Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi said the projects, backed by the German government and German development bank KfW, were of strategic importance for modernising Albania’s energy system and improving public services.

The first agreement provides for the digitalisation of Albania’s electricity transmission system, including the automation of processes linking substations and supporting grid operations, Karakaçi said after the signing ceremony on Monday, which was also attended by German Ambassador to Tirana Karl Bergner.

A second agreement covers the rehabilitation of the Vau i Dejës hydropower plant, one of Albania’s largest publicly owned electricity generation facilities, as part of ongoing cooperation between Albania, Germany and KfW to modernise the country’s hydropower infrastructure.

The third agreement allocates a 24-million- euro grant to improve the energy efficiency of student dormitories at Student City, the main university campus in Tirana. The project aims to upgrade living conditions for students while reducing energy consumption through energy-efficient buildings.

Infrastructure and Energy Minister thanked the German government and KfW for their continued support for public investment projects in Albania.

Ambassador Bergner reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting investments that contribute to Albania’s economic development and modernisation, praising the cooperation between the two governments.

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This visit demonstrates the robust partnership between Albania and Germany, reaffirming our mutual commitment as NATO allies to enhancing defense and security cooperation.

During the official meeting, Lieutenant General Kingji briefed his counterpart on the latest Armed Forces developments, emphasizing human capital growth, military education, capacity modernization and enhanced interoperability with the allies.

For his part, General Breuer stated that, “Germany and Albania share a steadfast military partnership that has flourished since Albania’s NATO accession in 2009. In today’s volatile security environment, the true measure of an ally isn’t simply the size of its armed forces, but its operational readiness, reliability, and tangible contributions to our shared defense. Albania consistently proves its value as a crucial and dependable partner”.

The two Chiefs of Staff discussed covered shifting of regional and global security dynamics, noting that modern threats—from conventional warfare to cyber and hybrid attacks—these demand tighter coordination, sustained defense spending and peak Alliance readiness.

The parties reconfirmed the strategic significance of stability in the Western Balkans. Lieutenant General Kingji emphasized Albania’s commitment to strengthening collective security and defense within NATO. /p.s./

The meeting highlighted the strong relations between Albania and Germany in the defence sector, as well as Berlin’s role as one of NATO’s key allies and a major contributor to security and stability in the Western Balkans and Europe.

Nufi said General Breuer’s official visit represented an important opportunity to further expand military cooperation between the two countries and explore new areas of partnership.

The officials discussed the regional security situation, joint commitments within NATO, and preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit expected to be held in Tirana.

“The summit will be a historic moment for our country and an opportunity to demonstrate that the Western Balkans are an important contributor to Euro-Atlantic security,” Nufi said.

The talks also focused on the modernisation of Albania’s defence industry.

Nufi outlined the government’s ambitious programme to develop domestic production capacities, attract investment and integrate Albania into European defence supply chains, while expressing interest in greater involvement from German companies in the sector.

The two sides also discussed the strategic importance of Corridor VIII, a regional infrastructure project aimed at strengthening connectivity and enhancing NATO military mobility.

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Discussing Albania’s EU integration and broader enlargement dynamics, Minister Hoxha shared on X that he and the German minister reviewed the opportunities presented by the EU’s renewed momentum for expansion.

Both officials agreed on the significance of maintaining a credible, merit-based process, complemented by concrete steps and aimed at gradual integration that brings candidate countries closer to the European Union as they progress in reforms.

Minister Hoxha also expressed his appreciation for Germany’s unwavering support for EU enlargement and for Albania’s membership in the Union. /gj.m/a.f/p.s./

At the ceremony, German Deputy Ambassador to Albania Thilo Schroeter highlighted the strong bilateral partnership in security and law enforcement. He emphasized that combating the proliferation of illicit small arms is a shared priority for both Albania and Germany.

Germany, the EU, and France are backing an OSCE project to help Albania combat illegal firearms. The initiative focuses on weapon deactivation and training police sniffer dogs, reflecting Germany’s continued support for Albanian police in dismantling organized crime.

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Speaking to reporters in front of the Parliament, Balla said that as the technical review of the negotiation chapters advances from working groups to the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), the substantial efforts of Albanian institutions in meeting membership obligations are being highly recognized.

He pointed out that while more than 92 critical gaps were identified, Albania’s progress in Chapters 23 and 24 has earned positive evaluations, defying the usual rule that these chapters are the first to open and last to close.

“Germany views Albania as a front-running model for EU integration. The country’s progress in judiciary reform, vetting, and combating organized crime paves the way for other aspiring nations”, said Balla.

According to him, this important week concludes tomorrow with the Committee of Representatives, to continue next week with the intergovernmental conference.

Balla assured that he will do the utmost to ensure that the opposition has its space in this common journey. /j.p/p.s./

In a social media post on Wednesday, Balla thanked the German official for what he described as Germany’s unconditional support for Albania’s path toward European Union membership.

