The figures were presented by AKSK Director General Bledar Kazia during a parliamentary hearing on institutional oversight.

Kazia said the authority was working to strengthen Albania’s cybersecurity legislation and regulations, including amendments to the 2024 cybersecurity law that would introduce administrative measures, increase reporting and cooperation requirements for critical infrastructure, and align the framework with European Union integration requirements.

A law on electronic services was also adopted in May, including changes to the digital identity system and the transposition of EU rules aimed at increasing public trust in online services, Kazia said.

As part of Albania’s EU accession process, AKSK is involved in negotiations under Chapters 10, 20 and 31, focusing on cybersecurity obligations, responsibilities and standards.

The number of infrastructures covered by the authority has risen from 215 to 328, while staffing capacity has also been expanded and artificial intelligence integrated into some systems, Kazia said.

The authority plans to continue implementing the priorities of Albania’s 2025-2030 Cybersecurity Strategy in 2027, including a new methodology for identifying and addressing critical and important infrastructure.

Kazia also said around 240 reports of cyberbullying and harmful content affecting children had been registered with the authority during the previous year, with cases handled in cooperation with other institutions.

During the hearing, Democratic Party lawmaker Gjin Gjoni raised concerns about the use of artificial intelligence by state institutions, calling for greater transparency and oversight. He also questioned accountability for AI systems, including the government’s “Diella” system, and raised concerns about cameras, radars and sensors deployed in public spaces as part of the Smart City project.

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Prosecutorial Council joined the High Judicial Council in supporting prosecutors in the face of certain media reports, which may infringe integrity and undermine their independence.

According to the High Prosecutorial Council, “”the labels used, the one-sided opinions without careful and objective reviews, as required by professional journalism, deviate from impartial and balanced reporting by the media.”

“This may lead to unprofessional reporting and it may undermine public trust in justice. Independent and professional justice must prevail in every case and we therefore encourage cooperation with the media for fair, balanced and verified reporting,” the Council said in its press statement.

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The General Directorate of Taxation said Thursday that a total of 143 126 employees have seen their wage rising compared to September 2024, prior to the start of the inspection actions by the tax administration.

Tax administration also said that collections from income tax and social insurance contributions have increased by 28% since September 2024.

“The fight against concealment of real wages by businesses or grey informality will go on to make sure that no citizen in the Republic of Albania is denied of the right to a decent and deserved pension,” the General Directorate of Taxation said.

Albanian government launched an operation against grey informality in the labour market, in a bid to increase state budget collections and social insurance contributions as part of its plans to increase pensions in the country.

More than 300 000 workers have been removed from the unreported work practice since 2013.
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During the panel moderated by journalist Blendi Salaj, there were held discussions on the challenges of reporting in times of crises and wars, the authenticity of the news and the influence of “Fake News”, as well as the contribution of civil society in these moments of crisis, its action with the media, etc. The discussions were completed by the panel with Remzi Lani from the Albanian Institute of Media, the journalist and representative of the Civil Society Lutfi Dervishi as well as with the journalist who has been in Ukraine, war reporter Julian Kasapi.

While Russian aggression continues in Ukraine and the war has entered its third year, the conflict lacks media attention and this has an effect on the developments inside the war zone, when much can happen outside the media and public attention. /r.e/p.s./

Hyseni was at the Security Committee for two items on the agenda. Initially, she would report on the annual work of the institution she leads and secondly, within the framework of the request of the opposition Parliamentary group, she would make clear the role of Albania in the tensions in the north of Kosovo.

At the start of the work in the Security Committee, the Socialist Party lawmakers voted by majority of votes that the session be held behind closed doors due to the classified information which Hyseni was going to present. The Lawmaker of the Democratic Party Ervin Salianji rejected the fact.

“Is there an answer that Hyseni was in Belgrade in the quality of Head of the State Intelligence Service? There is public concern about this fact. There is also information published in the media that the professional leaders of Service have been replaced by militants. Does Vlora Hyseni have an answer to this?” asked Salianji.

The Chairperson of the National Security Committee Naço requested that there should be no questions related to classified information, which is a state secret. At this point, there began the debate between the MPs of the opposition and the majority.

Due to numerous debates, the session was interrupted twice, while in the end, Naço, citing the regulation for Parliamentary committees, said that the committee did not have the necessary quorum of MPs with a security certificate, for the committee to continue its work. Under these conditions, the socialist MP, Chairperson of the Security Committee decided to close the session.

This would be Vlora Hysen’s first report before the opposition MPs. Hyseni officially took office as Head of the State Intelligence Service in April 2023. /r.e/p.s./

The Head of the Universal Peace Federation Peter Zoeher said in his remarks that the media image in the eyes of the public has been crumbled and work is needed to restore reliable and free media.

“The image of the media in the eyes of the public has been tarnished in the last 15 or 20 past years, not only in the eastern region, but also in the Western Europe and the United States of America itself. The image of the media has changed or has faded in recent years and nobody but us are the ones to be blamed and it is only us who can restore this image in the coming years and make sure that the media are reliable, correct, responsible and free. We should be united  and help journalists for a better and more peaceful world,” he said.

Discussing on the ethical reporting in situation of conflicts, Tom McDevitt, the chairman of the board of directors of the Washington Time, focused on the growing challenges people are facing in recent years and the role of journalists in these events across the world.

“We face multi-dimensional challenges, namely the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused so much pain and hardship throughout the world, social norms have been either damaged or destroyed. There are also other challenges as the world is encountering countless problems  and it is crucial for us as journalists to figure out the essence, the indicators leading to such changes, especially if we really wish to report news stories correctly,  impartially and totally free,” he said.

According to him, a lot of work is needed so that a phenomenon is created in the Balkans with an impact on the international media landscape.

On his part, the President of ABNA-SE, Skënder Krasniqi said that the media should refrain from inciting conflict and serve the truth only.

“We as the media must avoid inciting conflict, hatred and animosity, using neutral  and not emotionally charged language, and we can serve the truth and not invent it. Our duty as a media in a conflict zone is to provide coverage and report independently on the events to inform local and foreign public, increasing transparency on that conflict so that the public doesn’t depend on official information only. The murder of journalists is a murder of the truth which unfortunately, even now as we speak – is happening not far from here. In this regard and by trying to contribute to peace rather than violence, we within ABNA, which brings together news agencies from 12 Balkan and Southeast Europe countries, except Montenegro that we hope to join soon, we are working continuously, increasing cooperation between news agencies so that news from our countries can come first hand and in this way to contribute to preventing distortion of information by other actors,” Krasniqi said.

The conference is organized by the Universal Peace Federation, in partnership with KosovaPress news agency, Washington Times Foundation, the International Media Association for Peace (IMAP), and the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP).

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