Albania
Albania to amend protected areas law after protests and EU pressure
Announcement follows weeks of protests known as the “Flamingo Revolution”, initially sparked by plans for a luxury resort in the protected Vjosa-Narta lagoon area on the Adriatic coast.
Albanian police investigate alleged campaign of fake one-star reviews targeting government-linked businesses
Police reported “suspicious activity” by over 10,000 social media accounts that left negative online reviews of government-linked businesses during Flamingo Revolution.
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Protesters demand a better Albania on 41st day of 'Flamingo Revolution'
The prime minister “has sold our country” one protester tells IntelliNews, as protest movement grows far beyond its environmental origins.
BALKAN BLOG: Albania's bird symbolism takes flight in political battle
‘Flamingo revolution’ protesters take to the streets of Tirana nightly, but government officials dismiss them as ‘crows’ and ‘ravens’.
Albanian PM defends €4mn state support for Kanye West concert
Tirana says the event will boost tourism, attract international attention and create long-term opportunities, despite criticism over the cost and controversy surrounding the US rapper.
EBRD says bad-loan ratio in emerging Europe falls to record low
Average NPL ratio declined to a historic low of 1.86% at the end of 2025 as lending growth outpaced the increase in impaired loans.
MEPs and environmentalists warn Albania’s Kushner-linked resort sets dangerous precedent
A luxury tourism development linked to Donald Trump’s son-in-law sparked the ‘Flamingo revolution’. Opponents fear it will become a precedent for large-scale construction in protected coastal areas.
Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe growth holds firm in 2026, says wiiw
Region seen outpacing eurozone, but geopolitical risks and industrial weakness cloud outlook.
Flamingo Revolution poses biggest challenge to Albanian PM in years
Weeks of anti-government protests in Albania have evolved into the most significant grassroots challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama in years, according to an OSW analysis.
Albania's Jet Bank launches as country's first digital-only lender
New lender enters a banking market where cash remains widely used and digital financial services are still developing.
EU mulling “membership-lite” financial benefits for candidate countries to keep enlargement on track
The European Commission is preparing plans to grant European Union candidate countries some financial benefits while they wait for full membership as the process becomes bogged down in internal wrangling.
Greece aims to bring Montenegro into the EU during its 2027 EU Council presidency
Greek officials argue that Russia's war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and the growing influence of external powers in the Western Balkans have made EU enlargement more strategically important.
TIIF 2026: Albania looks to Central Asia and Middle Corridor links to Asia
When Albanian President Bajram Begaj addressed the Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF), he was making the case for a relationship that, by his own government's admission, has barely existed for the past three decades.
European Parliament calls for sustained reforms across Western Balkans
MEPs reaffirming support for Western Balkan countries' membership aspirations while urging sustained reforms in the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts and democratic governance as conditions for progress.
Clashes erupt in Tirana as anti-government protesters confront Socialist Party supporters
At the centre of the dispute are plans for high-end tourism investments by a company associated with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
BALKAN BLOG: US U-turn on Albanian opposition leader comes at a dangerous moment for PM
Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government has been targeted by a wave of mass protests dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution".
"America is great," says Albanian opposition leader after US lifts sanctions
Former secretary of state Antony Blinken banned Sali Berisha and his family from entering the US in 2021 because of "significant corruption".
EU warns Albania's accession process at risk over controversial Kushner-linked resort
Official warns candidate countries must fully align with EU environmental law as part of their accession path.
Albania protests against Kushner-linked resort enter 10th day
What began as a local campaign against a proposed tourism project in the coastal area of Zvërnec has evolved into a broader protest movement targeting Prime Minister Edi Rama's government.
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Albania's Rama hits back at Iran as he suspends Kushner island resort
Albania's Edi Rama has hit back at Iran over alleged cyberattacks as his government suspended Jared Kushner's $4.7bn island resort amid protests and an EU warning that the project threatens Albania's accession bid.