cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/52944020

- Infantino claims critics of World Cup ‘missed it all’

- He again defends Balogun affair and treatment of Iran

Gianni Infantino with Donald Trump at the World Cup final. ‘We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness,’ said the Fifa president. Photograph: DiaEsportivo/Action Plus/Shutterstock

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The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has hit back at critics of the World Cup, accusing them of spreading hate and false narratives while defending the tournament ⁠as a success that celebrated ⁠unity, safety and inclusion.

In ​an open letter published on Monday, Infantino said detractors had overlooked the joy and togetherness experienced by millions of fans around the world who witnessed the tournament, ⁠won by Spain and staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“You were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” said the 56-year-old. “To those behind their pens and papers, behind ⁠their screens spreading hate and false rumours, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at Fifa are ​on the front lines organising, working hard, and delivering ‌the best show in the ‌world. We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness.”

Fifa faced criticism about a number of issues ‌during the World Cup, including US visa restrictions affecting supporters and officials from several countries and concerns for teams from conflict-hit regions. Infantino’s letter followed scrutiny of Fifa’s suspension of an automatic one-match ban imposed on the US striker Folarin Balogun after the intervention of Donald Trump. Officiating decisions in Argentina’s last-16 victory over Egypt also received criticism, most strongly from the Egypt manager, Hossam Hassan.

“Potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent ​decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide,” Infantino said in his letter. “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.“

The Somali referee, Omar Artan, was barred from entering the US despite having a valid visa while the Iran team and staff were subject to difficult travel restrictions imposed on them by the US government as a consequence of the war between the two countries.

“Iran ​entered the United States without ‌incident or conflict. The ​Iranian team received visas ​to enter because football is about peace. It’s not about politics,” said Infantino. “Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas.”

Continue Reading here - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/27/gianni-infantino-hits-out-fifa-critics-hate-open-letter-world-cup

- Infantino claims critics of World Cup ‘missed it all’

- He again defends Balogun affair and treatment of Iran

Gianni Infantino with Donald Trump at the World Cup final. ‘We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness,’ said the Fifa president. Photograph: DiaEsportivo/Action Plus/Shutterstock

The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has hit back at critics of the World Cup, accusing them of spreading hate and false narratives while defending the tournament ⁠as a success that celebrated ⁠unity, safety and inclusion.

In ​an open letter published on Monday, Infantino said detractors had overlooked the joy and togetherness experienced by millions of fans around the world who witnessed the tournament, ⁠won by Spain and staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“You were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” said the 56-year-old. “To those behind their pens and papers, behind ⁠their screens spreading hate and false rumours, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at Fifa are ​on the front lines organising, working hard, and delivering ‌the best show in the ‌world. We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness.”

Fifa faced criticism about a number of issues ‌during the World Cup, including US visa restrictions affecting supporters and officials from several countries and concerns for teams from conflict-hit regions. Infantino’s letter followed scrutiny of Fifa’s suspension of an automatic one-match ban imposed on the US striker Folarin Balogun after the intervention of Donald Trump. Officiating decisions in Argentina’s last-16 victory over Egypt also received criticism, most strongly from the Egypt manager, Hossam Hassan.

“Potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent ​decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide,” Infantino said in his letter. “It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticising.“

The Somali referee, Omar Artan, was barred from entering the US despite having a valid visa while the Iran team and staff were subject to difficult travel restrictions imposed on them by the US government as a consequence of the war between the two countries.

“Iran ​entered the United States without ‌incident or conflict. The ​Iranian team received visas ​to enter because football is about peace. It’s not about politics,” said Infantino. “Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas.”

Continue Reading here - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/27/gianni-infantino-hits-out-fifa-critics-hate-open-letter-world-cup

I can post more detailed pictures if these are no use. A friend of a friend of a friend etc. donated me this chicken coop, but there are parts missing (that's no problem, I hope to reinforce it anyway), but I am trying to find out what parts exactly might be missing and how to assemble it correctly (manual, dimensions etc.) I think I have the basic shape of it correct - I have just used masking tape to temporarily hold it together while I figure it out. the door on the inside of the run slides open, but it can't be correct where I have it, as it blocks the sliding floor from going in. if I flip it upside down, the ramp/steps that the chickens use to get up is crazy steep, or if I flip it so that the door and the pulley thing are on the outside, then I couldn't get in to pull it open each morning..

Hopefully I've explained it well enough for people to understand.

Hopefully somebody has the manual for this it can show me what is missing from this model (egg box etc)

Alternative Links: https://redirect.invidious.io/watch?v=ffIZbxgSZP4

Michael O’Shea makes extraordinary music on an instrument he made from a door found in Germany and plays with paint brushes.

Following a two week run at the Ronnie Scott Jazz Club in London, experimental musician Michael O’Shea is a guest on The Live Mike.

