Albania

Albania to choose chief of defense as president

TIRANA, (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that his party has picked the country's chief of defense to be the new president after failing to choose a consensus…

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Five die after tugboat sinks off southern Italy

ROME (Reuters) - Five people died after a tugboat sank off the southern Italian coast while pulling a pontoon on a route between Italy and Albania, the coastguard said on…

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Albania’s highest court revokes lawmakers’ decision to sack president

Albania’s constitutional court has revoked parliament's vote to sack President Ilir Meta for allegedly advocating violence and violating the constitution. In June, some 104 lawmakers in the 140-seat parliament, mainly…

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Arrests in Albania, Italy and Greece in migrant smuggling investigation

Italian and Albanian police on Wednesday arrested 47 people, 25 in Albania and 22 in Italy and one in Greece, on suspicion of smuggling migrants through the Balkans from Greece…

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Albanian police fire tear gas as protesters storm party offices

TIRANA, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and water cannon in Tirana on Saturday as stone-throwing protesters stormed into the headquarters of Albania's opposition Democratic Party in a…

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U.S. to open Special Operations Forces base in Albania

The United States Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) will open a forward-based headquarters in Albania on a rotational basis, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama announced. SOCEUR, based in Stuttgart, Germany,…

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Albania votes in its first female dominated government

Albania's parliament on Friday voted in the first cabinet to be dominated by women since the multi-party system was introduced 30 years ago. After a parliamentary session which lasted more…

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EU removes Serbia, five other countries from safe travel list

The European Union has removed Japan and five other countries from its list of safe travel destinations, meaning visitors or people returning from those countries are likely to face tighter…

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Plane carrying evacuated Afghans in transit to U.S. arrives in Albania

A plane carrying 121 people evacuated from Afghanistan and in transit to the United States arrived in Albania’s Tirana airport early of Friday. Passengers included babies, children and people in…

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Airlifted Afghans to receive temporary shelter in Albania

Yuri Kim, ambassador of the United States to Albania, has revealed that a contingent of Afghans will be arriving in the Balkan country, without giving a precise figure. "We do…

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EU helps Italy, Greece, Albania and North Macedonia to fight ‘devastating’ forest fires

As forest fires continue affecting various regions in the Mediterranean and the Western Balkans, the European Commission is swiftly mobilising support to assist countries in limiting the spread of the…

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Slovenia pushes for Albania and N. Macedonia EU membership

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union should let Albania and North Macedonia move ahead with membership talks by October before a special Balkans summit organised by Slovenia, which holds the EU presidency, its…

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Albania’s parliament votes to sack president

Albania's parliament voted on Wednesday to sack President Ilir Meta over statements which the ruling party said advocated violence and violated the constitution. Some 104 of parliament's 140 deputies voted…

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Europe’s police crack down on cross-border crime groups

More than 200 people were arrested last week in 17 European countries in a coordinated crackdown on cross-border movements of stolen goods, illegal drugs and cash, the European police agency…

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Albania donates COVID-19 vaccines to Kosovo health workers

Hundreds of health workers from Kosovo travelled to Albania over the weekend to be inoculated against COVID-19 after the neighbouring country offered to donate some of its supplies. Kosovo, where…

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Russian diplomat expelled from Albania for breaking Covid rules

Russia’s foreign ministry vowed on Friday to retaliate in kind against Albania for expelling a Russian diplomat, a move it said was aimed at harming bilateral relations, the RIA news…

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Malta: Daniel Muka: Albanian arrested by the Police in Floriana

Albanian Daniel Muka, 29, was arrested in connection with the double murder in Sliema that left Chris Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski dead. Source: Net News Updated 17:25pm

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Major Albanian-Italian drug trafficking network dismantled with support from Eurojust

With the timely support provided by Eurojust, judicial authorities and police in Italy and Albania have arrested 37 members of an organised criminal group (OCG) responsible for international trafficking of…

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Albania to open land borders, hotel beaches on Monday

