Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today in the social media a view of flocks of birds flying over Lake Shkodra in the village of Zogaj.

Zogaj is well-known as an old fishing village and, together with Shiroka, is among the most beautiful areas of Northern Albania. This area is also known for the production of traditional carpets, a tradition that is still fanatically preserved by the local women of the area. Weaving products have become a favorite among tourists over the years.

Zogaj is well-known not only for fishing, medicinal herbs, wild nature and alpine climate, but also for traditional cuisine. Here you can find the famous carp casserole, a traditional dish of this fish, which the residents preserve with passion.

This area offers many recreational opportunities, because it has clean waters and wild nature. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

Prefect of Korça region Nertil Jole told ATA today that, “Due to the low temperatures at dawn, the road was covered with snow. Since the morning, the contractor has been using snowplows to remove the snow and spread salt”.

According to him, movement of vehicles is normal on all the main roads of the region.

“The staff of the Center-East Directorate of the Albanian Road Authority is monitoring them to ensure any intervention where necessary”, said Jole.

The Road Authorities appealed to drivers to be careful, to use winter tires and chains, to reduce speed and to respect the signs and instructions of the Road Police, when traveling in areas under snow. /k.s/a.f/p.s./

Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj saw the works from very close and said that it was an extraordinary transformation and that it will add a super value to the area.

“I’m sure that the local residents have been waiting for the paving of this part, for traffic to be freed and then to work on the roundabout. The project will really turn this park into an art park and of course, it will add a super value to the area”, said Veliaj.

He said that besides the center of Tirana, there is observed a significant increase in the number of tourists even in the peripheral areas. “More and more tourists are coming to the former Film Studios. Tourists from the center of Tirana are coming to see the cinema at the ‘Marubi’, to see the Weapons Museum, but they will also come for the installations that we will have here. We have seen that, where we have art and culture projects, such as the “Max Velo” cinema in Lapraka, the whole neighborhood starts buzzing. The return of this art institution into the hands of the municipality and its revitalization has produced a series of extraordinary activities”, said Veliaj.

He added that every time the Municipality makes such investments, the value of the property also increases.

“If you look at the number of houses that are being sold and how many foreigners are buying houses and how much the value is increasing every time the municipality makes such investments, I believe that it is only a matter of time before we see it exactly in the area of the former Film Studios”, he underlined./a.f/r.e/p.s./

Today, Prime Minister Rama shared in the social media a view from the mountain of Taraboshi, where young people were planting saplings to increase the green crown of the area.

“Satisfaction to see young people as an example of environmental protection who, together with the volunteers of Eko Mendje, joined the initiative to add a green crown in Tarabosh, Shkodra”, wrote Rama.

The prime minister added that this synergy will accompany us throughout the year 2024, which will be dedicated to forests: afforestation programs, rehabilitation, awareness and many other initiatives.

Mount Tarabosh is slightly covered with vegetation. It is the highest mountain in northern Shkodra and has been declared a protected area./m.m/p.s./

Mayor Veliaj congratulated the believers and said that whoever builds a mosque helps an entire area, that in the day of need, be it disaster or emergency situation, they find shelter, hope and love.

“I am glad that the mosque opens in the holy month of Ramadan. When the earthquake happened, a large part of people who felt very worried, endangered, gathered in the mosque to pass a difficult moment. During the time of the pandemic, most mosques in Tirana turned into canteens for those who were lonely, who could not leave the house”, underlined Veliaj.

The mayor expressed his gratitude to all those who have contributed to people in need, not only during the holy month of Ramadan.

“I want to thank with all my heart those who have contributed, either with the construction of the mosque or with the small decorations; you have all my gratitude and the great God’s rewards”, said Veliaj.

Mufti of Tirana Lauren Luli said: “Today is one of those blessed and joyful days, which not only coincide with the prosperous month of Ramadan, but it is the joy that the opening of this mosque brings us, one of those dozens of hundreds of mosques which serve not only Muslim believers, but everyone”. /m.m/r.e/p.s./

The Agricultural and Rural Development Agency brought today the example of the Green Central sh.p.k. Company in Fier, financed through the IPARD II program in the sector of fruit and vegetable cultivation in greenhouses.

Through the IPARD funds, it became possible to build a greenhouse and purchase equipment to enable new vegetable cultivation techniques, with the aim of producing quality products, within the required standards throughout the year.

This greenhouse has an area of 1 ha, but in total the IPARD II program has increased the area of crops in greenhouses by 66 ha.