Michael O’Shea was busking for a living on the London Underground when he was spotted by Will Sproule at Tottenham Court Road tube station. Will Sproule worked at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and invited Michael to play for Ronnie Scott. He was subsequently offered a two week slot at the club. His music was first released on Gilbert and Lewis' Dome record label after they chanced upon O'Shea busking in the West End, or at the Jazz Club.

His music is, to say the least, unusual in that he entertains on instruments that he has created himself.

Michael O’Shea had played Indian sitar for about eight years and was looking for a new instrument to play so he made one. The instrument he is performing on was crafted from a door he found in a skip in Germany and he affectionately calls it ‘Mo Chara’ (''My Friend' in Irish). It has nineteen strings and is played with paint brushes.

This episode of ‘The Live Mike’ was broadcast on 22 February 1980. The presenter is Mike Murphy.

More Information about Michael O'Shea here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_O%27Shea_(musician)

Cross posted from https://feddit.uk/post/52753695

Satellite images reveal that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built. Photo: AFP

TIRANA – Preliminary work on a vast hotel project linked to the Trump family has already caused irreparable damage to a once pristine stretch of Albania’s coast, scientists and activists say.

Satellite images obtained by AFP show that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built to span the channel connecting the Narta lagoon to the sea.

“Bulldozers on the beaches have already damaged the nesting sites of loggerhead turtles, which are threatened with extinction,” Olsi Nika, a marine biologist who heads the non-governmental environmental organisation EcoAlbania, told AFP.

In addition, the nesting grounds of numerous bird species have been disturbed by access roads through the dunes and the felling of trees, while construction on a vital channel between the lagoon and the sea has severely disrupted water flows essential to maintaining wetlands.

“An absolute biodiversity massacre,” says Nika.

Daily demonstrations against the project have led to the suspension of some work, but the “damage caused to the heritage site long before construction even began is largely irreparable”, says Ferdinand Bego, a professor at the University of Tirana.

Police officers scuffle with protesters on July 2, during a demonstration against the government, following weeks of protests against the planned luxury resort. Photo: REUTERS

Flamingos

Environmental activists have long raised concerns about the €4.5 billion (S$6.6 billion) project – first mooted in 2024 by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – to build luxury hotels amid flamingo colonies and on a deserted island.

In a podcast, Trump’s daughter Ivanka explained that “we have not just the island, but five miles (8km) of beachfront directly across from the island with a beautiful peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other, and beautiful white sand beaches”.

Albanians have been protesting against the project for months, but it was when barbed wire appeared six weeks ago to mark out the boundaries of the complex that anger erupted.

Private security guards suppressed one protest, further sparking a succession of demonstrations.

Anger erupted when barbed wires appeared to mark out the boundaries of the complex. Photo: REUTERS

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose government has been in power for 13 years, defends what it calls “Europe’s finest project”, saying it will help Albania catch up with coastal neighbours Montenegro, Greece and Croatia by attracting international capital and creating jobs.

Continue Reading Here - https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/trump-family-project-in-albania-has-already-caused-irreparable-damage-ngos

Cross posted from https://feddit.uk/post/52753695

Satellite images reveal that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built. Photo: AFP

TIRANA – Preliminary work on a vast hotel project linked to the Trump family has already caused irreparable damage to a once pristine stretch of Albania’s coast, scientists and activists say.

Satellite images obtained by AFP show that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built to span the channel connecting the Narta lagoon to the sea.

“Bulldozers on the beaches have already damaged the nesting sites of loggerhead turtles, which are threatened with extinction,” Olsi Nika, a marine biologist who heads the non-governmental environmental organisation EcoAlbania, told AFP.

In addition, the nesting grounds of numerous bird species have been disturbed by access roads through the dunes and the felling of trees, while construction on a vital channel between the lagoon and the sea has severely disrupted water flows essential to maintaining wetlands.

“An absolute biodiversity massacre,” says Nika.

Daily demonstrations against the project have led to the suspension of some work, but the “damage caused to the heritage site long before construction even began is largely irreparable”, says Ferdinand Bego, a professor at the University of Tirana.

Police officers scuffle with protesters on July 2, during a demonstration against the government, following weeks of protests against the planned luxury resort. Photo: REUTERS

Flamingos

Environmental activists have long raised concerns about the €4.5 billion (S$6.6 billion) project – first mooted in 2024 by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – to build luxury hotels amid flamingo colonies and on a deserted island.

In a podcast, Trump’s daughter Ivanka explained that “we have not just the island, but five miles (8km) of beachfront directly across from the island with a beautiful peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other, and beautiful white sand beaches”.

Albanians have been protesting against the project for months, but it was when barbed wire appeared six weeks ago to mark out the boundaries of the complex that anger erupted.

