In a statement posted on social media, Koçiu said the removal of the flag violated fundamental norms of respect for diplomatic missions and ran counter to the spirit of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

She said the incident was not merely an attack on a state symbol.

“Any act that seeks to target the identity of a people, delegitimize its presence, or incite hostility on ethnic or religious grounds creates fertile ground for intolerance and anti-Semitism – phenomena Europe knows from some of the darkest chapters of its history and which have no place in democratic societies,” Koçiu said.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stressed that Albania is a welcoming country and a reliable partner, with zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech.

“This shameful and isolated act runs contrary to our long-standing tradition of harmony, respect and protection of others -principles that have characterized the Albanian people throughout history,” she said.

Koçiu expressed full solidarity with the Embassy of the State of Israel in Albania and reaffirmed Albania’s unwavering commitment to international law, the protection of diplomatic missions, and the promotion of European values of tolerance, respect and coexistence.

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In a statement, the Ministry said the incident had no connection to freedom of expression, the legitimate right to peaceful protest or the democratic and European values upheld by Albania.

“Such acts are manifestations of hatred, intolerance and incitement, and are entirely incompatible with the principles of respect and coexistence that form the foundation of Albanian society,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry described the incident as a “shameful act” that contradicts Albania’s long-standing traditions of hospitality, harmony and respect for others.

“These actions do not represent Albania or the Albanian people,” the statement said. “They represent only those who seek to provoke, divide and spread hatred while deliberately abusing fundamental rights and freedoms.”

The Ministry reaffirmed Albania’s commitment to protecting diplomatic missions and their symbols in accordance with international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

It also expressed solidarity with the Israeli Embassy, stressing that violence, intimidation and hate speech “have no place in a democratic society.”

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The opposition leader said in a statement that he and his relatives were no longer barred from travelling to the United States.

“An unjust decision by the previous U.S. administration against me and my family was corrected yesterday,” Berisha said.

He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for what he described as the reversal of the measure.

Berisha also repeated previous allegations that “the restrictions had been the result of lobbying efforts by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and his mentor, financier George Soros.”

The former prime minister expressed gratitude to his family, associates, supporters and members of the Democratic Party for their backing during what he described as a long struggle to defend his reputation.

He also thanked Albanian voters who supported him and his party in the country’s parliamentary election last year, and called on Democratic Party members and supporters to continue efforts to secure what he described as free elections and a better future for Albanian citizens.

In 2021, the United States designated Berisha and members of his immediate family as ineligible for entry into the country over allegations of significant corruption, accusations that he has consistently denied.

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Diplomatic sources said decision-making procedures at the level of the European Commission have been completed, with only a meeting of EU member state representatives dealing with the Western Balkans still pending.

That meeting, expected to take place on Monday, is anticipated to endorse the removal of the measures, Kosovo’s public broadcaster RTK reported.

The EU imposed the measures in June 2023 amid tensions in northern Kosovo. A year later, then EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell recommended that they be lifted, but it took more than 18 months for the decision to move towards formalisation.

More than 400 million euros in EU financial assistance were frozen following the move. At the end of 2025, half of the financial restrictions were lifted, with the remainder now expected to be unblocked.

The measures also included the suspension of bilateral meetings between EU officials and representatives of the Kosovo government, except in cases involving regional gatherings.

Kosovo remains the only Western Balkan country not yet visited by Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who is planning a trip to Prishtina later this month. EU officials say the preferred scenario would be for the visit to coincide with the announcement that the measures have been lifted.

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The legislative initiative is part of Albania’s accelerated integration into the EU’s single digital market. According to the draft law’s explanatory report, the political objective is to implement zero roaming charges with the EU by 2026.

The law would allow Albanian citizens traveling in EU countries to use their national mobile plans for calls, text messages and data without extra charges, similar to current arrangements with Western Balkan countries. EU citizens visiting Albania would receive the same treatment, benefiting tourism and improving the business environment.

For the first time, the draft introduces administrative fines for operators that fail to comply with the new roaming rules. It also harmonises wholesale call termination rates, a technical step necessary to reduce end-user costs.

Interested parties have 20 days from the publication of the draft to submit comments and recommendations before it is sent for approval to the Council of Ministers and then to parliament. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority will be responsible for its implementation.

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Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, Von der Leyen described the move as one of several key examples of support for Albania’s integration with the EU.

“We reached an agreement with telecom operators in 2023, and next year we will remove all roaming fees between Albania and the EU,” she stated.

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Food Authority announced the procedures and the measures aimed at ensuring food safety and protecting consumer’s health.

The Authority said that entire quantity of the allegedly contaminated ice cream has been withdrawn from the market within seven days.

Food Authority said that the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) had informed that Albania had been included on the list of 47 countries that have received ice cream imports from a French company that contained unauthorized ethylene oxide substance and  lygomme used in ice cream production.

“As soon as the alert was received, all the verification about the imported quantity of ice cream, launching at the same time inspection actions at food operators to withdraw the product from the market and destroy it,” the Authority said, adding that the entire quantity was destroyed.

The Head of the Supreme State Audit, Arben Shehu, told lawmakers at the Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Finances that ice cream brands contaminated with ethylene oxide have entered  the market.

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The billboard contained the pictures of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, tennis player Novak Djokovic, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.

Kosovo Internal Affairs Minister Xhelal Sveçla said there is no place in Kosovo for figures, who represent “dictatorship and aggression.”

Zveçan is located near the area where an attack on Kosovo police took place last September that left four dead, a local police sergeant and three of the assailants.

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The Minister of Defence Niko Peleshi shared images showing the joint Albanian-French operation, which, according to him, “significantly improves safety at Vlora bay.”

Peleshi said that 220 ammunition pieces of various calibre were handed to ordnance disposal experts.

“Vlora bay is now cleaner and safer. Albanian and French divers recovered 220 unexploded ordnance pieces of various calibre from the sea bottom and were then handed over to our ordnance disposal experts,” Defence Minister said.

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According to the Albanian Embassy, based on the Dutch government assessment on the low level of Covid-19 infections in Albania, the free movement of all categories of Albanian citizens to The Netherlands will resume from June 24 onwards.

“Starting tomorrow, free movement will be allowed for all Albanian citizens, not only for Albanian residents in the EU or for essential reasons. Albanian citizens can travel freely to the Netherlands also for tourism purposes,” the Embassy said.

All Albanian citizens traveling to the Netherlands are not required to present the PCR or antigen tests at the destination. Quarantine is also not mandatory for travellers from the Republic of Albania to The Netherlands, as it is considered a country with a low risk of infections.

“In any case, we instruct passengers to also contact their respective airlines, as these companies, as private entities, may potentially require special forms or additional measures for passengers at the time of travel,” the Embassy added.

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