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Home/Archive/Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Archive

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

37 stories

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Politics

Only Politics
  1. 20:08GovernmentRama offers students a 25,000-lek scholarship and a new Pact as students march for a 16th dayThe prime minister announced a 15,000-lek increase in scholarships for students from needy families and a digital window for dialogue, while protesters kept marching through Tirana demanding his resignation.
  2. 20:01GovernmentGovernment: fines of up to 500,000 lek for masked protesters and a register of those investigated for violenceThe Council of Ministers approved normative acts that amend the law on assemblies, create an electronic register of people suspected of violence at protests and compensate damaged businesses.
  3. 15:00PartiesBerisha: The claim that PD and PS are the same is the most anti-Albanian, we won't let the student protest be hijackedDemocratic Party leader Sali Berisha told his parliamentary group that comparing the opposition with the government aims to crush citizens' hope, and pledged protection for the student protest.
  4. 14:36DiplomacyBalla meets new EU ambassador Sofia Moreira de Sousa: Membership remains a national strategic objectiveSocialist Party parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla discussed the pace of negotiations and Parliament's role in aligning legislation with the new EU ambassador in Tirana.
  5. 14:10GovernmentRama on the protests: No one speaks for the people, I will stay in office until the last day of my contractIn a message to citizens, Prime Minister Edi Rama called the protests of recent weeks the aggression of a crowd of urban rioters and said the people speak only through the vote.
  6. 12:50DiplomacyOSCE ambassador Tarran: The main problem is the lack of dialogue, violence has no place in democracyMichel Tarran, head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, said in Elbasan that people feel their voice is not heard and expressed regret over the violent incidents in Tirana.

Crime & Courts

Only Crime & Courts
  1. 17:33CourtsAdministrative Court of Appeal suspends lawyers' boycott of Special Court hearingsThe court granted a request by the Albanian Anti-Corruption Lawyers Association and suspended, as a precautionary measure, two decisions of the National Chamber of Advocates ordering a boycott of hearings.
  2. 15:57PoliceCalls for violence during protests: Anti-terror police arrest 33-year-old over bomb threat, 17 others referred to prosecutorsThe Anti-Terrorism Directorate in Tirana announced one arrest and criminal referrals for 17 people and online accounts suspected of inciting violence during the protests of the past two weeks.
  3. 13:18CourtsSPAK sends Eugert Sino to trial, accused of leading a group that held 23 guns and 7,820 roundsThe Special Prosecution Office completed an investigation opened in 2023 and sent the case to the Special Court, describing the defendant as the leader and financier of the illegal activity.
  4. 11:07Police37-year-old suspected of killing a 66-year-old in May arrested in Corfu, 40-year-old also detainedGreek police, working with Interpol, arrested L.T. and I.Ç., who were wanted by the Saranda court; procedures for their extradition to Albania are being finalized.
  5. 10:56PoliceTirana: two arrested after protest at Ministry of Education, suspected of burning a bin and blocking the roadTirana police arrested a 49-year-old and a 27-year-old in the act, suspected of resisting officers, throwing hard objects at the Ministry of Education and blocking Durrës Street.

Economy

Only Economy
  1. 16:18MarketsRama: Circulation tax scrapped from diesel and gasoline, pump price to fall 32 lek a literThe 27-lek-a-liter tax, in place since 2011, will be shifted to vehicles and collected through road transport. Foreign cars entering Albania will pay a circulation tax.
  2. 13:56Business2027 fiscal package: dividends taxed at 15%, standard VAT up 1 point, hotels from 6% to 10%Rama announced a rise in the dividend tax from 8% to 15%, a new 30% bracket for salaries above 700,000 lek and a lower VAT threshold for businesses with turnover above 5 million lek. Corporate profit tax stays at 15%.
  3. 13:38MarketsRama: VAT on 54 basic foods to drop from 20% to 6% as 2027 budget tops 10 billion euros for the first timeThe prime minister presented the 2027 draft budget, which was sent to Parliament on Wednesday. He said cutting VAT on meat, fish, eggs, flour, fruit, vegetables and baby food would leave families about 150 million euros a year.
  4. 12:53BusinessAlliance of Free Professionals opposes 2027 fiscal package: tax burden rises, competitiveness at riskThe APL wants the package revised before approval and an impact assessment published for every measure. By its calculations, the combined burden on profits and dividends climbs from about 21.8% to 29.45%.