Private security guards suppressed one protest, further sparking a succession of demonstrations.

Anger erupted when barbed wires appeared to mark out the boundaries of the complex. Photo: REUTERS

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose government has been in power for 13 years, defends what it calls “Europe’s finest project”, saying it will help Albania catch up with coastal neighbours Montenegro, Greece and Croatia by attracting international capital and creating jobs.

Continue Reading Here - https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/trump-family-project-in-albania-has-already-caused-irreparable-damage-ngos

Satellite images reveal that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built. Photo: AFP

TIRANA – Preliminary work on a vast hotel project linked to the Trump family has already caused irreparable damage to a once pristine stretch of Albania’s coast, scientists and activists say.

Satellite images obtained by AFP show that during a 25-day period in May, a road was cleared, an entire zone deforested and a bridge built to span the channel connecting the Narta lagoon to the sea.

“Bulldozers on the beaches have already damaged the nesting sites of loggerhead turtles, which are threatened with extinction,” Olsi Nika, a marine biologist who heads the non-governmental environmental organisation EcoAlbania, told AFP.

In addition, the nesting grounds of numerous bird species have been disturbed by access roads through the dunes and the felling of trees, while construction on a vital channel between the lagoon and the sea has severely disrupted water flows essential to maintaining wetlands.

“An absolute biodiversity massacre,” says Nika.

Daily demonstrations against the project have led to the suspension of some work, but the “damage caused to the heritage site long before construction even began is largely irreparable”, says Ferdinand Bego, a professor at the University of Tirana.

Police officers scuffle with protesters on July 2, during a demonstration against the government, following weeks of protests against the planned luxury resort. Photo: REUTERS

Flamingos

Environmental activists have long raised concerns about the €4.5 billion (S$6.6 billion) project – first mooted in 2024 by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – to build luxury hotels amid flamingo colonies and on a deserted island.

In a podcast, Trump’s daughter Ivanka explained that “we have not just the island, but five miles (8km) of beachfront directly across from the island with a beautiful peninsula with a lagoon on one side, the ocean on the other, and beautiful white sand beaches”.

Albanians have been protesting against the project for months, but it was when barbed wire appeared six weeks ago to mark out the boundaries of the complex that anger erupted.

Private security guards suppressed one protest, further sparking a succession of demonstrations.

Anger erupted when barbed wires appeared to mark out the boundaries of the complex. Photo: REUTERS

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose government has been in power for 13 years, defends what it calls “Europe’s finest project”, saying it will help Albania catch up with coastal neighbours Montenegro, Greece and Croatia by attracting international capital and creating jobs.

Continue Reading Here - https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/trump-family-project-in-albania-has-already-caused-irreparable-damage-ngos

Alternative Links - https://redirect.invidious.io/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI

If the main links (1-9) don't play for you

Alternative Links:

• https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=H8J9gftIVR8
• https://invidious.tiekoetter.com/watch?v=H8J9gftIVR8
• https://piped.video/watch?v=H8J9gftIVR8
• https://poketube.fun/watch?v=H8J9gftIVR8
• https://yewtu.be/watch?v=H8J9gftIVR8

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/52385100

Colour me fucking shocked. The EU commission bend over yet again to US big tech. I mean, why have rules or regulations at all if they aren't going to agree with them.. 🙄

Pervert glasses get the green light to expand in Europe.

Commission exempts smart glasses like Meta’s from batteries regulation, clearing a major hurdle to European expansion.

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The European Commission on Tuesday exempted wearable tech from rules requiring removable batteries, clearing a major hurdle for Meta’s smart glasses to take on the EU market following pressure from the United States.

Smart glasses are in European regulators' and lawmakers' crosshairs over privacy and surveillance concerns. But the bloc's batteries regulation also held up the EU rollout of Meta’s latest model in recent months because the glasses' built-in batteries cannot be easily removed and replaced.

U.S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder came to Meta's defense at an event in March, where he called the EU's rules "so broad and so restrictive that it prevents the sale of this wonderful, jointly developed, U.S.-European product from being sold in the European Union" and praised the smart glasses as being "very stylish" and "very wonderful."

"You have to focus on allowing businesses to grow and allowing businesses to innovate," Puzder then said about the European hurdles to Meta's product.

The Commission on Tuesday presented a legislative tweak known as a delegated act that exempts connected products including smartwatches, smart glasses, fitness trackers and electric toys from the batteries regulation.

A Commission spokesperson said in a statement that it "has not given in to anyone’s pressure," adding that its proposals "follow a broad public consultation with consumer associations, industry stakeholders and the Member States." The spokesperson added that the proposal for the exemption "is not about regulating one specific product" but "to ensure safer consumer and industrial products in cases where opening a device could create safety risks or where technical limits make consumer access unrealistic."

