Albania

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FILE - Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania, on April 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File)

Albania’s former president Meta is arrested for alleged money laundering, his party says

Associated Press

Security official stands on the Italian navy ship Libra as it arrives at the port of Shengjin, northwestern Albania Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, carrying the first group of migrants who were intercepted in international waters. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

First migrants sent to Albania for processing return to Italy

Associated Press

The Italian navy ship Libra arrives at the port of Shengjin northwestern Albania Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, carrying the first group of migrants who were intercepted in international waters. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

First Italian ship with 16 intercepted migrants docks at Albanian port to process asylum request

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama attends a press conference following the second intergovernmental EU-Albania conference in Luxembourg city in Luxembourg, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, during the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

Albania says only Italy is allowed to operate migrant asylum centers in the country

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves as Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, welcomes him before their meeting in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

Turkey’s Erdogan inaugurates a Turkish-funded mosque in Albania’s capital

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

An opposition protester holds a flare during an anti-government rally set up by the opposition, in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hameraldi Agolli)

Albania’s opposition protests and demands a caretaker Cabinet

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

FILE - Fredis Beleris listens to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during their meeting at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Monday, July 15, 2024. Albanians in the southwestern town of Himara are to vote Sunday for a new mayor after their previous choice, Fredis Beleris, a member of the country's ethnic Greek minority, was stripped of his title, convicted and imprisoned on vote-buying charges in what he and neighboring Greece have claimed was a politically motivated case. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)

An ethnic Greek politician and EU lawmaker is released on probation in Albania

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

FILE- Police guard a reception center for migrants, at the port of Shenjin, northwestern Albania, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj, File)

UNHCR to monitor implementation of Italy-Albania accord to ensure migrants’ asylum rights respected

Associated Press

People gather on the beach as a migrant center is seen in the foreground in the port of Shengjin, northwest Albania, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Migrants rescued at sea while attempting to reach Italy are likely to see themselves transported to Albania from next month while their asylum claims are processed, under a controversial deal in which the small Balkan country will host thousands of asylum-seekers on Italy's behalf. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

From August, migrants seeking refuge in Italy could be taken to Albania pending asylum decisions

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Member of European Parliament Fredis Beleris attends the opening plenary of the newly-elected European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Ethnic Greek politician returns to prison in Albania after attending European Parliament opening

Associated Press

FILE - Fredis Beleris looks on as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits to the ethnic Greek minority of Albania, in Himare, Albania, on Dec. 22, 2022. Fredis Beleris, an ethnic Greek politician jailed in Albania for vote-buying, says he hopes his election this month to the European Parliament will help boost the rule of law in Albania. Beleris told The Associated Press in an interview from prison that he would have preferred to serve as mayor of the southern Albania community he was elected to lead last year, before his arrest and conviction. His case has soured relations between Balkan neighbors Greece and Albania. (Dimitris Papamitsos/Greek Prime Minister's Office via AP, File)

Albanian authorities strip ethnic Greek mayor of his post for alleged vote buying

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

FILE - Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare arrives at the Elysee Palace to receive the France's Legion d'Honneur medal by French President Francois Hollande, in Paris, on May 30, 2016. Renowned Albanian novelist Kadare has died after being rushed to a hospital in the Albanian capital, his publishing editor said on Monday. He was 88. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Albania’s world-renowned novelist Ismail Kadare dies at 88

By Vlasov Sulaj and Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Albania's Mirlind Daku, centre, controls the ball ahead Croatia's Martin Baturina during a Group B match between Croatia and Albania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Albania team says UEFA banned player Mirlind Daku for two Euro 2024 games after nationalist chants

Associated Press

In this photo provided by the Albanian Police and released on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 a view of a damaged vehicle that crashed into the Vjosa River about 150 miles southeast of the capital, Tirana, Albania. Albanian police say a car crashed into a river in the country's southeast, killing all eight people on board, including seven suspected migrants and a local driver. The driver of the vehicle lost control and veered into the Vjosa River about 150 miles southeast of the capital, Tirana, around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a police statement. (Albanian Police via AP)

Vehicle carrying suspected migrants crashes into a river in Albania, killing 8 people

Associated Press

Military helicopters are parked at an airbase in Kocuve, about 85 kilometers (52 miles) south of Tirana, Albania, Monday, March 4, 2024. NATO member Albania inaugurated an international tactic air base on Monday, the Alliance’s first one in the Western Balkan region. (AP Photo/Armando Babani)

Albania turns an old Soviet-era air base into a regional hub of NATO air operations

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before their meeting in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Albania hosts on Thursday a summit of Southeastern European countries on peace, security and cooperation, focused on the war in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Armando Babani)

Zelenskyy will co-host summit in Albania seeking more war support from southeastern Europe

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Vessels are docked at the port of Shengjin, northwestern Albania, one of two proposed places to house migrants, on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Albania's Assembly, or Parliament, votes on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, and is expected to approve a deal with Italy under which thousands of migrants rescued at sea by Italian authorities would be sent to Albania while their applications for asylum in Italy are processed. (AP Photo/Armando Babani, File)

Albania is expected to approve a deal with Italy to process thousands of migrants’ claims for asylum

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Sali Berisha leader of the opposition Democratic Party makes the V-sign as he leaves the parliament in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Albania’s parliament has voted to lift the legal immunity of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who leads the opposition Democratic Party and is being probed by the country’s prosecutors for possible corruption. (AP Photo/Armando Babani)

Albania’s ex-Prime Minister Sali Berisha put under house arrest while investigated for corruption

Associated Press

Sali Berisha, 79, the main leader of the center-right Democratic Party gestures outside the Parliament in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. Lawmakers in Albania have gathered for a new session that the opposition tried to disrupt demanding the government to be investigated for alleged corruption. (AP Photo/Armando Babani)

Albanian lawmakers discuss lifting former prime minister’s immunity as his supporters protest

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press

Democratic lawmakers throw a flare during a parliament session in Tirana, Albania, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Albanian opposition lawmakers disrupted the Parliament's session again on Monday to protest against what they say, is increasingly authoritarian rule by the governing Socialists. (AP Photo/Florian Abazi)

The Albanian opposition disrupts a Parliament vote on the budget with flares and piled-up chairs

By Llazar Semini - Associated Press