Good morning and thank you for the invitation to be part of this event today. Supporting Albania’s efforts in combatting terrorism and violent extremism is among the key priorities of the U.S. government and the Embassy. No country is immune to the threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism, and the Balkan region and Albania …
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Good morning, Ambassador Guusje Korthals Altes, Ms. Skendaj, Mr. Dervishi, Mr. Karaj, Dear guests. First of all, I want to congratulate the Albanian Helsinki Committee for its work to implement this important anti-corruption initiative. We all know that corruption is a disease that harms society, the economy, and the daily lives of citizens. The cure …
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Good morning, Strengthening NGOs is a top priority for the U.S. Embassy in Albania. We know that by empowering you, you will hold government and business accountable. We have already begun to see good result from our NGO empowerment projects. We want to see more. Whether it’s keeping the government accountable, fighting corruption, supporting the key …
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Gea Koduzi, Intern at the Public Affairs Section Where were you born? I was born in Tirana, Albania. What do you like most about interning at the Embassy? What I like most about interning at the Embassy is the willingness of my colleges to involve me in their daily duties, to teach me through their …
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Good morning Mrs. Gjini, Chairman Granoff, Junior Achievement Albania Director Bala, rectors, and students. It is a pleasure to be here today to launch the National Debating Economics Program, supported by the U.S. Embassy through our Democracy Commission. The Debating Economics program aims to help build an active and informed public by educating students in …
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Good evening. I am delighted to be here with you tonight on the eve of the International Day of the Girl, which we celebrate on October 11th each year. In 2012, the United Nations established this day to highlight the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment around the world. The theme this year …
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Minister Gjonaj, distinguished guests, It is a pleasure to be here today to mark the 3rd anniversary of the passing of Justice Reform and the inauguration of this building that will house the High Prosecutorial Council, the High Judicial Council, and the School of Magistrates. July 21, 2016 began with expectations of a morning vote …
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President Meta, Speaker Ruçi, Ministers and Members of the Parliament, Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, guests: It is an honor and a privilege for me, along with all our Embassy colleagues, to be joined this evening by our close friends and partners to celebrate 243 years of American independence and freedom. A warm welcome to …
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Are you a student who wants to help combat corruption? Apply to be a part of the investigative journalism lab! Selected students who demonstrate passion and courage for independent, investigative journalism will participate in a mentoring program and write investigative stories on important issues in Albania. Cutting-edge equipment and journalism training will be provided by …
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Good morning and thank you all for being here. You have all had a year full of hard work and learning. My hope for you is that you’ve been able to learn and grow, to deepen your dedication to your important profession, and to publish your first investigative stories. What you do is important work. …
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Thank you to the University of Tirana’s Journalism Department for having us today. Today is a very important day around the world and specifically for you, as journalism students. It marks World Press Freedom Day. On this day, we celebrate the fundamental principles that are at the core of democracy and at the core of …
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Good Morning Director Veliu, ladies and gentlemen Before I turn to the topic of the conference, I would like to say a few words about Albania’s State Police. I want to recognize all the efforts that the ASP has made over the past year. You have shown professionalism and courage in your duties to protect …
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Madame Minister, Ambassador Soreca, members of parliament, Ms. Godaj, distinguished guests. Thank you all for the invitation to be part of this event today. Empowering women and girls is among the main priorities of the U.S. Government. And, our U.S. National Security Strategy highlights the fact that investing in women helps nations achieve greater peace …
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The U.S. Embassy Tirana is seeking ONE individual for the position of Local Intern in the Public Affairs Section (PAS). For more information, please click here (PDF 405 KB). Deadline for applications is April 23, 2019.
