realistic goal up to a short time ago, is now unaffordable: wages haven't risen at pace with apartment prices surging up to 5.500 euros sq/m in a market that experts say is distorted by speculation
Europe Albania Despite political tensions sparked by corruption cases involving high profile personalities, the new chief of anti-graft prosecution in Albania announces a tough approach to guarantee that “no one is above the law”
Europe Albania Judges could raise their retirement age to 75 to help reduce the backlog of court cases; the proposal has been discussed by the parliament commission working on a series of technical amendments to justice reform laws, in the absence of opposition
Europe Albania A 51-tons shipment of maize for animal feeding imported from Serbia has been blocked as Albania'National Food Authority found traces of aflatoxin B1 in two test on different batches
Europe Albania Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj will run the capital from jail until the next elections in 2027, creating an unprecedented situation in local politics, PM Edi Rama apparently confirmed; Veliaj denies charges of corruption, money laundering and concealing wealth
Europe Albania A group of IT experts proposed an AI ‘candidate’ for the upcoming Tirana mayoral election, she will be called called TirANA (Tirana Algorithmic Neural Assistant); Albania’s government had appointed an AI-generated digital assistant as a ‘minister’
Europe Albania Alert has increased over money laundering and more focus is given to the phenomenon in the 2026-2030 guidelines as cross-border transactions have increased
Europe Albania Byzantine-era churches which have survived the ordeals of history are being protected by Christians, with the help of Muslim neighbours; the Church of Transfiguration is a symbol of peaceful cohabitation between believers of different religions