Region

Only Region
  1. 21:40KosovoAlbert Sylaj held for a month over Arlinda Zekaj’s killing; files show she reported his threat on Oct. 22The Peja court granted the prosecution’s request for the suspect in an aggravated murder case. According to documents obtained by KALLXO.com, Zekaj told police three days before the killing that her former brother-in-law had threatened her life, but he was questioned only as a witness.
  2. 20:30KosovoKonjufca chairs first meeting of group on Hague appeal strategy: “The KLA unites us all”The working group, made up of representatives of the Albanian parliamentary parties, set the main directions and work plan for a state strategy in the appeal proceedings before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
  3. 17:58KosovoProtest for Arlinda Zekaj in Pristina: “How many more?” protesters demand dismissal of Gërvalla and SveçlaProtesters marched from the Justice Ministry to the Prosecutorial Council, the police and the government, where they threw red paint and smoke flares. The victim’s relatives called for no violence; the protest returns Thursday at 4 p.m.
  4. 15:40North MacedoniaInspectorate closes “Penko” case in Butel: no violations in enrollment after Albanian class was closedThe State Education Inspectorate says enrollment at the Petar Zdravkovski – Penko school followed the zoning decision. The case began after the fifth first-grade class in the Albanian language was closed.
  5. 14:26DiasporaDenmark opens new work permit scheme from Jan. 1, 2027, Kosovars left outThe Collective Agreement Scheme allows foreigners to be hired at a lower minimum salary of 322,000 Danish kroner a year, but only for citizens of 16 countries. Kosovo meets none of the three criteria.

World

Only World
  1. 23:20USUN again votes against Cuba embargo, but support falls to 30-year low; US expels a Cuban diplomatThe resolution passed 130-17 with 25 abstentions. After a scuffle in the chamber, Washington ordered a member of Cuba's delegation to leave.
  2. 21:50Middle EastNo winner in Israel's election: Likud seeks probe into Arab parties' “fraud,” Eisenkot vows to fight onNeither bloc is close to the 61-seat majority in the Knesset, leaving Arab parties as kingmakers. Likud's allegations have not been proven.
  3. 18:20EuropeTwo high-speed trains collide near Toledo, Spain: at least 68 dead, three days of national mourningA Renfe AVE train slammed into a stationary Iryo train near Urda on the Madrid–Seville line. Minister Puente calls the control center's order “inexplicable.”
  4. 16:30EUEU drops “associate membership” from Canada declaration after German objectionsAhead of the Montreal summit, the new text speaks of “ever closer association” between Canada and the EU, without opening a path to full membership.
  5. 09:15BalkansBelgrade: police kill minor who attacked with knives near Israeli Embassy, Serbia raises terror alertMinister Ivica Dacic says the attacker, who was being monitored by the security services, was an Islamic State supporter. The officer was lightly wounded; no embassy staff were hurt.

Sports

Only Sports
  1. 23:30International footballLiverpool knock Chelsea out of League Cup on penalties, Gomez scores the decisive kickAfter a 1-1 draw at Anfield, Liverpool won the shootout 6-5. Manchester City also advanced on penalties against Brighton.
  2. 23:20International footballBayern score six against Magdeburg in German Cup, Schalke knocked out by Dynamo DresdenMichael Olise scored twice in Bayern's 6-1 win. Leverkusen came from behind to beat Nürnberg 5-2, and Holstein Kiel ousted Hoffenheim on penalties.
  3. 23:10International footballMbangula hits hat trick at San Siro as Bologna beat Milan 4-2; Inter go top, Genoa down JuventusRuben Amorim's Milan suffer their first Serie A defeat of the season. Inter win 2-0 at Venezia and move top on goal difference ahead of Lazio.
  4. 20:45SuperligaElbasani overturn Partizani late as Glen Daja earns first win; Vora beat Vllaznia, draw in KorçaIn Round 9 of the Abissnet Superiore, Elbasani won 2-1 with goals in the 82nd and 88th minutes, Vora beat Vllaznia 2-1, and Skënderbeu and Laçi drew 1-1.
  5. 20:05International footballUEFA moves Rennes–Olympiacos over French general strike, match to be played Wednesday at 16:30The Europa League game, scheduled for Nov. 5, moves forward a day after French authorities said they could not guarantee security on the strike day.

Culture

Only Culture
  1. 17:30FilmEquinoxe Europe program comes to Albania for the first time: European screenwriters work in Durrës with two Albanian projectsThe National Center of Cinematography brings in the program, which has more than 30 years of history, with about 10 international consultants working with authors on script development.
  2. 14:30FilmJafar Panahi sentenced in absentia to five years and one month in prison; Palme d'Or winner also faces asset seizureTehran's Revolutionary Court is confiscating all of the Iranian director's assets and banning him from travel and social media for two years, according to his lawyer.
  3. 13:40BooksBritish Library opens up Agatha Christie's world: about 100 rare items, including her typewriterThe exhibition “Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery” marks 50 years since the writer's death and runs in London from Oct. 30 to June 20, 2027.
  4. 11:00Theater“Dead Poets Society” fills Lisbon theater for eight straight months, tickets sold out until Dec. 20The stage adaptation of the 1989 film, with Diogo Infante as John Keating, has been extended twice and goes on tour to Porto in January.

Opinion

Only Opinion
  1. 19:00OpinionA tax cut counts only if it reaches the checkoutThe 2027 fiscal package promises cheaper food and fuel, but raises the standard VAT rate, the dividend tax and hotels. Citizens have the right to see the full account before the vote.
  2. 18:45OpinionA report that stayed an official noteArlinda Zekaj told police her former brother-in-law had threatened her life. Three days later she was killed. The anger in Pristina deserves an answer in procedures, not only in resignations.
  3. 18:30OpinionThe border is not a courtThe government's protest package is right to punish violence, but the register of suspects and exit bans without a court ruling need independent oversight.

Calendar

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