The two-day conference, hosted by the Albanian Academy of Sciences in partnership with George Mason University in the United States and Italy’s Ramazzini College, brought together researchers, public health specialists and institutional representatives from Albania and abroad.

Participants discussed the effects of environmental quality and climate change on public health, with speakers highlighting the links between air and water pollution, food safety, emerging infectious diseases and broader environmental challenges.

Vasil Tole, vice president of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, said issues such as air and water pollution, food security, climate change and emerging infectious diseases could no longer be treated as isolated problems and required coordinated responses from scientific institutions, policymakers and society.

Eugena Tomini, Albania’s deputy minister of health and social protection, said the environmental crisis and climate change were profoundly affecting human health, adding that a healthy environment could help prevent nearly one-quarter of the overall burden of disease.

Xheladin Draçini, rector of the University of Medicine in Tirana, said environmental change, urbanisation and social factors were exerting an increasingly significant influence on public health, while scientific research remained essential to developing evidence-based and sustainable solutions.

Speakers also stressed the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and the “One Health” approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.

The conference continued with presentations by Albanian and international researchers on recent developments in public health, environmental protection and occupational health, with discussions focusing on air, water and food quality, pollution and the health impacts of climate change.

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The team consisted of ECHO staff and national experts: a total of 11 participants from 8 EU member states.

Under the coordination of the National Civil Protection Agency, there were conducted fact-finding visits to key emergency and civil protection institutions, including operational centers, fire and rescue agencies and services.

The delegation also carried out visits on the ground to areas affected by the fires and met with local authorities to assess the damage, response capacities and emergency management practices.

The delegation visited the Farka Air Base and discussed with representatives of the Albanian Air Force and the National Civil Protection Agency the role of air assets in emergencies: search and rescue, medical evacuation, rapid transport of personnel and equipment, as well as 24/7 readiness – a capacity that becomes vital during disasters.

Through meetings and field visits, experts exchanged views, knowledge and experiences, creating a clear picture of the coordination, readiness and interoperability of the civil protection system in Albania. /gj.m/p.s./

Minister of Finance Petrit Malaj said today during the discussion in principle of the draft budget for 2026 in the Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance, that there is work underway in cooperation with international experts and that at the beginning of next year there will be presented concrete proposals for the reorganization of the system.

The minister stated that in parallel with the actions being taken by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation together with international experts, the government has made available the necessary funds to increase the current pensions.

“The total cost of this initiative that the government has launched until 2030 is 1.7 billion euros,” said Malaj.

There was also a debate between the opposition and the ruling majority in the committee about the Christmas bonus for 2026, where according to the opposition there is no foreseen fund in the draft budget.

Minister Malaj explained that the fund will be determined in September of the coming year and depends on the economic performance.

“The Christmas bonus for 2026 will be determined again in September depending on the performance that the economy will have during the first nine months of the year. The same practice has been applied even in the previous years. For the time being, we have not foreseen it,” said the minister. /r.e/a.f/p.s./

The meeting brought together representatives from the Regional Directorate of Monuments in Vlorë, the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Thessaloniki, the Greek Ministry of Culture, and cultural heritage specialists.

It is part of a collaborative project between Albania’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports and the European Center, aimed at conserving and restoring murals and decorative elements in the Byzantine-era church.

Discussions focused on addressing challenges encountered during the project and outlining next steps to safeguard the site, IKTK said.

The St. Nicholas Monastery, located east of Finiq, is a notable example of Byzantine architecture in Albania.

The church was built on the ruins of an ancient pagan temple, believed to date to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos. It sits on a hill between the Bistrica and Kalasa rivers, near the remains of the ancient city of Finiq.

The monastery’s surrounding walls, covering about 100 meters and reinforced by seven rectangular towers, predate the existing church, highlighting the site’s long and layered history.

