Bardhi stated that, according to the data he refers to in his post, food prices in Albania have increased this year 5.2 times more than the European Union average.

He also raised concerns about the social situation, claiming that 30% of Albanians are threatened by hunger.

“The government has remained silent,” Bardhi wrote in his post.

The head of the DP Parliamentary group also listed some of the opposition’s demands for coping with the economic situation, including the immediate abolition of VAT on food, free education and while pushing for a living wage.

Bardhi attached to his reaction criticism on the government for the lack, according to him, of measures to ease the economic burden on citizens.

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Minister of State for Relations with the Parliament Erjona Ismaili presented a draft law designed to align Albania’s food safety and agricultural standards with European Union laws. She emphasized that this “farm-to-fork” approach will strengthen controls, protect consumer health and meet international standards while keeping the internal market running smoothly.

“The draft law modernizes food safety and agricultural health standards through strict oversight. This ensures consumer protection and promotes fair trade”, said Ismaili.

“Our core objectives are to foster public transparency and information sharing to strengthen regulatory controls. We aim to prevent and manage risks associated with animal feed, GMOs, and hazardous substances, while advancing international cooperation in food safety, along with animal and plant health,” she continued.

Minister Ismaili noted that this draft law aligns national rules with EU official control regulations, fulfilling a core commitment in the Chapter 5 negotiating position for resources, agriculture and cohesion.

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In this context, in Lezha there was held today the discussion table “Food Safety, Tourist Season 2026, with participation of General Director of the National Food Authority Blerina Gjylameti Mayor of Lezha Pjerin Ndreu and the MP of Lezha region Admir Kadeli.

During the meeting, there was highlighted the significance of effective cooperation between institutions and business operators -which is essential for enforcing food safety standards. This collaboration is crucial for a successful tourist season and strengthens Albania’s reputation as a secure destination, was said in the meeting. /e.xh/j.p/p.s./

The meeting centered on strategies to ensure food safety this summer, focusing on stricter field inspections and categorizing industry operators according to EU standards.

With a record-breaking tourist season on the horizon, guaranteeing stringent food safety standards is more critical than ever. Minister Salla commended the National Food Authority, urging maximum operational readiness throughout the summer. A key focus of the meeting was the ongoing reform to categorize food business operators in alignment with European Union standards.

Food safety is a vital indicator of Albania’s European integration, driving institutional credibility and economic competitiveness. The government guarantees ongoing support for agri-food businesses through policies and EU funds, ensuring that compliance with regulations leads to concrete growth. /e.i/r.e/p.s./

Ambassador of Albania to the Netherlands Artur Kuko accompanied Gjylameti on this visit.

We leveraged innovation, digitalization and smart data to streamline workflows and integrate processes.

During the discussions, Gjylameti focused on issues of importance for strengthening the food safety system in Albania, including procedures for the establishment and operation of laboratories, the management of Border Inspection Posts, the use of the RASFF system, as well as the practices of official controls, audits and sampling.

We introduced a new categorization process for FBOs handling animal origin products to align the industry with European standards. Additionally, the new scoring system was highlighted as a tool to drive transparency, accountability, and rigorous food safety.

This cooperation represents an important step towards the exchange of best European experiences and the strengthening of institutional capacities in function of consumer protection and guaranteeing food safety. /k.s/j.p/p.s./

Police reported that 56 students from the Security Academy were transported to the Infectious Diseases Department at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center (QSUT) yesterday, suspected of food poisoning following a meal on the premises.

Following medical evaluation and treatment, all students have been discharged from the hospital in good health, and laboratory tests are underway to identify the cause of the poisoning.

The procedural materials were referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for the “food hazardous to health criminal offense. /p.s./

At the meeting held in Tirana on food safety, attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla, Head of the Food Safety Agency Blerina Gjylameti, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato and Chief Inspector Dashnor Sula, Dhuka highlighted that with all 33 negotiating chapters opened in 2025, Albania has shifted into the critical final phase of technical preparation to close negotiations.

Dhuka underlined that Albania must achieve all EU food standards, becoming part of the European common market. She highlighted that adopting EU food safety standards is crucial for market integration, serving as a catalyst for agricultural modernization, infrastructure advancement and institutional reform.

