The growing number of foreign nationals with residence permits in Albania was portrayed on social media and in the media as a threat to Albanian workers’ jobs and a source of crime. Official data confirm this increase but provide no evidence that their arrival has led to lower wages, the replacement of Albanian workers or a rise in crime.
Flight paths of a Polish-registered aircraft, displayed on online air traffic maps, were used on social media to fuel suspicions and unsupported allegations of arson. Amfora’s fact-check found no evidence linking the aircraft to the fires, while a senior official at Tirana Airport said it was conducting aerial photography.
A statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine’s position of non-recognition of Kosovo remained unchanged, together with the Municipality of Prishtina’s decision to remove the “Free Ukraine” banner, was distorted into claims that the Ukrainian president had said “Kosovo is Serbia” and that Albanians were abandoning Ukraine, culminating in calls for them to “fight for Russia.”
Last week, heavy rainfall arrived in Durrës not as rain, but as punishment. Streets disappeared under muddy waves, homes were damaged beyond repair, and families protested after their property was damaged. In the chaos, a life was tragically lost. Durrës was built to control it.
Three days ago, the village of Polena, Korça, celebrated one of the most wonderful and colorful events in southeastern Albania: The Carnival of Polena. Yet, despite its rich symbolic and cultural value, the event remains largely forgotten.
The Albanian language is slowly losing its purity and distinct identity—not through force or policy, but through everyday habits and social influence. English and other foreign words are quietly replacing native ones in conversation, media, and culture, showing that the real threat to the language today isn’t external domination, but internal indifference.
Despite the increase in institutions treating domestic violence cases and the creation of awareness-raising apps which use high-end technology, women, and girls who are victims of gender-based violence in Albania struggle to find the right space to report violence through the internet.
“Culture in 1 Minute” – Episode 30.
The European Union awarded three prizes to journalists for the best investigative stories in Albania during 2023. Third place went to journalists Geri Emiri, Aida Ciro, and Aleksandar Dimitrievski from Amfora.al for their article that exposed the challenges faced by Balkan farmers in accessing EU funds through the IPARD Program.
In Albania, it results that there are at least 500 artisans who have been voluntarily registered into the National Chamber of Crafts and hundreds more who are unregistered and are experiencing a difficult time in their businesses due to the price hikes crises and are yet to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic consequences.
