During a press conference today, Berisha praised him as a patriot who has exposed the ties between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Berisha also reacted to the ban on entry into Albania of Imam Bekir Halimi. Berisha said that he disagrees with the imam’s views on women, but banning him from the country is wrong.

“Silencing his words does not fix our real crisis. We have one of the highest rates of violence against women in Europe. We must fight bad ideas with better values, not with bans,” said Berisha. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

The decision was taken by Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari following assessments by the competent institutions, which concluded that Huduti’s activities could pose a threat to national security interests, public order and the country’s stability, Interior Ministry sources told broadcaster Top Channel.

The order has been forwarded to the State Police and border and migration authorities for enforcement, the sources said.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Edi Rama commented on Huduti’s participation in protests held in Tirana, saying she had publicly expressed support for figures linked to Iran’s ruling establishment.

Rama said Huduti had made statements against the Albanian government and voiced support for senior Iranian figures, including former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and slain military commander Qasem Soleimani.

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Speaking on his Let’s Talk podcast on Sunday, Rama commented on a recent decision by the Constitutional Court of Albania regarding the case, saying that by the time the ruling was issued the issue had already been resolved through dialogue with the company.

According to the prime minister, the government imposed the temporary block following concerns raised by parents and teachers, after which authorities entered into discussions with the platform.

As a result, he said, the company began implementing several new measures for Albanian users, including improved age-verification systems, algorithmic filters and additional controls targeting violent language and harmful content.

Rama noted that the Albanian language had previously not been adequately addressed by the platform’s moderation systems, but the measures introduced after the discussions have helped strengthen safeguards for young users.

He argued that the temporary restriction prompted a constructive dialogue with the company and led to tangible improvements in online protections.

“These companies are larger than many states in terms of capital,” Rama said, adding that even small countries must act when children’s safety is at stake.

Rama also said the government respected the court’s ruling but described it as unnecessary, arguing that the issue had already been addressed through cooperation with the platform.

He added that the move had not been criticised by international institutions, including the European Union, and had been viewed positively in public debates on regulating social media and protecting minors online.

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Law No. 10/2026, published in the Official Gazette and signed into law by the President, will enter into force on Feb. 28, 2026. It introduces lifetime bans on former magistrates who were dismissed or resigned to avoid the vetting process from seeking appointment to key justice institutions.

Under the legislation, those individuals are explicitly prohibited from running for seats on the High Judicial Council and High Prosecutorial Council, as well as from being employed as lecturers, trainers or experts at the School of Magistrates.

For new candidates drawn from the ranks of lawyers, academia and civil society, the law stipulates a rigorous “mini-vetting” process, including checks on assets, possible links to organised crime and enhanced scrutiny by the People’s Advocate and competent authorities such as Special Anticorruption and Anticrime Prosecution Structure (SPAK), the National Bureau of Investigation, tax authorities and customs.

The amendments also clarify definitions related to organised crime and assets, and strengthen the role of the High Justice Inspector, while tightening standards for legal advisers and assistants in courts and prosecution offices.

The law aims to safeguard the integrity of Albania’s justice system and prevent individuals with integrity concerns from returning to key state institutions.

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Koçiu emphasized that the ban remains in force and that there is no decision to lift the temporary ban.

The minister added that the State Police continues its daily monitoring on the ground to guarantee the full implementation of this instruction, in accordance with the official order for their ban.

Koçiu expressed gratitude to citizens for their cooperation and understanding in respecting this measure, which according to her aims to protect the safety and life, especially of the young people.

According to her, official data show a positive effect of the ban.

“The data provided by the State Police and trauma services confirm a significant decrease in the number of accidents during the period of its implementation”, said the minister.

Finally, Koçiu emphasized that the situation is being continuously assessed.

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the relevant institutions, is continuing to assess the situation to determine the most appropriate decision-making, focusing on the safety and life of every citizen,” she concluded. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

Speaking alongside State Police Director General Ilir Proda, Koçiu said the decision follows an increase in complaints and accidents involving e-scooters, particularly those affecting minors, elderly pedestrians and the riders themselves.

“We have received numerous complaints from citizens about the risks these vehicles pose, especially to children, the elderly and even the users themselves. Data from the State Police confirm a rising trend,” Koçiu said.