As part of the ongoing negotiations, a national program is being developed to upgrade agricultural establishments. Dhuka said that the initiative has launched with a comprehensive assessment of processing plants, with priority given to the meat, fish, dairy, and egg sectors

“Initiated on April 14 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and implemented by the National Food Authority, this initiative covers over 900 nationwide establishments, focusing on enforcing strict hygiene standards across production, storage, transport, processing, and marketing,” Dhuka emphasized.

According to her, the necessary improvements in infrastructure, technology and logistics will be gradually implemented by 2030 and beyond, in accordance with EU regulations, which are the same for all member states. /e.i/j.p/p.s./

During his speech at the IV Diaspora Summit, Guri said that our country is not only represented through tradition and culture, but also as an important actor in agricultural production and agri-food exports, a role that must be further developed with a focus on quality and identity.

“When we talk about Albanian food, we are talking about an important economic sector, about the way Albania is presented to the world with quality and dignity, as well as the value of the land, the work of the farmer and Albanian entrepreneurship,” he said.

Guri noted that the increase in exports is also accompanied by a growing interest in the country from foreign tourists, where in recent years Albania has been visited by about 12 million tourists per year.

According to him, this shows that Albanian agriculture and the agri-food sector have entered a new phase of credibility, but he stressed that this should not be enough.

In this regard, he underlined the significance of strengthening the connection with the Albanian diaspora, considering it as an important bridge for the promotion of local products.

“The diaspora should not remain just a community of Albanian origin, but should become an active network for the promotion of our products”, he said.

In conclusion, Guri stressed that Albania has the potential to be a country that produces with quality, preserves its identity and presents it with dignity in international markets.

“Albanian food is not just a product. It is territory, memory, crafts, ambition and culture, the point where economy and identity meet”, concluded Guri. /e.i/a.f/p.s./

PM Rama, also chairman of the Socialist Party, held a meeting today with the SP Parliamentary group where he summarized the work and challenges that were encountered in the previous Parliamentary session, but also set some objectives for the future.

Rama emphasized that Albania has now entered the most intensive phase of negotiations with the European Union. “In a relatively short period of time, of only 2 years, Albania must fulfill all the conditions to close the membership negotiations,” he added.

Rama highlighted the burden of obligations and conditions that the country must fulfill in order to successfully close the negotiation process and cope with inclusion in a completely new reality, such as the 450-million people market.

“An integrated Albania will be a drop in the ocean while challenge for the entire production sector and also for the institutions will be multiple. Through the negotiation team, we are negotiating the interim periods after the moment of membership to enable the country to be ready to meet all the criteria”, Rama added.

The prime minister emphasized that the main battle is for the food production sector, for all producers in the countryside and for all enterprises that process food products.

Under present-day conditions, Rama said that Albania cannot be integrated in the EU due to the insufficient level of food safety, according to EU criteria.

“Therefore, we are trying to gain an interim phase of 5 years after membership, but preparations must begin now”, Rama said.

The prime minister also mentioned the situation of the country in terms of food safety in 2013 and the achievements that have been made in this field.

“When we took office, Albania’s roads functioned as both vibrant food markets and makeshift slaughterhouses.

All the country’s highways were bordered by informal food stalls and markets. Much progress has been made, but we are still far from meeting the EU’s food safety criteria,” Rama added.

Rama warned that at the moment of accession and when the interim period ends, no food produced in Albania can be sold abroad.

According to him, the same criteria will also apply in Albania and food can be blocked if it does not meet the safety criteria.

“Then, in the most pessimistic scenario, it means that everything that is eaten will be imported. For this reason, it takes a lot of work but also a lot of determination on our part as decision-makers to not forgive anything and anyone in the name of the need to ‘keep working’. Everyone must be placed in very strong positions of responsibility and work because in the best case scenario, there are only 10 years ahead and there is a lot of work to be done,” Rama said. /p.s./

Director of the Food Authority Shkodra affiliated branch Ramir Haderi told reporters that this measure is taken in context of a reinforced control of food products imported from Serbia.

“Any product that may endanger the health of animals or consumers will not be allowed to enter the Albanian market. We are currently waiting for the final laboratory results to make the final decision”, said Haderi.

Likewise, the Food Authority said that import monitoring will be intensified at all border points so that to prevent potentially dangerous products from entering into the domestic market. /e.xh/r.e/a.f/p.s./