Edi Rama
Funa Tonaki, top, of Japan, reacts after losing to Distria Krasniqi, of Kosovo, in their women's 48-kg judo gold medal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Kosovo hails Krasniqi's gold medal in judo at Tokyo Games

Zenel Zhinipotoku And Llazar Semini Jul. 24, 2021 08:58 AM EDT

Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Albania’s president waded deep into the country's parliamentary election campaign Wednesday, accusing the left-wing government of running a “kleptocratic regime” and bungling its pandemic response. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ilir Meta also said he would step down if Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialists — who are leading the main opposition conservatives in opinion polls — win Sunday's vote. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albanian lawmakers to investigate president for impeachment

By Llazar Semini May. 07, 2021 09:12 AM EDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 21, 2021 file photo, Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania. Albania’s president has accused the U.S. ambassador of intervening in the small European country’s internal affairs by supporting its prime minister in an upcoming parliamentary election. Meta spoke harshly about Ambassador Yuri Kim during a television talk show on Friday, April 23, 2021. While the show was airing, Kim sent a text message to Meta and also tweeted about Sunday’s election. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File)
Albania’s Socialists seek to impeach nation's president

By Llazar Semini May. 03, 2021 12:43 PM EDT

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama waves to his supporters during a rally in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Albania's left-wing Socialist Party has secured a third consecutive mandate in a parliamentary election, winning a majority of seats in parliament, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania's Socialists win election, gain 3rd straight mandate

By Llazar Semini Apr. 27, 2021 01:51 PM EDT

Election officials wait in line to deliver ballot boxes to a counting center during parliamentary elections in capital Tirana, Albania on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Albanian voters have started casting ballots in parliamentary elections on Sunday amid the virus pandemic and a bitter political rivalry between the country's two largest political parties. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Exit polls: Tight race in Albania's parliamentary vote

By Llazar Semini Apr. 25, 2021 01:03 AM EDT

Supporters of the Democratic Party waving Albanian and party flags participate in the political rally in capital Tirana, Albania on Friday, April 23, 2021.Albania holds parliamentary elections on Sunday amid the virus pandemic and a bitter political rivalry between the country's two largest political parties but that will serve as a key milestone in the country's next step toward European Union membership. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Albania heads to polls after a bitter political fight

By Llazar Semini Apr. 23, 2021 04:15 AM EDT

Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Albania’s president waded deep into the country's parliamentary election campaign Wednesday, accusing the left-wing government of running a “kleptocratic regime” and bungling its pandemic response. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ilir Meta also said he would step down if Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialists — who are leading the main opposition conservatives in opinion polls — win Sunday's vote. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania’s president harshly attacks PM ahead of Sunday polls

By Llazar Semini Apr. 21, 2021 12:12 PM EDT

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in Tirana, Albania, on Tuesday April 20, 2021. Albania holds parliamentary elections on Sunday, April 25. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Prime minister hopes to make Albania a 'tourism champion'

By Llazar Semini Apr. 20, 2021 12:46 PM EDT

Albania signs 104 million-euro deal to build new airport

By Llazar Semini Apr. 20, 2021 08:13 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania on Tuesday signed a contract with a Swiss-based consortium to build a 104 million-euro ($125 million) new international airport....

Albania’s flights resume after 2-day airport closure

By Llazar Semini Apr. 09, 2021 06:09 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Commercial flights resumed at Albania’s Tirana International Airport on Friday after they were blocked for two days by an air traffic...

'Essential' flights resume at Tirana Airport after strike

By Llazar Semini Apr. 08, 2021 07:10 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s infrastructure minister on Thursday said that “essential” flights have resumed at the country’s only international airport...

Albania sends troops, police, to end flight control strike

By Llazar Semini Apr. 07, 2021 09:08 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's government sent troops and police Wednesday evening to clear striking air traffic controllers out of the flight control tower...

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 16, 1997 file photo, Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino shakes hands with OSCE representative Austrian Franz Vranitzky, in Tirana. Bashkim Fino, who was appointed prime minister to shepherd Albania out of almost total chaos 24 years ago when fraudulent investment schemes collapsed and angry crowds looted military installations nationwide, has died aged 58. Fino's family and his governing Socialist party said the former prime minister died Monday March 29, 2021 in hospital, where he had been treated for several days after contracting COVID-19. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File)
Economist who pulled Albania out of 1997 anarchy dead at 58

By Llazar Semini Mar. 29, 2021 12:20 PM EDT

People wait outside a vaccination center for the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in Tirana, Albania, Sunday, March 28, 2021. Albania started a mass vaccination campaign trying to inoculate half a million people opening the way to a more relaxed incoming summer tourism season. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania starts mass COVID vaccinations before tourist season

By Llazar Semini Mar. 28, 2021 06:52 AM EDT

Albanian parties break some virus rules to launch campaigns

By Llazar Semini Mar. 25, 2021 04:11 PM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s opposition on Thursday defied virus restrictions to hold a rally in the capital of Tirana to launch its electoral campaign. ...

Albania federation wants vaccinated fans at England match

By Llazar Semini Mar. 23, 2021 04:22 PM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The Albanian Football Association on Tuesday called on the country’s prime minister to let vaccinated fans attend the national team's...

Albania to build 2nd international airport to boost tourism

By Llazar Semini Mar. 05, 2021 10:49 AM EST
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's government on Friday selected a Swiss-based corporation to build a 104-million-euro ($125 million) new international airport...

Albanian prime minister Edi Rama prepares to receive the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Rama was among the first to take the COVID-19 vaccine which the country has received from an undisclosed European Union member country. The Prime Minister said he was "not authorized" to say which EU country had provided 975 vaccines. (AP Photo)
Albania carries out 1st vaccinations with donated doses

By Llazar Semini Jan. 11, 2021 10:07 AM EST

In this picture taken on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, health workers wheel out a patient from an ambulance, at the entrance of the University Clinic complex in Skopje, North Macedonia. When thousands of people across the European Union simultaneously began rolling up their sleeves last month to get a coronavirus vaccination shot, one corner of the continent was left behind, feeling isolated and abandoned: the Balkans. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Balkans feel abandoned as vaccinations kick off in Europe

By Sabina Niksic And Dusan Stojanovic Jan. 06, 2021 03:18 AM EST

Albanian protesters run away from teargas during a protest rally in Tirana, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. Demonstrators in a northern Albanian city damaged the left-wing governing Socialist Party's offices and injured a police officer Saturday, authorities said, as part of ongoing protests this week after a fatal shooting by police enforcing a coronavirus curfew. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Human rights envoy criticizes Albania's handling of protests

By Llazar Semini Dec. 16, 2020 11:08 AM EST