In a response sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sadushi reiterated the stance he expressed at a meeting of judges a few days ago: that discussing the issue of magistrate salaries while the matter is pending before the Constitutional Court would be inappropriate.

According to him, the Constitutional Court has the final say on a constitutional issue that is already under judicial review.

Sadushi stressed that not participating in the September 28 roundtable does not prevent future institutional dialogue.

President of the Supreme Court added that both he and the institution he represents remain fully open to such dialogue.

The roundtable convened by PM Rama for tomorrow is expected to bring together representatives from justice institutions and magistrate associations to discuss the new salary scheme. Meanwhile, the issue of changes to magistrates’ salaries is currently under review by the Constitutional Court, following a request for a review of the relevant law. /p.s./

Hoxha welcomed what he described as the calmer tone of Djuric’s message, saying the region’s future should be built through dialogue and practical cooperation rather than threats and accusations.

“I appreciate the calmer closing sentiment of Marko Djuric’s message, because that is precisely where our region’s future lies: not in threats and accusations, but in dialogue, trust and pragmatic cooperation. And that brings us back to where this exchange started. Water,” Hoxha said in a post on social media platform X

“Water is life. It does not carry a passport, read political maps or stop to ask which side of a border it is flowing through,” Foreign Minister said, opposing the use of water resources as an instrument of pressure or punishment.

“Turning it into an instrument of punishment is not simply someone else’s business,” he added.

“So yes, the Iber does not flow through Albania. But if tomorrow someone threatened to cut Serbia off from water flowing through their territory, Albania would be just as vocal. Not because that water would somehow end up in Albania, but because such a threat would poison the peaceful coexistence of this neighbourhood we all share,” Hoxha stated.

Albanian diplomacy chief underlined that good-neighbourly relations meant taking an interest in issues affecting regional stability and coexistence before they developed into problems directly affecting national interests.

“That is what neighbours are for, aren’t they? Not to calculate whether the water reaches their own tap before deciding whether they care, but to care before such calculations come to define the neighbourhood we live in,” Hoxha wrote.

“So perhaps we can leave the hydrology here and agree on something simpler. Rivers should carry water, not threats, and borders should define jurisdictions, not divide our responsibility for peace,” he went on saying.

Turning to the region’s European perspective, Hoxha said Albania remained committed to a larger European Union that would include Kosova, Serbia, Albania and the other countries of the Western Balkans.

“And as for all the ‘Greater’ things summoned into this discussion, Albania remains interested in only one: a Greater European Union, embracing Kosova, Serbia, Albania and the rest of our region,” he added.

“Our doors and our phone lines are wide open too, as are our minds, when it comes to building more concrete examples of what Albanians and Serbs can accomplish together.

So let’s keep going with more Europe, less mythology, and more reasons to look at our past through the eyes of the future, rather than looking at our future through the eyes of the past.

And, yes, water for everyone. To drink in peace and to irrigate, just as peacefully, the fertile lands of our common beautiful neighbourhood,” Foreign Minister Hoxha concluded his statement.

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In his remarks, Minister Lamallari emphasized that SOCTA 2026 represents the most comprehensive analysis of the threats posed by organized crime, helping law enforcement institutions to better understand criminal trends and build more effective responses to them.

“SOCTA is not just a report. It is the clearest picture of how crime is evolving, of the risks we face today and of the challenges we must address tomorrow,” Lamallari said.

According to the report’s findings, the organized crime groups remain the main threat to security, becoming increasingly flexible, sophisticated and more capable of exploiting technology, finance and international connections to carry out their criminal activities.

Drug trafficking, corruption, money laundering and illegal migration pose serious threats that require a continuous response and broad institutional cooperation.

The minister noted that the report also highlights the increasing importance of cybercrime, warning that attacks on digital systems, online fraud and the use of advanced technologies by criminal groups are creating new challenges for law enforcement institutions.

Another important element of SOCTA 2026 is the identification of environmental crimes as an emerging threat, which according to Lamallari shows that at present there is a broader concept of security directly related to the protection of natural resources, economic development and the well-being of citizens.

Speaking about the response of Albanian institutions to these challenges, the minister stressed that the fight against crime must increasingly rely on criminal intelligence, strategic analysis, information exchange and investments in technology and professional capacities.

“Criminality is evolving, forcing us to move beyond post-crime investigations and focus on predicting, preventing and stopping crimes in their earliest stages”, he declared. /k.s/j.p/p.s./

Speaking at an event marking the 35th anniversary of the ruling Socialist Party in Berat, Rama said the incident itself was “scandalous” but argued that the government’s reaction demonstrated that institutions were functioning.

“A state is measured not by the problems that occur, but by the way it responds,” Rama said.

He said authorities had taken a series of measures, including the arrest of an individual, criminal proceedings against private security personnel, the revocation of a private security company’s licence, the dismissal of the director of police in the coastal city of Vlorë, and internal investigations into the local police chain of command.

