During the launch, Saimir Kapllani, an expert at the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), said the platform was built around four main pillars aimed at improving public access to information and strengthening institutional accountability.

“Pasqyrë Albania has been built around four main pillars, enabling citizens to access information on all public investments. The aim is to ensure transparency over investments, but also, as the prime minister mentioned, to allow citizens to follow every step of their applications and complaints,” Kapllani said.

He said the first pillar, called “Check,” would allow citizens to monitor where public money was being invested, what projects were under way in their municipalities and which government initiatives and priority reforms were being implemented.

Rama said the platform would enable citizens to independently check the progress of projects in their areas, including those that had been suspended or delayed.

“The idea is to provide all citizens with a tool that allows them to see for themselves the investments and the progress of projects in any area of interest to them,” Rama said.

This would allow citizens to check claims and what he described as “half-truths” circulating on online news portals and other channels against the actual progress of public investments, he added.

The second pillar, explained Kapllani, focuses on transparency in local government decision-making. It will give citizens access to decisions already adopted by municipal councils, as well as draft decisions under consideration.

Called “Understand,” the section will allow users to search decisions adopted by their respective municipalities in recent months. Kapllani said decisions dating back to September had already been uploaded to the platform.

A virtual assistant has also been developed to help citizens understand municipal decisions by providing summaries of recently adopted measures, he said.

The third pillar provides citizens with a personal account through which they can access and track applications, public services and complaints by logging in with their e-Albania credentials.

Kapllani described this as the platform’s most important component, saying users would be able to view all applications submitted through e-Albania and follow their current status through Pasqyrë Albania.

Rama placed particular emphasis on the complaint-tracking mechanism, comparing it to the tracking of parcels through international courier company DHL.

He said citizens would be able to monitor the progress of every request or complaint, while public administration officials and the relevant institutions would be able to identify delays and bottlenecks in real time.

Rama said there should no longer be uncertainty over whether citizens had received a response, even if disagreements remained over whether their concerns had been adequately addressed.

Kapllani said each service listed on the platform would have a legally established deadline for a response, which the responsible institution would be required to meet.

If the deadline expires without a response, the platform will automatically flag the delay and notify the citizen by SMS. The notification will also include a link allowing the user to file a complaint, which will then be registered through the system, he said.

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The “Price Transparency” platform and the “Save” (KURSE) initiative have been launched in cooperation with supermarkets and suppliers, initially lists 238 products across 13 categories, allowing consumers to compare prices and make more informed purchasing decisions.

Speaking at the launch, PM Rama said the initiative had been made possible through cooperation between the government and businesses, stressing the need for companies to look beyond short-term profits amid rising costs and economic pressures worldwide.

“I am very pleased that we have achieved this first objective without needing anything more than mutual understanding,” Rama said. “Ultimately, this is a time when we need to look beyond daily profits.”

The government head said the broader economic pressures affecting countries worldwide called for closer cooperation between sellers and consumers.

“Against the backdrop of general economic pressures, which are not attributable to domestic factors but are affecting the entire world, and amid rising costs overall, we need to move beyond the traditional dividing line between sellers and buyers,” he said.

Five major food retailers in Albania have agreed to offer a range of products at reasonable prices that will remain unchanged until Jan. 12 next year, Rama said, without specifying the products covered by the agreement.

The initiative is intended to expand over time, with the government seeking to bring more businesses on board, including smaller retailers and local shops.

Rama also warned against unlawful price increases, saying legislation provides for fines in cases where price speculation is established.

He thanked the participating companies and their representatives, adding that the government would continue to encourage broader participation in the scheme.

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The meetings began at 5 p.m. and will be held every Friday at the same time and location. Each administrative unit, as well as urban areas within larger cities, will hold its own “Prania” once a month, Rama said.

The initiative, announced by Rama during a meeting with the ruling Socialist parliamentary group and government cabinet a day ago, is intended as a neutral forum where citizens can individually present problems, requests and concerns.

“Entry is without cameras and without a party membership card,” Rama said in a social media post, stressing that the meetings were not intended as political gatherings but as individual listening sessions with citizens.

Issues raised will be recorded and formally referred to the relevant institutions through the local MP, with the aim of ensuring that citizens receive an official response to their concerns.

“It does not promise solutions, but it commits to ensuring that nothing remains unaddressed and that no one is left without the answer they are entitled to by law and custom,” Rama said.

He described “Prania Besnike” as part of a broader system designed to make listening to citizens a requirement and responding to their concerns an obligation.

Earlier, Rama said the initiative should not be viewed as an electoral or party-organising calendar, but as a mechanism for strengthening direct communication between citizens and institutions.

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Tirana International Airport said Tuesday the new route will further expand air connectivity and provide passengers with more travel options.

The Tirana-Dublin service will operate twice weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays, offering greater flexibility and a direct link to one of Europe’s most important cities.

The route is expected to improve access to key markets, increase choice for passengers and contribute to the continued development of tourism and the economy.

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The event was attended by representatives of institutions and organizations, including Catherine Suard, France’s ambassador to Albania, and Socialist Party lawmaker Iris Luarasi.

The app aims to provide immediate support to women facing danger or distress by creating a solidarity network among registered users.

Through the platform, users can send an emergency alert that notifies other registered users located nearby, enabling them to provide rapid assistance.