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Good afternoon. First, I would like to extend my thanks to Rector Gjana for inviting me to speak with you all today. My message today is this: speak the truth. When asked to come today, I was asked to address freedom of the press, the relationship between media and politics and challenges faced by Albanian …
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Anila Hoxha: Mr. Palmer, what does justice reform represent for the U.S. Government in Albania and what assistance does it plan for the next steps of justice reform? DAS Palmer: Thank you for having me here and thank you for that question. Justice reform for the United States represents a path forward for the Albanian …
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Thimi Samarxhiu, Vizion +: Senior U.S. officials have stated in many cases that Russia’s influence in the Western Balkans has brought instability in this region. Do you see the latest events in the region, especially Albania, affected by this influence? DAS Palmer: I think it is important to put this in a broader regional context, …
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We commend the Government of Albania for taking action against the Iranian regime for its terrorist plotting on Albanian soil, threatening European security. The Government of Albania has demonstrated true leadership on our joint efforts to send a clear message to Iran that conducting terrorist operations in Europe, or anywhere else, is unacceptable and will …
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Honorable Mr. Dedja, Mr. Sadushi, Mr. Zaganjori, colleague Ambassadors, Commissioner Jourova, dear magistrates, good morning! Thank you for having me here today. It is an honor to be with you on this special occasion to mark your graduation from the School of Magistrates. [Now I will continue in English.] Honest. Courageous. Patriotic. These are the words the U.S. government has used to describe the …
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Klodiana Lala: Ms. Millard, it is a great pleasure to have you in this interview. This is your first time in Albania. What are the most problematic issues that the U.S. Department of State sees with most concern regarding Albania? PDAS Millard: Klodiana, thank you so much for having me here today. It is a …
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In a ceremony held on June 21 at the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Charge D’Affaires Ryan Roberts and U.S. Defense Attaché James Hilton presented the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) Acceptance Certificate to Albanian Cadet Enea Hilaj who was accompanied by his family. Mr. Hilaj is the fourth Albanian Cadet to attend the Academy but the first …
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On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury. This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer. In response to this outrageous violation of the …
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I nderuar Kryetar i Kuvendit të Shqipërisë zoti Ruçi, e nderuar nënkryetare e Kuvendit zonja Hysi, të nderuara Deputete, të nderuar Ambasadorë, mirëmëngjes. Unë jam Carson Relitz Rocker nga Ambasada Amerikane dhe është një kënaqësi e madhe që ndodhem këtu mes jush! Ndihem e nderuar që marr pjesë në konstituimin e Aleancës së Grave Deputete. …
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Good morning. It is a pleasure to back in Berat. This is the second of many meetings that we are having with young people in towns across Albania. When I was asked where I might want to speak to young people, my first answer was Berat – which is probably my favorite town in Albania …
Read More» DEPUTY SECRETARY SULLIVAN: Thank you, Alyson, for that kind introduction. And thanks to you and to OES Acting Assistant Secretary Judith Garber for the good work you and your teams have done in putting together this event. First, I want to extend Secretary Tillerson’s regrets that he was unable to join you today. He’s very passionate …
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* as prepared for delivery Mr. Kola, Mr. Kacorri, Mrs. Reci, dear students, Good morning. This is my first visit to Rrëshen and I love it here. This is also our first of many meetings with young people in towns across Albania. We have a message for you, but we also hope to learn something …
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Are you a journalism student who wants to help combat corruption? You are invited to apply to be a part of the investigative journalism lab! Selected students who demonstrate passion and courage for independent, investigative journalism will be invited to participate in a mentoring program and write investigative reports on important issues in Albania. Cutting edge …
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In the most recent round of the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program, 18 civil society organizations received a total of $ 223,000 in funding for projects that address issues such as civic engagement, women’s empowerment, human rights/ minority rights, youth activism, judicial reform, and environmental protection. Democracy Commission supports initiatives of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) …
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In honor of World Press Freedom Day, the U.S. Department of State, together with the U.S. Embassy in Tirana and the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, hosted a webchat with Richard Lui of MSNBC and Courtney Radsch of the Committee to Protect Journalists. A group of Albanian journalists and journalism students asked questions from the …
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From April 10 – 24th, the Public Affairs Section brought international NGO 10 Million Discs to Albania to spread the concepts of teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, personal accountability, and mutual respect through the sport of Ultimate Frisbee. They worked with P.E. teachers and students from Shkoder, Lezha, Tirana, Durres, Kavaja, Vlora, and Fier. Ultimate Frisbee …
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U.S. Senator John McCain visited Albania on Friday, where he highlighted the U.S.- Albania military partnership, the importance of the country’s judicial reform, and efforts to defeat ISIS. Senator McCain, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with President Bujar Nishani, Prime Minister Edi Rama, Parliamentary Leader Ilir Meta, and …
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Congratulations to the new President of U.S. Embassy Youth Council, Euglent Zeqo! Euglent was elected on Thursday evening and will replace Fjoralba Caka. After the elections Ambassador Lu recognized Fjoralba for all of her hard work and dedication as the Council’s first president. Check out all of the U.S. Embassy Youth Council Albania ’s impressive projects!
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What happens when you put an amazing Albanian band, Ambassador Lu and our U.S. Embassy staff in the same room? Check it out. Happy holidays to everyone!
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“Eyes to the Future: Breaking the Corruption Barrier” Anti-Corruption Symposium Tirana, Albania The honorable Prime Minister Rama, diplomatic colleagues, judges, prosecutors, policemen, students and professors, There is a famous case of corruption in the United States that was uncovered in 2008. It involved two judges who received bribes totaling more than $2.6 million from …
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On November 16th, Ryan Roberts Chief of the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section gave a presentation on the “U.S. Presidential Elections and Foreign Policy” at the journalism department of the Tirana State University. The students asked great questions about the role that media plays during the election process in America, how the U.S. embassy in Tirana …
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Katerina: Hello to everyone following us live at the US Embassy Tirana Facebook page! I’m Katerina Hatija, the alumni coordinator for the State Department’s YES program, and a student of informatics. Merxhan Daci: Hello everyone! I’m Merxhan Daci, a recent journalism graduate and one of the participants of Embassy’s Investigative Journalism Lab project. Katerina: We …
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Countering Violent Extremism requires creative solutions and cooperative effort around the globe. In this regard, Albania has a very unique story to tell. Albania is rightly renowned for its religious tolerance and its culture of hospitality. Historically Albania has a tradition of protecting vulnerable groups. Albanians have accepted refugees and those fleeing conflict and persecution …
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