The Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported that the three professionals bring extensive experience from healthcare and academic institutions across Europe and North America to their upcoming clinical practice in domestic healthcare facilities.

Ermelinda Bahollari, specialized in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in Germany, has joined Fier Memorial Hospital.

Meanwhile, Mikel Kamami, graduated in Italy and specialized at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, has been appointed to the “Shefqet Ndroqi” University Hospital.

Neritan Boriçi, who has 25 years of professional and research experience and has recently worked in reference institutions in the United States of America, is also returning to the Albanian healthcare system.

According to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the return of Albanian diaspora professionals aims to integrate international knowledge, expertise, and standards into the domestic healthcare system.

The ‘Doctors from the Diaspora’ platform connects Albanian medical professionals abroad with the domestic healthcare system. /p.s./

Applications for the scheme were opened yesterday, at 08:00, while the number of first applications, according to the minister, shows the high interest in programs that facilitate the purchase of a home.

Of the first 267 applications, 111 are from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, 54 from the Ministry of Defense, 40 from the Ministry of Education and Sports, 36 from the Ministry of Interior and 26 from the Ministry of Justice.

“267 citizens have expressed interest in the first 24 hours for the 0% interest loan for public administration employees. Applications opened yesterday, at 08:00, and the high interest shows the need for programs that make it easier to buy a home,” said Ibrahimaj.

The minister announced that since 2023, around 1,130 public administration employees have benefited from the 0% interest loans.

“We will continue to expand opportunities for affordable housing and support families and young people to own their own home,” Ibrahimaj said. /e.xh/a.f/p.s./

Artan Balaj stated that after gaining professional experience in Italy, he chose to return home and invest in his country. Faced with the choice of remaining an employee abroad or building a future at home, he asked himself: “Should I stay in Italy as a worker, or build something in Albania?”

This Vlora-based enterprise partners with local farming families to source and press olives into olive oil. The founder believes that Albania’s growing tourism industry directly increases the demand for local goods. He noted that when young people return home to start businesses, they help strengthen the local economy. Instead of leaving the country, he urged young Albanians to stay and build their futures because real business opportunities exist right here.

In her message, Koçiu qualifies the story of Artan and Bruno as a great example.

“The future is in Albania,” wrote Koçiu, emphasizing the promotion of investment, entrepreneurship and Albanian products.

“Together for Albania 2030,” concluded the deputy prime minister. /gj.m/j.p/p.s./

The Ministry of Health said that the dialysis service at Vlora Regional Hospital runs six days a week. It supports 60 permanent patients and several temporary patients.

Meanwhile, the Elbasan Hospital hemodialysis center has operated since 2017. It serves 162 permanent patients, seasonal patients and individuals from Peqin, Librazhd, Gramshi, and Belsh.

Since 2019, international protocols and digital upgrades have helped us provide better care for our patients. This progress is also thanks to ongoing support from the Ministry of Health, said an Elbasan Hospital doctor.

A patient who has received treatment in the hospital’s dialysis ward for nine years appreciated the medical team.

“I have been on dialysis here for nine years,” the patient said. “The medical staff, nurses, and all personnel have always provided perfect care.”

Starting this fall, the hemodialysis service will transition to state management. This change aims to integrate the service with other hospital departments, guarantee care continuity and improve patient access close to home.

/e.i/j.p/p.s./

Following extensive training and experience in Italy, he returned to Fishtë, Lezha, to launch a local pottery business.

Ukaj told ATA team that in 2000, his journey began in a tiny room—his grandfather’s former house. Today, that modest starting point has evolved into a thriving reality, proving his vision has truly borne fruit.

” Through dedication, I transformed limited opportunities into a flourishing business, now recognized as a top destination for visitors,” he said.

His pottery workshop has blossomed into a premier tourist destination, offering visitors an immersive experience where they can observe the production process, try their hand at clay molding, and purchase unique, handcrafted items.

“We welcome a consistent, international flow of tourists annually and maintain strong, established partnerships with local agrotourism businesses and resorts,” said Vasili.

Representing the next generation, Vasili’s 10-year-old grandson, Danjeli, now guides tourists through their family workshop. For Vasili, it is about passing on passion, not just a trade. “I want this craft to live on through generations and support our family,” he explained.

