The Italian-Albanian skier ranked third in Run 1 in the Giant Slalom in Semmering.

She achieved a time of 57.28 seconds, only 0.13 seconds behind the first place.

Olympic champion Sara Hector led the tight women’s World Cup giant slalom after the opening run Saturday as discipline leader Alice Robinson skied out.

Chasing her first victory in nearly a year, Hector was 0.02 seconds faster than Austria’s Julia Scheib and 0.13 faster than Italian-born Lara Colturi, who starts for Albania.

The 19-year-old red and black skier Lara Colturi left behind many big names, including the dominant Alpine Skier, Mikaela Shiffrin, who stood the 8^th.

On Sunday, Lara Colturi will compete again in Semmering, in the Special Slalom discipline. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

Malaj and Gudjufi scored for the Red flannel team of Partizani, while Bregu scored the only goal for Dinamo City.

Thus, Partizani ends championship 2024-2025 standing in the third place, while Dinamo City is ranked the fourth.

The grand final of the championship will be played on Monday, May 12, at the “National Arena” in the capital at 20:00, between Vllaznia and Egnatia. This match will determine the champion team of this season. /p.s./

He said that the focus of the Municipality of Tirana is the completion of five ring roads, which will facilitate the movement of vehicles as well as increase the value of property in the peripheral areas of the capital.

“Every day is valuable in these remaining 1000 days; we are trying to make our best”, said Veliaj on television.

Further on, he added that during this mandate there will be investments even in the suburbs of Tirana.

“Projects like in Lundra, Astir, Dry Lake, Fresk quarter and Zall-Herr are projects that will take up most of our investments. I am not claiming that everything in central Tirana is perfect, but most of the infrastructure has taken shape. But, the outskirts part will have most of our time, attention and investments”, said Veliaj.

He also spoke about the “Rapid Bus Transit” project, when he mentioned that it is another project of great importance for our country.

Speaking about the schools, the mayor said that the two-shift teaching has come to an end, clarifying that there is only one school that has yet some classes in two shifts.

“Today, it’s as different as night and day. The “Sami Frashëri”, “Qemal Stafa”, “Partizani” schools are no longer teaching in two shifts. Only the “Ismail Qemali” is the last school that has still some classes in two shifts. We are going to solve this through building two new schools,” said Veliaj. /r.e/p.s./

This is a competition for passionate and talented young people in the field of fashion design from the age of 18-35 who will have the opportunity to present their modern collection with elements of Albanian ethnography at the Muza Competition.

It will be not just a fashion show, but an opportunity of talents catapulted to fame in the field of fashion and design industry.

The first phase of the third edition will include the review of all applications received at the email address muzacompetition@gmail.com until April 25, 2024.

While during the second stage, the members of the jury will evaluate the presentations from every applicant who qualified from the first stage and will make a selection as only 10 of them will go to the final stage.

The grand finale of the Muza Competition will gather, as every year, all the Albanian-speaking regions in Tirana, where the 10 finalists will be able to present their collection in a grand spectacle which will also crown the grand prize winner of 20,000 Euros.

Unlike the previous editions, Muza Competition is presented to the Albanian public, but not only, through a dedicated magazine. Like never before, there have come together photographers: Ergys Zhabjaku, the well-known photographer Fadil Berisha, model and philanthropist Emina Cunmulaj, ethnographer Afërdita Onuzi, well-known designer Valdrin Sahiti, iconic fashion designer Enada At’ Nikolla, one of the most renowned artists for his contribution to contemporary art in Albania Helidon Haliti, the well-known moderator and producer Rudina Magjistari as well as the Executive Director of the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region Andriola Kambo.

Muza Competition is a project undertaken by the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region, where the municipality of Tirana is also a part, under the authorship of Andriola Kambo, which includes the activation of passionate and professional young people in the revival of ethnographic elements in the field of fashion design and creative economy./k.s/p.s./

Albania, with 56 percent growth, follows Qatar, in the first place with 95 percent growth and Saudi Arabia with 59 percent.

Albania ranks first in Europe, leaving behind well-known destinations such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia or France.

The report is published four times a year and carries an analysis of the latest data on tourist destinations and source markets. /p.s./

According to the data provided by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Qatar and Saudi Arabia are ranked first.

Overall, international tourist inflows reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023.

Some 235 million tourists traveled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period in 2022. However, the tourism recovery also faces some challenges.

Due to the long coastline, Albania offers several beaches, from north to south, such as in Velipoja in Shkodra, in Shengjin in Lezha, in Durres, Vlora, Himara, Saranda, etc., these beaches are frequented not only by Albanians, but also by foreign citizens, who choose Albania as a tourist destination during the summer months. Also, Gjirokastra, Berati, Butrinti, Kruja, Tirana, Shkodra, etc., are popular destinations for historical and cultural tourism.