Albania will re-open crèches and kindergartens and kick off its tourism season on June 1, the health minister announced, despite reporting a sharp daily rise in coronavirus infections. After three weeks…

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Angry protests after demolition of Albanian national theatre

Albanian authorities began demolishing the national theatre building early on Sunday after dragging away two dozen actors and activists protecting the site, drawing a large crowd chanting “shame” and “dictatorship”.…

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Albania set to legalise cannabis for medical use

Albania plans to legalise the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, six years after beginning a crackdown on an illegal trade that turned it, by some accounts, into Europe's…

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Albania to partially reopen economy

Albania’s government plans to allow its mining and oil industries to reopen on Monday, along with hundreds of businesses including small retailers, food and fish processing, farming and fishing. In…

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2-8 year jail terms for coronavirus quarantine rule-breakers in Albania

Albania amended its penal code on Thursday to punish anyone breaking coronavirus quarantine and self-isolation rules and infecting others with up to eight years in jail as it slowly prepares…

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Albania extends lockdown

Albanian schools, cafes, restaurants and other public venues will remain shut and restrictions on social and economic activity will stay in place till the end of the coronavirus outbreak, Health…

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Albania sends 30 doctors and nurses to Italy

Albania has sent 30 doctors and nurses to Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Albanian Prime minister announced on Saturday. The Albanian medical team was…

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Albanians will need a permit to leave the house

Albanians will need a permit to leave the house to get necessities as part of stricter measures to contain the outbreak there. Permission can be obtained by app or text…

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EU moves to start membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia

The European Union can start membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, according to a draft decision by the bloc's 27 member states seen by Reuters on Monday and due…

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Albanian Army prepared to use force to enforce curfew

Albania's Government has deployed its Army to enforce a strict 40-hour curfew. The curfew is hoped to slow the spread of coronavirus and follows people flouting previous measures. go out…

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Albania cancels flights and ferries to Italy until April 3

Albania's government has shut down schools for two weeks and cancel flights and ferries to Italy until April 3. Just before midnight, the health ministry said a 28-year-old man and…

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Alitalia suspends all operations from Malpensa, Albania confirms first coronavirus cases

The number of people to have died from the coronavirus in Italy has shot up by 133 in a day to 366, officials say. The total number of infections leapt…

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Albania President warns his country could become the ‘North Korea of Europe’ again

Albania risks becoming once again “the North Korea of Europe,” its own president Ilir Meta warned on Thursday as he defended his role in a constitutional clash that threatens to…

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Albania and Kosovo considering shared embassies

The Albanian Minister-in-office for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Çakaj and the Foreign Minister of Kosovo Glauk Konjufca met to discuss the establishment of common economic space for free movement…

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€1.15 billion pledged to help Albania after November earthquake

International donors pledged 1.15 billion euros on Monday to help Albania rebuild after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Balkan country in later November, killing 51 people. "This is phenomenal…

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France may soon clear the way for EU membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia

French President Emmanuel Macron indicated Saturday that France may soon clear the way for the European Union to launch membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia, but made it clear…

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New accession methodology adopted by EC College of Commissioners

The College of the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a new methodology for the accession negotiations today. “The whole process needs to be more credible, more predictable, more…

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EU membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia should start in March -Merkel

Angela Merkel said on Monday she wants a deal on opening EU membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia in March, citing "geopolitical" necessity. "Anyone who looks at the map,…

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Merkel to push for Albania, North Macedonia EU accession talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she would push for a start to European Union accession talks for Albania and North Macedonia. "Above all, we want to reach an…

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EU to host international donors’ conference for Albania to help with reconstruction after earthquake

The European Union will organise an international donors' conference on 17 February in Brussels to support the reconstruction efforts in Albania after the earthquake that struck the country at the…

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The Year in Pictures – November: Earthquake in Albania

Locals look at a destroyed house after an earthquake in Durres, Albania, 27 November 2019. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit the country on 26 November 2019, leaving at least 50…

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Another earthquake rocks Albania