The tool is intended to complement existing support mechanisms such as the Alo 116 helpline for women and girls, as well as institutional structures including the police and social services.

According to organizers, the application is free and available worldwide in 18 languages.

It currently has more than one million downloads and about 340,000 verified profiles capable of offering assistance to users in different countries, including Albania.

The launch of the app in Albania aims to strengthen support and solidarity mechanisms for women and girls facing violence or dangerous situations.

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The book explores the cultural, social, and spiritual significance of the iftar table as a space for dialogue and connection across different faiths and backgrounds.

Speaking at the launch, Rama said the idea for the book was inspired by Muslim friends and collaborators who encouraged him to record the reflections shared during these gatherings. He described iftar as more than a religious ritual, emphasizing its role in fostering social cohesion, dialogue, and mutual respect.

“First, the composition of the guest list itself reflects my care in presenting this book, which is essentially a collection of evenings I have had the privilege of organizing in my official capacity. The iftar table is for me, increasingly, a space that goes beyond the fasting participants and brings together people from diverse life paths and religious backgrounds,” Rama said.

He added that he chose a modest presentation for the book, postponing its release at the annual book fair to avoid overshadowing other authors and their works. Rama also highlighted the participation of Aurel Plasari, calling him a symbolic witness to the unifying power of the iftar table on Tirana’s boulevard.

Rama reflected on how hosting iftar dinners had deepened his engagement with Islamic culture and traditions.

“I have great respect for my friends who practice this faith, and I am grateful for the experience of these iftars, which has enriched me and encouraged me to explore more deeply the culture and language of Islam. Beyond the slogans of interfaith coexistence, there is a cultural treasure here that deserves our commitment, care, admiration, and respect. Through these experiences, people can see religion beyond prejudice and stereotypes, which is especially important when speaking about Islam,” he said.

The book features a foreword by Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, and a preface by Besnik Sinani, professor at the University of Tübingen.

Through the collection, Rama aims to showcase how iftar dinners serve as a platform for cultural reflection, dialogue, and interfaith understanding, reflecting Albania’s broader commitment to religious harmony and social cohesion.

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The funding is open to public higher education institutions and research units engaged in scientific activity.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a social media post on Friday that the Ministry of Education, through AKKShI, “supports research and development projects, technology and innovation initiatives, and research infrastructure projects with 7 million euros in funding.”

He added that “the call provides universities, research units, and individual researchers the opportunity to develop their programmes at the highest level of research quality and innovation, producing a real impact on the country’s economic, social, and technological activities.”

The programmes aim to strengthen higher education and research institutions, support scientific research through laboratories and equipment, and respond to national priorities in social, economic, and cultural development, as well as international trends in science and research.

The initiatives also seek to improve existing research infrastructure, create conditions for national and international research activities, increase the capacity of universities to provide services to third parties – including businesses, industry, institutions, and communities – and establish research infrastructure aligned with European programme standards.

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The announcement was made by Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro on Monday, saying the call aims to support concrete investments that strengthen universities’ research capacities.

“This call is designed to back tangible investments in laboratories, research equipment, technological systems and other innovative infrastructure that supports academic activity and scientific research at our universities,” Kumbaro said.

She added that public higher education institutions are invited to submit project proposals closely aligned with their study programmes, curricula and research priorities, with a particular focus on open science.

“The new infrastructure should also be accessible to external users, in line with European standards,” Kumbaro said.

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The new route will operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, offering greater travel flexibility for both leisure and family visits and allowing travelers to easily explore both the Portuguese capital and Albania’s vibrant city of Tirana.

This strategic route reinforces Albania’s growing visibility on the European travel map and strengthens ties with Portugal, opening new opportunities for leisure and business travel in both directions.

“A new bridge between Albania and Portugal has just opened. Today we welcomed the first easyJet flight from Lisbon to Tirana, strengthening our ties with Western Europe,” TIA said in a post on the social media.

Tirana Airport continues to expand its reach as a key regional hub.

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The newest higher education institution in Albania, launched in collaboration with the New York State-based Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), is expected to start its activity in the 2025-2026 academic year, initially offering information technology (IT) and electrical engineering degrees, which will carry the full weight of a U.S. degree, and setting a whole new standard of the higher technology education in the country.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, the United States Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VanHorn, the Head of board of Harry T. Fultz Foundation, Edmond Leka, as well as the RIT representatives and other project partners attended the ceremony.

The Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu highlighted the strategic importance of this higher education institution in Albania.

“It is a very important day for Albania’s higher education system as a new academy is being launched in strategic partnership with one of the top technology universities, namely the New York-based Rochester Institute of Technology. The American Academy of Technology is the newest institution to open its doors in September 2025 with two initial study degrees. We are proud that this prestigious institute adds up to the array of higher education institutions in Albania and this is part of our strategic goal to reinvent the university offer, to expand and diversity it, but, most importantly, to also meet the highest international quality standards,” Education Minister said.

The American Academy of Technology Tirana will be housed at the current Harry Fultz Institute, in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Education Minister Manastirliu underlined that opening the new university marks another step towards internationalization of Albania’s higher education.

The American Academy of Technology will be the first accredited U.S. University in Albania and it will pursue same academic structures of other RIT international campuses already operating across the world.

Rochester Institute of Technology offers programmes of art and design, business, computing and information sciences, and engineering.

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