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The site, located southwest of the village of Rabie in the southern municipality of Memaliaj, is believed to have served as a fortified outpost on the southeastern borders of the Illyrian tribe of the Bylliones.

Working with the Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage in Gjirokastër, experts surveyed the hilltop area where the ruins are located, documented the surviving perimeter walls and visible structures, mapped coordinates to define the site’s boundaries, and assessed the surrounding protective zone.

The ancient settlement, which sits at an elevation of 880 metres between Rabie village and the valley of the Luftinja stream, is thought to date back to the Iron Age based on earlier historical evidence.

Authorities said the inspection aims to confirm the site’s cultural significance and to inform future conservation or archaeological research projects.

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During the meeting organized by the Chairman of the Special Commission Fatmir Xhafaj, there participated about 60 experts and representatives of independent institutions, organizations and civil society, the academic world, representatives of the business community who will engage in the 3 areas of the object of this commission’s activity.

Xhafaj thanked the participants for their commitment and involvement in the process, as well as acquainted them more concretely with the purpose, objectives and relevant phases through which the work of the special commission will go.

The process is focused on the contribution and direct engagement of experts for the drafting of the analytical/analysis document; National Action Plan based on the findings of the analysis, as well as the proposal of solutions and relevant legislative and institutional measures.

Today, there began the 1st phase of the Reform process that will serve for the drafting of the Analytical Document/analysis for the three areas.

The drafting of this document will be based mainly on the findings, evaluations and recommendations of the reports of the European Union and the “screening” report of the European Commission for the first chapter, the guidelines drawn up by the government “On the rule of law”, “Reform in public administration “, the Inter-sectoral Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024-2030, as well as international reports and those sent by civil society organizations operating in our country.

All documentation has been placed at the disposal of the High Level Expert Group, divided into 3 sub-groups: good governance, anti-corruption and rule of law.

They will work independently and autonomously throughout this process, which will continue to be monitored and assisted by international partners.

During the month of August, the groups of experts will engage in getting acquainted, scanning and analysis of the documentation made available, identifying the evaluations, findings, problems and relevant recommendations for the 3 areas subject to the work of the Special Parliamentary Commission. /a.f/p.s./

The project consisted of scientific presentations by international and local experts, visits of the ground to chestnut forests and the newly established pest control laboratory, accompanied by the FAO team and renowned scientific researchers.

During the second day of the meeting, there were encouraged group discussions focused on the treatment of chestnut diseases and building cooperation with Kosovar counterparts. The participants also had the opportunity to visit the village of Markaj, where they observed the deployment of biological control agents and advanced silviculture practices for the protection of the chestnut.

In a press release, FAO said, “The meeting at the expert level provided valuable insights and practical demonstrations and also promoted cross-border cooperation and innovative techniques.”

The mountainous area of ​​Tropoja has over 2,000 hectares of massive chestnut forest and 70% of the area’s residents provide economic income from this product.

The project “Sustainable development of the chestnut value chain” will last until 2025. The initiative aims to revitalize the chestnut value chain, including chestnut production, processing and marketing, with a focus on expanding cultivated areas and positioning of chestnut products in the regional market. /r.e/p.s./

Albanian team included Franc Zylyftari from the e-Government Security Directorate at the National Agency for Information Society, Adriano Lleshi and Ilir Daka from the National Authority on Electronic Certification and Cyber Security.

Global CyberDrill is an unique event that brings together National Cyber Security Authorities, National Cyber Security agencies, as well as National  CERTs/CIRTs/CSIRT from around the world to foster global cooperation and partnership in mitigating cyber threats.

The event helps to assess performance of every national team at a global level, as well as to foster unanimous interaction and partnership in tackling cyber threats.

Teams from 108 countries took part in the drill with simulation of real cyber attack and response scenarios to assess their performance based on speed and response to cyber threats.

In the episode 16 of the third series of his “LET’S TALK” podcast, Prime Minister Edi Rama had invited the world’s wining team of the Global CyberDrill, including Franc Zylyftari, Adriano Lleshi and Ilir Daka.