The workshop offers a diverse portfolio of 300+ items—from culinary wares to artistic souvenirs—widely available across Albanian tourist hotspots like Berat, Gjirokastra, and Saranda, with expanding distribution across Montenegro and Kosovo.

Vasili’s journey began when an Italian ceramics professor, recognizing his talent, funded his studies in Italy on the condition that he return to Albania. True to his word, Vasili returned after five years of training to establish his own business in his homeland.

His goal is to build a strong ‘Made in Albania’ brand, elevating traditional crafts into a daily success story.

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The “Babunja Knight” is an extraordinary bronze statue depicting an armed knight on horseback. This is the first time that this unique work is being shown to the Austrian scientific community and international researchers in one of the most important museums in the world.

The 2,600-year-old work, discovered in 2018 near Apollonia (Babunja, Lushnja), was exhibited in the “Golden Hall” of the museum from May 13 to July 31, 2025, where it was widely appreciated by the public and international experts.

According to the Academy, the exhibition was organized by the Albanian Embassy in Vienna, in cooperation with the Institute of Archaeology of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and the Austrian museum itself.

It opened with an international scientific conference, attended by over 120 researchers from around the world. Albania was represented by acad. Adem Bunguri, prof. Neritan Ceka, prof. Bashkim Lahi and assoc. prof. Eduard Shehi.

After success of the exhibition, “Babunja Knight” has returned to Tirana and will be placed on permanent display at the Archaeological Museum, part of the Institute of Archaeology at the Albanian Academy of Sciences. /r.e//a.f/p.s./

Minister of Health and Social Protection Albana Koçiu conveyed messages of gratitude to patients who receive this service at home, but also to their families who have expressed their appreciation for receiving this service on time.

Koçiu stated that, “The consolidation of this community care model by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection has become a tangible reality for thousands of citizens across the country, especially for those who suffer of chronic diseases or mobility difficulties.”

Meanwhile, a doctor at the Dajç Municipal Unit said that they have six patients included in this service package.

“The home service is provided by a multidisciplinary team of doctors composed of nurses, family doctors and a social worker,” said the doctor at the Nish-Tulla Health Center in Durrës.

Minister Koçiu emphasized that, “This program is being extended to 36 Local Health Care Units and 356 health centers, enabling over 58,700 visits and procedures during 2024 alone, for around 5,200 patients.”/e.i/j.p/p.s./

The minister recalled that applicants should be employees in the public administration institutions.

According to the decision, the following will be decisive in the ranking of applicants: age, work experience in administration and salary category. Preference will be given to those who are younger (no older than 40), over those that have one or two years of work experience as well as those classified in the lower salary categories.

Beneficiaries will be teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers, soldiers, guards, veterinarians, artists and others. In total, there are 300 quotas or loans with zero interest, 90 of which will be given to the Ministry of the Interior, 90 to the Ministry of Defense, 30 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 30 to the Ministry of Education and Sports, 45 to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and 15 for the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation. /p.s./

Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation Blendi Gonxhja appreciated that this decision is a positive step for the support of public administration professionals, providing them with the opportunity to live in better conditions.

“A positive step for the support of public administration professionals, through a special program that offers zero-interest loans for the purchase of home, with the aim of improving the life quality of the employees, providing them with the opportunity to live in better conditions, better and safer, without spending on loan interest rates”, he wrote in a post in the social media.

The minister emphasized that the beneficiaries will be selected based on the scoring system and special attention in this process will be given to teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers, soldiers, guards, veterinarians, artists, etc.

These quotas will be annual, thanks to funding from the state budget, approved in the previous meeting of the government.

Gonxhja said that in order to benefit from this program, it will be possible soon to apply online through the e-albania.al platform./p.s./

“Yesterday in the late evening, through a flight from Tel Aviv to Skopje, coordinated by the Republic of North Macedonia, 7 Albanian nationals, among them and a minor, arrived,” the ministry said.

Under the auspices of the ministry, after arriving in Skopje, they headed towards Albania to their home towns.

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs emphasized that it is working closely and is in constant contact with all ministries of other countries in the region to help all citizens who want to return to their countries. /p.s./