The embassy said the battalion, which has trained alongside the New Jersey National Guard under a partnership spanning more than 25 years, demonstrated that its tactical proficiency and interoperability meet NATO’s exacting standards.

Evaluators scrutinized maneuver, fire discipline, command and control, and sustainment under real operational tempo.

President Bajram Begaj and Defence Minister Ermal Nufi also attended the exercise.

The U.S. Embassy highlighted the importance of continued cooperation between the Albanian Armed Forces and the New Jersey National Guard under their long-standing partnership.

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At the first meeting of the Organizing Committee of the Mediterranean Games, which was attended by Minister of Sports Blerim Gashani, Mayor of Prishtina Përparim Rama, as well as representatives of institutions and sports, Kurti said that this is the first time Kosovo will host a sports event of this size.

He stressed that this event is a key chance to show Kosovo’s planning skills, grow sports and facilities and share the country with the world.

Kurti also emphasized the significance of inter-institutional coordination for implementation of the project. /KosovaPress/p.s./

During presentation of the platform, the Chief State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi assessed that the CEC has already fulfilled all obligations and responsibilities related to application of this platform.

Celibashi said that the platform ensures the registration of voters from abroad via the internet, without the need to appear at any office, embassy or consulate.

“The platform has all the qualities and guarantees security. We have built a platform that fully ensures the identity of the applicant. If compared to its counterparts, I think it constitutes the highest security standard”, said Celibashi.

In this regard, he ensured that the platform has taken into consideration all aspects related to the use of personal data and their protection.

Celibashi emphasized that the platform will have a chatbot service (direct communication) for all those applicants who are not familiar with information technology.

“Elderly people or people who are not familiar with information technology will be assisted in registering on the platform via Whatsapp or e-mail. Direct communication will be provided for these people,” he said.

Celibashi also emphasized that the review of the request to vote as an overseas voter is done 100% automatically.

“This happens if the data uploaded by the applicant matches the database that we have in the system,” said Celibashi.

According to him, creating an account on the Electronic Registration platform is only the first phase, but anyone who wants to register as an overseas voter must meet several other conditions. /r.e/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared photos of the site in the social media writing that over 30,000 driving school candidates per year will perform special practical test maneuvers for categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, on the new test track at this new center.

This first public driving license practical testing site and the first Digital Educational Center of Virtual Simulations for Driving License in Fushë-Preza, Tirana, is an investment of the Albanian government, through the Public Transport Service Directorate.

The new facility within this center will be turned into a space of the latest driving simulator technology, a meeting point for educational activities with young people as well as a professional training station for the Driving License sector.

The project envisages e-Monitoring in the air, but also inside the cabin, live during the exam, functional complex day and night, energy efficiency and charging of electric vehicles with solar energy, auxiliary driveway, signage and simulation tools, modern installations and waiting areas.

This new multidimensional work extending over an area of about 6000 m2 will also serve for Road Safety Educational Programs, Traffic Corner hours and additional Educational Activities./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama wrote in the social media that, “The new facility within this center will turn into a space of technology, a meeting point for educational activities with young people as well as a professional training station”.

“This new complex, extending over an area of about 6,000 m2, will also serve for road safety educational programs, traffic corner hours and additional learning activities,” said Rama.

This project is another work for transparent testing standards and in safe maneuver conditions, but also a future education and training center for trainees and subjects interested in real and virtual simulations, exercises and tests of the digital age.

The project foresees aerial e-Monitoring, but also inside the cabin, live during the exam, functional complex day and night, energy efficiency and charging of electric vehicles with solar energy, auxiliary parking, signage and simulation tools, modern installations and waiting space./p.s./

Minister of Education and Sports Evis Kushi said that, “In this test, Albania received 513 points and was ranked second in the region with only 1 point difference from the first place, which is Serbia. In this ranking, Albania has left behind Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo”.

Kushi emphasized that, “We have also left behind countries that are more developed such as Belgium, Israel, Turkey or Cyprus”.

She added that, “This test serves us to make comparisons not only with other countries in the region, but also with our results of previous international tests”.

PIRLS is an international test that takes place every 5 years and measures reading skills for students in grades 4 and 8. Albania participated for the first time with 4th grade students.

“I want to thank the 4,620 students who participated in this test from 179 schools and 37 local education offices throughout the country who helped to make this test successful”, said Kushi./p.s./

The State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi monitored the e-voting test process in Elbasan and said that the system fully guarantees the secret ballot.

Celibashi said that the e-voting will be applied in the municipalities of Elbasan, Kamza and Vora during the local elections next month.

“I would like to state that the system fully guarantees the secrecy of the ballot. There is no way or tools to identify the voters’ ballot. It fully ensures secrecy of the ballot and I would like to invite voters in these municipalities to take part and cast their vote for their preferred candidates,” the head of the Central Election Commission told reporters.

According to him, the e-voting system also avoids family voting, because the machine system accepts only one voter.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today on social media the message of Education Minister Evis Kushi writing that, “This competition is a nice test among students that serves the protection and cultivation of the Albanian language from generation to generation”.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development./j.p/p.s./

Balluku considered energy an important sector which has been successful in the year that is coming to an end.

“Despite all the difficulties, the Drini River Cascade has been managed in the best way throughout the year and I decided to close this year-end day with the staff of the Drini Cascade hydropower plants to congratulate them for the good work they have done, but also to give them courage for what awaits us ahead”, said Balluku.

Director of Albania’s Power Corporation KESH Ergys Verdho stated that the situation is currently stable. “The water flows in the Fierza basin are at the level of 290 m2/second, the quota in the Fierza lake is 291.78 m. We have tried to keep that quay still by managing the natural flows. We have started using Komani and Vau e Deja as base hydropower plants and we have left Fierza with 1 to 2 generators”, he said.

Balluku said that during December energy produced met all the demands of the local market and on the other hand it was deposited in KEK in Kosovo.

Also, the minister said, we sold at optimal prices in terms of the export market.

During the meeting with the hydropower plant staff, Balluku said that: “I decided to come to meet you on the last day of the year. I would like to thank you for the good work you have done in difficult conditions, obviously since we have faced drought throughout the year, except for the end of November when we were blessed with rain and we are already producing in all three Hydropower plants covering all capacities and market demands. All of you together have done a good job, a challenging year awaits us, but we are not afraid of challenges now”.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that December 31st is the date of the energy test, in terms of production, transmission and distribution.

“So far, we were successful with Christmas night when there was an increased demand for energy. However, the peak demand for energy throughout Albania is on the 31st, so today we hope to cope with it successfully as good work has been done. Despite the fact that investments have been limited due to the pandemic and then due to the energy crisis, we have done our best to have everything in the right parameters”, said Balluku.

The minister underlined that during the year 2022 we managed to reduce network losses by 1%, from 20.7 we reached 19.7. /p.s./

General Directorate of the Road Transport Service reported that during the first 7 months of the current year, there were presented 205,355 vehicles for testing on the technical control, of which 61,993 or 30.2% of the total number of vehicles did not pass.

The General Directorate of Road Transport Service said that vehicles that are dangerous to the lives of all road users can no longer pass the technical control test.

“1 in 3 vehicles do not pass the technical control test. The reasons for this situation are unfortunately also related to the bitter past of the service, when proper control was absent and it gave courage to irresponsibility. But, times have changed and such situations will never be tolerated again”, said the Directorate.

It also extended an appeal to the drivers to repair their vehicles within the legal deadlines and check the vehicle before every trip. /j.p/p.s./