“Thank you to Minister of State for Europe Gunther Krichbaum for the invitation and hospitality. Albania is a model for other countries in implementing justice reform, including the vetting process for judges and prosecutors, which has contributed to greater accountability, integrity within the judiciary and legal certainty for foreign investment. Germany supports Albania’s accession to the European Union,” Balla wrote.

Since Monday, a high-level delegation from the Albanian parliament, composed of Balla, Jorida Tabaku and Igli Hasani, has been in Berlin on an official visit at the invitation of Krichbaum.

The delegation has held meetings at the German Chancellery, the federal government and the Bundestag, focusing on Albania’s EU accession process and the prospects for advanced candidate countries, at a time when EU member states are expected to approve Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR).

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Speaking on the Let’s Talk “FLASIM” podcast, Rama reflected on his visits to Aachen in Germany and Tallinn in Estonia, describing them as strategically important for Albania’s international positioning.

“These were two visits directly connected to Albania’s European future, Euro-Atlantic security and the important stage Albania is currently experiencing in its EU accession negotiations,” Rama stated.

During his stay in Aachen, the prime minister attended the prestigious Charlemagne Prize ceremony, where former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi was honoured with the 2026 Charlemagne Award.

“In Aachen, Germany, I had the pleasure and honour of once again joining the distinguished guests at the prestigious Charlemagne Prize ceremony, one of Europe’s most important recognitions for contributors to European unity and the continent’s future, where the great European statesman Mario Draghi received the 2026 Charlemagne Award,” Rama said.

Commenting on his visit to Estonia, Rama highlighted his participation in the internationally renowned Lennart Meri Conference, dedicated to security, diplomacy and transatlantic relations. He also described Albania’s official accession to NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence as a milestone development.

“A particularly important moment was Albania’s official membership in the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, one of the Alliance’s newest and most advanced structures in cyber defence and a strategic step for Albania as a contributor to NATO’s cybersecurity efforts,” Rama declared.

According to the prime minister, this development elevates Albania’s role within NATO cooperation in one of the most critical areas of modern security.

“Albania is now entering a new level of cooperation within the Alliance in a field that today represents one of the most critical fronts of both our national and global security,” he added.

Rama also stressed that relations between Albania and Estonia are entering a new phase of cooperation, particularly in technology, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and innovation.

“Relations between Albania and Estonia are moving into a new stage of cooperation, especially in technology, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and innovation, areas in which Estonia has long been a pioneer and where Albania today is viewed with growing respect,” Rama stated.

He further noted that Estonian officials were well informed about Albania’s technological and digital progress and expressed strong interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

“I was genuinely pleased to see that our Estonian friends were highly informed about Albania’s technological and digital developments and equally interested in deepening communication, cooperation and interaction between our two countries,” Rama concluded.

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The festival, hosted at Berlin’s historic Babylon Berlin cinema through May 13, opens with The Death of the Horse (Vdekja e Kalit) by Albanian director Saimir Kumbaro.

The programme features both classics produced during the communist-era movie studio Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” (New Albania) and contemporary Albanian films, aiming to bridge the country’s cinematic past with a new generation of filmmakers.

Actor Timo Flloko, who stars in The Death of the Horse, will attend the festival’s opening night and take part in a discussion with audiences following the screening.

The festival is supported by Albania’s embassy in Berlin, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the National Cinematography Center and the Albanian Central State Film Archive.

The Director of the  Central Film Archive, Eljan Tanini, said that among the films scheduled for screening are Second November (Nëntori i Dytë) by Viktor Gjika, Tale from the Past (Përrallë nga e Kaluara) by Dhimitër Anagnosti and Concert in 1936 (Koncert në Vitin 1936) by Kumbaro, When a Film Was Being Shot (Kur xhirohej një film” by Xhanfise Keko, Years of Waiting (Vitet e pritjes)  by Esat Musliu,  General Gramophone (Gjeneral Gramafoni” by Viktor Gjika,  and Red Poppies on the Wall (Lulëkuqet mbi mure) by Dhimitër Anagnosti.

Built in 1929 by architect Hans Poelzig, Babylon is regarded as one of Berlin’s best-known cinemas and hosts more than 1,000 film screenings annually.

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In a statement issued after an Energy Ministerial held in Montenegro under the Berlin Process, with the participation of Western Balkan countries, the embassy said the region is moving “from plans to implementation” and delivering tangible results.

“Over three consecutive days, the ministerial focused on how to concretely advance the energy transition in the region – greater energy security, faster investment, expansion of renewable energy and stronger regional cooperation,” the statement said.

According to the Embassy, progress is being driven by concrete projects rather than broad strategies.

“The message is clear: the Western Balkans is no longer a region that waits, but one of opportunity, progress and tangible results,” it said.

Germany, which launched the Berlin Process in 2014, “continues to accompany this path and supports reforms that are decisive for the EU accession of all countries in the region,” the statement added.

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