The Agency of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the IPARD II program with the European Union funds in co-financing with the Albanian government has supported the fruit and vegetable cultivation sector in greenhouses through the three calls for applications.

The purpose of these investments is to ensure an increase in production yield through innovations and applied technologies, and to achieve quality standards in order to have competitive products in the country and abroad, throughout the year.

During the recent years, the farmers have significantly increased the production of fresh vegetables in greenhouses, thanks also to subsidies from two measures of the National Agriculture Support Scheme 2022, which address direct payments for agricultural input bills and financing 50% of the investment value in greenhouses.

With the support of Agency of Agriculture and Rural Development, there have been built so far 80 new modern high-tech solar greenhouses in 12 municipalities of the country, some of which have been transformed into the largest greenhouse complexes compared to countries in the region.

They lead the model greenhouses for the cultivation of vegetable seedlings, for the production of fresh vegetables, in Fier, Lushnja, Divjaka, Berat, Durrës, Vlora, while they have also been extended to Korça and Delvina.

With the support of the Agency of Agriculture and Rural Development through the IPARD program, farmers have also been supported to invest in the construction of automated solar greenhouses, which has boosted employment, has influenced the increase in production for export and increased income for rural families. /r.e/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today a view of the Pogradec lake.

Rama said that, “This attention paid to the preservation of the beauty of our nature, together with the cleaning initiatives, render into value and tourist assets, about which we are proud of and are appreciated every day more and more on the pages of the most prestigious world media and an increase in the number of tourists like never before”.

This protected landscape includes Lake Ohrid (a world natural heritage site), Çerrava, Dry Mount and the eastern part of the Mokra Highlands.

The flora and fauna and the degree of biodiversity in Lake of Pogradec is strongly related to the water quality of the lakes and the conditions of the ecosystem.

The coastal vegetation of Lake Pogradec is rich in 125 species, of which 9 species are aquatic plants. /k.s/p.s./

Under the direction of Dr. Nevila Molla (IA) and Prof. Richard Hodges (BF), at this stage, the project focuses on investigation of the urban topography in the Western area of ​​the lower city, where there is being carried out archaeological excavation of one of the towers of the fortification wall of Late Antiquity and the surface cleaning of a building of previously unidentified funerary character on the south-west coast of the peninsula.

Albanian archaeologists and conservators of the Academy of Albanian Studies, students of the Department of Archeology and Cultural Heritage of the University of Tirana and a number of academic experts from various European universities, such as the University of East England (United Kingdom), Leiden University (Netherlands) , Co’ Foscari University of Venice and La Sapienza (Italy) have engaged in this project for the study and conservation of the rich archaeological material obtained from the research, so far.

The diverse archaeological material, which consists of coins from the 10th century, as well as vessels and objects made of ceramics, metal, and glass, is expanding the hitherto scarce knowledge about the period of the early and Middle Ages (7th-12th centuries) and speaks of continuation of the city’s commercial relations with Southern Italy and the Aegean regions in these periods.

Research to date has also revealed important previously unidentified data regarding the location of the main gate that provided land access to the lower city, the configuration of the fortification system partially discovered in this area, as well as the relationship of this system to the port of the city during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. /j.p/p.s./

The Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) published today the report on construction permits for the second quarter of the year.

Referring to the data, the area of ​​construction permits approved for new buildings, in the second quarter of 2022, is 661,945 m2, from 544,127 m2 approved in the second quarter of 2021, marking an increase of 21.7%.

In the second quarter of 2022, the approximate value of construction permits approved for buildings and engineering works is 25.9 billion ALL, from 23.1 billion ALL approved in the second quarter of 2021, marking an increase of 12.1%.

Tirana takes the first place in terms of the number of construction permits with 95 such and an area for construction of 388,073 m2, followed by Durrës with 90 permits and an area of ​​169,038 m2./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today on social networks photos from this construction site, which will bring an added value to the city.

“Good morning and with the long-awaited Gjirokastra bypass construction site, the city which has already received the UNESCO seal and will further free the historical area from cars, giving more and more priority to pedestrians, I wish you a good day” , wrote Rama.

The long-awaited project directly affects about 4,400 residents, in addition to the ever-increasing number of visitors, while also improving safety and functionality in service of the community. The intervention protects and highlights the values ​​of the historical area.

The construction of Bypass is part of an “architectural ensemble” that is being realized together with other projects implemented by ADF such as the “Çerçiz Topulli” square, the Museum System and the Restoration of the Paths along them, the support spaces and the car park building.

These investments will affect the improvement of living conditions, simultaneously helping the tourism industry to bring economic and social development to every region of the country. /m.m/p.s./