A new earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck Albania on Thursday evening. The Albanian seismological institute said the epicentre was nine kilometres north of Durres. The American USGS gave the intensity…

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Malta, one of nine EU countries push back France’s drive to change EU enlargement process

Malta together with Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia have backed a counter-proposal to France's push aimed at changing the process for taking in new members, arguing…

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Albania’s prosecutors issue arrest warrants on charges including murder and abuse of office

Albanian prosecutors issued 17 arrest warrants on charges including murder and abuse of office over the deaths of 51 people killed when a 6.4-magnitude earthquake toppled dozens of buildings last…

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Buffon and Ronaldo meet two kids affected by Albania’s earthquake

Gianluigi Buffon and Cristiano Ronaldo aren't just two extraordinary champions on the pitch, but also great men off it. This was demonstrated by the Juventus duo's latest gesture towards two…

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Search ends for survivors of Albanian earthquake as death toll reaches 51

Albania ended its search on Saturday for survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed 51 people, and buried more victims of the disaster including toddler twins and their mother. The…

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New 4.5 earthquake strikes Albania

A new strong aftershock of magnitude 4.5 on the Richter scale was recorded a few minutes ago in Albania. According to the Albanian seismological institute, the epicenter was identified a…

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Death Toll Rises in Albania, Prime Minister’s future daughter-in-law among victims

The death toll in earthquake-ravaged Albania is set to surpass 50, after more bodies were pulled from the rubble and hope faded for finding additional survivors from Tuesday's earthquake as…

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Rescuers keep working in Albanian town as death toll hits 40

Rescue teams desperately sought survivors under rubble in Albania’s western town of Durres on Thursday hoping to pull out toddler twins alive, two days after a 6.4 magnitude quake killed…

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Albania rocked by another earthquake as rescue efforts continue

Albania was rocked by a 5.5-magnitude tremor on Wednesday, a day after its strongest earthquake in decades killed at least 26 people and injured over 650 more. The latest quake…

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Rescuers search into the night after deadly Albanian earthquake, at least 20 dead

Rescuers are searching the rubble of buildings into the night in Albania, where a strong earthquake killed over 20 people and injured 600 on Tuesday. Hours later, another quake rattled…

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Six people killed and hundreds more injured in a powerful earthquake in Albania – Update

A earthquake with magnitude 6.4 (ml/mb) was detected on Tuesday near Tirana, Podgorica, Durrës, Elbasan, Vlorë, Shkodër, Fier-Çifçi, Fier, Albania, Montenegro. The temblor was reported at 03:54:10/3:54 am (local time…

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Greece backs EU ambitions of North Macedonia and Albania

Greece offered words of encouragement for North Macedonia and Albania on Thursday as the two countries' efforts to open accession talks with the European Union continue to be frustrated. Greek Prime…

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The risks of the France’s obstacle to North Macedonia and Albania’s EU membership

North Macedonia and Albania face a risk of surging nationalism and unravelling economic reforms after the EU closed the door for years on their hopes of joining the bloc, the…

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Strong earthquake rattles Albania

Early Friday morning an earthquake with the intensity of 4.7 rocked the southern part of Albania. The tremors were felt mostly in the city of Korca where initial reports indicate…

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Albanian police say they foiled Iranian ‘terrorist’ plot

Albanian police said they had thwarted a planned attack by a Tehran-backed “terrorist cell” against opponents of the Tehran regime in the Balkan country last year involving three Iranians…

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EP President Sassoli critical of European Council’s failure to agree on EU enlargement talks

The European Parliament President David Sassoli, in a statement after Council Conclusions regarding enlargement, which would have seen the start of talks with Albania and North Macedonia, said “We are…

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France to pause EU enlargement

France blocked a European push to launch membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania yesterday, saying it could not approve negotiations until Brussels reformed the “endless soap opera” of admitting…

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France calls for reform in EU accession process

EU ministers are meeting Tuesday to discuss whether Albania and North Macedonia can begin talks to join the bloc. But DW reports that France has voiced opposition and said it would veto…

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