PM Rama underlined that “the cyber war is a crossroads on the Internet and virtual space, where the whole world is interconnected via all roads, highways and where states and different forces within states and cyber terror groups are increasingly active.”

“Albania was under a cyber attack from a powerful state in this war and I think it is important for us to share today parts of the truth and unspoken truth about this war with three protagonists on our war front,” Rama said in his introduction at the start of the conversation with the three winners of the Global CyberDrill competition.

“When we realized that Albania ranked first in this global drill, we started thinking about what we could do more. We recalled what we went through and how we responded to cope with the cyber attack. Finding the key solutions we employed to repel the attack we succeeded in solving a series of other exercises in the process,” Ilirian Daka said.

The drill specifically focused on the crucial role the national cyber security centers and the emergency response teams play, as well as ways to enhance cyber security and defend critical information infrastructure.

Commenting on the success of the Albanian team, Franc Zylyftari said: “By wining this international cyber security drill, we showed that we have developed the knowhow and right expertise to successfully respond and tackle cyber attacks.”

Apart from improved performance of electronic systems, electronic public services and the radical development of the e-government, Albania has focused significant attention to strengthening measures and increasing the level of preparedness against the constant cyber threats in the last few years.

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At the press conference, together with the guests of the festival, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj expressed his happiness that the Albanian capital is finally making a big step towards technology and innovation.

Veliaj said that cities like Tirana have their originality and that is exactly why they have become attractive cities for tourists, but also for activities of this level.

The head of the municipality said that just like this very important festival, which came to Tirana in the year when our capital is the European Youth Capital, other big events, over 1000 of them, have been organized and are expected to be organized in the future.

“Tirana has recorded 1000 activities this year. We had Dua Lipa’s Sunny Hill festival, or Rita Ora’s concert. A little while ago we organized the final of the Conference League. Therefore, I firmly believe that if this event, this activity, this festival produces this fable, it produces this story of what we have achieved,” underlined Veliaj.

He said that the epicenter of this transformation is located today as a living monument in the center of the Albanian capital, Pyramid building, which is being transformed into the largest technology center in the Balkans.

“Just the fact that the Pyramid building, which is perhaps the most beautiful metaphor of Albania’s transformation, – we are moving from a dictator’s mausoleum to the largest center of IT, information technology, coding, electronics, robotics, I believe that the history of that building alone, shows the transition better than anyone; so we really start a trend of a Tirana that does not stop, to become maybe not a “new-old” city, but an original city”, Veliaj concluded his speech./p.s./

Chairwoman of the Technical Committee of Experts Mira Rakacolli stated today that, “The Committee of Experts decided that despite this slight increase of the figures, the level of measures will remain the same”.

“The level of measures responds to these indicators. What the Committee draws attention to is their rigorous implementation. “If the measures are rigorously implemented, there is no room for further steps,” Rakacolli said.

Anti-Covid measures in force:

– Curfew from 23: 00-06: 00.

– Citizens who enter the Republic of Albania from all border crossings must meet one of the following three conditions:

1. Have a vaccination passport, where from the date of full vaccination to have at least two weeks.
2. Have a negative PCR test within 72 hours or a rapid anti-Covid test within 48 hours.
3. Provide evidence of passing Sars-Cov2 infection, valid up to 6 months after recovery.

These rules are also valid for those citizens who travel transit through Albania.

Children up to 6 years old are not subject to these rules.

– Albanian citizens residing in Albania, who return and do not have one of the above documents, must be self-isolated for 10 days and inform the health authority to perform a test at the end of the isolation period.

– The order for the use of masks in closed premises, in shopping malls, supermarkets, shops, public transport and in all those places where physical distancing is not provided remains in force.

– Gatherings of more than 50 people are not allowed.

– The capacity for spectators in sports and cultural activities is only 30%./k.s/j.p/p.s./