The Prime Minister said Albania should continue pursuing major development projects, arguing that the country should aim to become a model of success rather than a source of concern for others.

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In a post on social media platform X, the government head responded to journalist Eddy Wax over remarks attributed to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, regarding the future of the bilateral migrant protocol with Italy.

“I My dear Eddy Wax, I fully get that it’s funny to create an Edi vs Eddy storyline, but there’s really no room for it here, because first, I didn’t complain about the other Edi, and second, now that you’ve generously published the full transcript, it is crystal clear that the reduced quote was misleading enough for anyone with a vested ideological interest to run with it,” Rama wrote.

“But truly, no hard feelings at all. One Eddy has to do what he wants, and the other Edi has to endure what he must,” he added.

The Premier reiterated that Albania’s position on the migration agreement with Italy remained unchanged.

“Bottom line remains unchanged: what Italy asks from Albania, Italy gets from Albania,” Rama stated.

Rama reacted on Tuesday to media reports concerning comments by Foreign Minister Hoxha about the possible renewal of the Italy-Albania protocol on migration cooperation after the expiration of its initial five-year term.

The Prime Minister said the agreement would remain in force for as long as Italy wanted it to continue, dismissing suggestions of any shift in the Albanian government’s position on the deal.

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Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, welcomed the helicopter crews and personnel, who will coordinate closely with Albanian forces on the ground.

According to the ministry, the aircraft will strengthen operational capacities and assist in containing and extinguishing active fire hotspots in various regions.

Meanwhile, a Croatian Canadair aircraft began operations early this morning to tackle a fire near Synej, in the municipality of Rrogozhinë.

Additional support is being provided by Czech and Croatian Air Force helicopters, also operating out of Kuçova Air Base, which have been deployed to the Gramsh area to help extinguish a wildfire there.

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Defense Minister Pirro Vengu said Tuesday that, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, Interior Minister Ervin Hoxha, and Health and Social Protection Minister Albana Koçiu, the Committee convened to mobilize all civil emergency response structures at the national level.

“With high temperatures forecast throughout the week, and as firefighting efforts continue across the country, we laid out a coordinated action plan with the heads of institutions, prefects, and the mayors of the municipalities most at risk of wildfires,” Vengu stated.

Defense Minister announced an increase in local force readiness, enhanced vigilance, and round-the-clock terrain monitoring in all municipalities to ensure immediate reporting. Firefighting units will also be strategically positioned in high-risk zones to reduce response times.

Aerial firefighting efforts will continue, with priority given to populated areas and protected natural zones, Vengu said, adding that Albania will coordinate with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to secure additional resources if needed.

The Civil Protection Committee is Albania’s highest permanent authority responsible for coordinating interagency emergency measures and mobilizing entities involved in disaster response, including the Armed Forces, State Police, National Emergency Services, Forestry and Protected Area Agencies, Transport Authorities, and meteorological services.

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The main opposition party claimed earlier on Friday that dozens of ballot papers had been found in a private establishment and used by the ruling Socialist Party (SP) in the central Albanian town of Peqin, saying that the ballot papers were allegedly used in the so-called “Bulgarian train,” where pre-marked ballots are used to influence election results.

The State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi rejected the allegations in a formal response sent to France Nuri, the legal representative of DP-led opposition’s coalition “Alliance for Magnificent Albania.”

In its formal response, the central election body stated that no cases of unused ballot papers have been found outside the sealed election boxes.

The CEC also clarified that the materials discovered were not part of the official ballot stock and likely belonged to training kits used for staff instruction.

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Responding to a social media commentator, who asked him when it was last time he travelled to the United States and whether he can cross the ocean, the government head underlined that the last time he paid a visit to the U.S. it was for work-related purposes, adding he can do so anytime necessary.

Responding to another commentator why he does no longer refers to opposition leader Sali Berisha as “persona non-grata,” PM Rama clarified that there is no reason for him to do so, given the volume of work and activities he has to deal with recently.

“There are a lot more important things to be done than non-grata,” he answered, underlining that the U.S. Department of State has designated former Prime Minister Sali Berisha for major corruption and he remains a persona non-grata.

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In a formal response signed by Chief Justice Holta Zaçaj, the Constitutional Court said it could not engage in legislative processes that may later come under its judicial review.

The Constitutional Court stressed that participating in the commission could compromise its ability to impartially oversee future legislation. However, the court left open the possibility of involvement in cases related to constitutional amendments or changes to its own regulatory framework.

The Constitutional Court’s decision comes after a request forwarded by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Anti-Corruption Commission Fatmir Xhafa, asking the Court to name its representatives to the Commission.

The panel is part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing governance and rule of law as Albania moves closer to its 2030 European Union integration goals.

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