Also, our country has conditions for year-round tourism, due to the relief, which offers opportunities for tourism from the south to the north. The tourist villages of the north of the country have recently seen a high number of tourists, while the infrastructure for adventure tourism is also being developed.

Albania also has many rivers, lagoons and national parks that attract tourists from all over the world./k.s/p.s./

In a television interview, Veliaj said that the city has lost a lot of time because of a small minority.

“I want the 3rd mandate to be a mandate when we finish some work that has been left pending in Tirana due to these blocks and delays. I believe that the big ring road of Tirana should be finished and now we are working at the Paskuqani part”, he said.

Focusing on the issue of transportation, Veliaj said that the city will also have bus terminals.

“The same thing will happen with the terminals of Tirana. In the meantime, the terminal in Lundër is already finished. Then, we also have the connection point with the train, it is very important”, he said.

In addition to the opening of the pyramid building next year, which will offer courses for 5 thousand young people per year, Tirana will also have a new group of new schools. “We have the last package of schools, I’m very pleased, one of the projects I’m really proud of. 43 schools have finished, but we also have one last package, which are 2 schools, 1 in “Astir”, 1 in Yzberish, and 2 more from the side of Lana in Unit 7, so that to finally resolve that the new neighborhood also have the necessary education.

It is also high time for the big campus in the Student City. So, we are in the phase of finishing the project and in the 3rd term we want to finally solve all the needs for the universities of Tirana. And I believe that with this investment package I close all the ambitions I had for Tirana. The law says that you can only run 3 times, so it’s my last time and I really want to close this entire investment package and then pass it on to other safer hands”, emphasized Veliaj.

After the success with the Zoo, Mayor Veliaj expressed his determination to transform the Botanical Garden, too. /p.s./

According to the official statistics of the Institute of Statistics, in the period January-May of this year, trade exchanges reached ALL 39 billion.

Exports to Germany increased compared to the same period of 2021. In value, they reached ALL 15.8 billion as compared to ALL 7.6 billion in the 5 months of 2021.

According to the report on foreign trade, in the increase of exports, the biggest contributors were the group “textiles and footwear”, followed by the group “construction materials and metals”.

Referring to the data, imports from Germany also increased compared to the same period of 2021, reaching ALL 23.2 billion, from ALL 20.6 billion that were in 2021.

The Federal Government has invested in Albania since 1988 more than one billion Euros in the form of grants and loans, which makes Germany one of the largest bilateral donors in the country. /j.p/p.s./

According to data provided by the Central Bank of Albania, the Turkish foreign investments in Albania reached the value of 89 million Euros in 2021. Meanwhile, Turkish investments in 2020 were estimated at 120m Euros.

The Turkish investors in Albania have focused in sectors like the financial system (banking), heavy industry (steel extraction and processing), the construction sector, but also in the energy sector.

Turkish enterprise in Albania is especially concentrated in some large companies of strategic sectors, such as National Commercial Bank, Albtelecom, Kurum, Limak or Ayen AS Energy.

Turkey is also an important economic trade partner of Albania. During 2021, trade exchanges between the two countries reached 91.4 billion Lekë.

Trade cooperation with Turkey occupies 7.8% of the total trade volume that Albania develops with different countries of the world./p.s./

Speaking to reporters, PM Rama said that, “The third dose of anti-Covid vaccine is a necessity to be more protected during the winter even under conditions when the whole world is worried about the new Omicron variant.”

“I got the third vaccine today by random selection. I wonder how is it possible that in the 21st century there is no confidence in science?” Rama emphasized.

The vaccine does not protect you from infection, but it does protect you from death, they pass it on to mild symptoms, said PM Rama.

“What else can be said today other than get vaccinated, get vaccinated. Austria is completely in lockdown; other countries are taking all kinds of measures and we bear responsibility “, said Rama.

PM Rama also took the opportunity to convey a message to the state administration employees. “I tell all those who are officials of this state to get vaccinated because the moment may come when they should be stopped from going to work without having an online vaccination card. If they were forbidden to go to work, they will not be paid from the citizens’ taxes, because they do not want to be vaccinated. The moment may come that people cannot be allowed to enter the markets. I also tell those who have shops to be vaccinated because the store can be closed if they are not vaccinated. The majority of the population cannot be endangered because the rest opposes science, their own health and that of their families.”

The head of the government said that even the students in the universities should be vaccinated because the day may come when they will not be allowed to enter the auditorium without being vaccinated.

In answer to question on when Albania will become like Italy, France or other countries that without the vaccine card cannot enter public institutions, private, universities, etc., Rama said that, “This is not decided by me, not by the government; this is decided by the Committee of Experts. We will not make political decisions ourselves.” /k.s/j.p/p.s./