According to official figures, 991 e-scooter accidents were reported by emergency services in 2024, some resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.

Proda explained that a standard procedure has been adopted under the law on State Police to penalize the use of electric scooters on urban roads and sidewalks, including the administrative confiscation of such vehicles.

“From Monday, State Police will begin an operation to halt their circulation, and we ask for public understanding in this process,” Proda said.

Koçiu stressed that the ban will remain in place until a full regulatory framework is drafted. She added that rental companies have been warned not to expand operations.

According to Interior Minister, Albania’s move mirrors similar restrictions in other European countries including France, Italy, Germany, and North Macedonia, which have all imposed partial or permanent bans.

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On August 18, 2025, pre-trial judge Marjorie Masselot issued ruling, restricting visits from eleven people, including Artan Behrami, Blerim Shala, Ismail Syla, Vllaznim Kryeziu, Milaim Ahmetaj, Milaim Cakiqi, Avni Kastrati, and four others whose names have not been disclosed.

The restriction followed a request from the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) to extend the ban to Thaçi’s three brothers. However, the court rejected this part of the request, emphasizing the importance of maintaining family contact, particularly following the death of Thaçi’s father.

Artan Qerkini, an attorney accredited by the Specialist Chambers, argued that the ruling violates Article 8 of the European Convention, which guarantees every individual the right to respect for private and family life. He said the SPO’s request should have been fully dismissed, as it failed to meet the proportionality test.

Critics consider the timing of the request particularly unreasonable, as witness hearings by the defense are scheduled to begin in September. Behxhet Shala, director of the Council for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, told KosovaPress that the Specialist Chambers have approved nearly all requests by the SPO but rarely those of the defense.

The ban on eleven individuals from visiting Thaçi has also drawn criticism from his former comrades. Hysni Gucati, chairman of the Kosovo Liberation Army Veterans Organization, called the Specialist Chambers’ treatment of Thaçi “regrettable.”

This week, the Specialist Chambers refused to allow Thaçi to appeal the decision. Thaçi has been held at the Hague Detention Center since November 2020.

The indictment against Thaçi and others was confirmed on October 26, 2020. Defense presentations for former KLA leaders – Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi – are scheduled to begin in The Hague on September 15, 2025.

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The decision published in the official gazette states that it is is prohibited the import of poultry not accompanied by a PCR test carried out in the last 14 days.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that imports from Bulgaria, Poland and Spain are allowed, from areas and establishments that have not had a notification of Newcastle disease in the last 12 months.

Also, by decision of Minister Anila Denaj, there has been prohibited the import of alive pigs.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has prohibited imports from Italy, Serbia, Greece, Kosovo and Croatia of cattle affected by bluetongue disease. /a.f/p.s./

During a meeting with teachers in Lushnja, Rama said that 95 percent of teachers and parents, with whom they were consulted, have agreed to close this social network.

“We are set to protect citizens and we are to protect children from the great threat that comes from social networks and TikTok, but we are also aware of something positive that comes from TikTok.

95% of parents and teachers have said it should be banned. 65 thousand teachers and people have been involved in the consultation.

“We have made the decision to shut it down and in parallel we have opened a dialogue with the company. We have presented our concerns to the company and have told them that we want guarantees so that all those types of products that are unfiltered go directly to the children”, said Rama.

“The company has reacted by expressing its readiness for cooperation and has promised us that they will prepare and come up with a plan to put in place a number of filters. When it comes to English, their algorithm manages to block words, but for the Albanian language they do not and we are in contact with them; a group is working with them and when they are ready they will come to Albania and publicly tell teachers and parents what you are going to change. Meanwhile, it is strange that a political force in Albania, the Democratic Party, called on the children to leave school and go to protest?” said Rama./a.f/p.s./

At a meeting with the TikTok influencer from Kosovo, Burim Pacolli, the opposition leader said that the government decision showed that Albania was not a free country.

“It is an extremely grave act against free speech, an act of censorship. It shows that Albania is not a free country, but a narco-dictatorship. Where there is censorship, there is dictatorship,” Berisha stated.

According to him, “the government doesn’t tolerate critics on TikTok and acts by banning a platform, which is one of the best communication one for young people in particular.”

Berisha said that no public consultations had been held before deciding to ban the platform.

“It is an act of electoral censorship,” he stated.

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