The European Parliament and national governments have two months in which to object to the tweak. If there are no objections, the delegated act will then be published in the Official Journal of the EU and after 20 more days the bill should enter into force.

The change is a major boon for Meta, which has bet big on the new spectacle technology but felt held back in reaching European consumers with its eye-catching product. The battery rule exemption may also benefit other companies like Samsung and Google, and Apple which are planning their own smart glasses launches.

Earlier financial results from the French-Italian eyewear company EssilorLuxottica that owns the RayBan brand noted that Meta smart glasses sales are ramping up "exponentially" in the U.S.

While Meta has launched its AI glasses in the EU, the financial results said the distribution rollout is still slow in the EMEA region, with "more than half" of sales points still not served. More than 7 million pairs of Meta smart glasses were sold worldwide in 2025.

The smart glasses still face fierce privacy pushback, regardless of the change in batteries rules.

Cláudio Texeira, the head of digital policy at Europe's largest consumer protection group BEUC, said: "Europe should not dilute consumer protections. Smart glasses are already raising important concerns about privacy, security and consumer choice. Exemptions from EU battery removability rules should remain exactly that: genuine exceptions based on clear technical and safety evidence, not industry pressure. Exempting these devices … risks setting a dangerous precedent."

When Meta launched the first iteration of its RayBan smart glasses in Europe in 2021, the product immediately sparked concerns with Irish and Italian privacy watchdogs over whether the specs made it obvious enough to people that they are being filmed.

And earlier this year, concerns peaked again when Swedish media reported that subcontractors for Meta in Kenya were reviewing “deeply private” footage captured by the firm's smart glasses to help annotate the content to train artificial intelligence models. It included recordings of people's bathroom visits, banking details, or even them having sex.

The European Data Protection Board, which gathers privacy regulators across Europe, has ordered a report into smart glasses which should be finalized this summer, chair Anu Talus told POLITICO earlier. She added that the board will look at actions from there.

A Meta spokesperson told POLITICO last month that its glasses include built-in privacy safeguards and that the company has "teams dedicated to evolving these measures so that we can continue to deliver safe, secure products that enhance people’s lives."

“Unlike smartphones, our glasses have an LED light that activates when someone prompts the glasses to take a photo or video that will be saved to their gallery. The glasses feature tamper detection technology to prevent people from covering that light. Unless users choose to share media they've captured with Meta, that media also stays on the device," they said.

The U.S. Mission to the EU declined to comment.

Meta didn't respond to POLITICO's request for a comment.

Colour me fucking shocked. The EU commission bend over yet again to US big tech. I mean, why have rules or regulations at all if they aren't going to agree with them.. 🙄

Pervert glasses get the green light to expand in Europe.

Commission exempts smart glasses like Meta’s from batteries regulation, clearing a major hurdle to European expansion.

The European Commission on Tuesday exempted wearable tech from rules requiring removable batteries, clearing a major hurdle for Meta’s smart glasses to take on the EU market following pressure from the United States.

Smart glasses are in European regulators' and lawmakers' crosshairs over privacy and surveillance concerns. But the bloc's batteries regulation also held up the EU rollout of Meta’s latest model in recent months because the glasses' built-in batteries cannot be easily removed and replaced.

U.S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder came to Meta's defense at an event in March, where he called the EU's rules "so broad and so restrictive that it prevents the sale of this wonderful, jointly developed, U.S.-European product from being sold in the European Union" and praised the smart glasses as being "very stylish" and "very wonderful."

"You have to focus on allowing businesses to grow and allowing businesses to innovate," Puzder then said about the European hurdles to Meta's product.

The Commission on Tuesday presented a legislative tweak known as a delegated act that exempts connected products including smartwatches, smart glasses, fitness trackers and electric toys from the batteries regulation.

A Commission spokesperson said in a statement that it "has not given in to anyone’s pressure," adding that its proposals "follow a broad public consultation with consumer associations, industry stakeholders and the Member States." The spokesperson added that the proposal for the exemption "is not about regulating one specific product" but "to ensure safer consumer and industrial products in cases where opening a device could create safety risks or where technical limits make consumer access unrealistic."

The European Parliament and national governments have two months in which to object to the tweak. If there are no objections, the delegated act will then be published in the Official Journal of the EU and after 20 more days the bill should enter into force.

The change is a major boon for Meta, which has bet big on the new spectacle technology but felt held back in reaching European consumers with its eye-catching product. The battery rule exemption may also benefit other companies like Samsung and Google, and Apple which are planning their own smart glasses launches.

Earlier financial results from the French-Italian eyewear company EssilorLuxottica that owns the RayBan brand noted that Meta smart glasses sales are ramping up "exponentially" in the U.S.

While Meta has launched its AI glasses in the EU, the financial results said the distribution rollout is still slow in the EMEA region, with "more than half" of sales points still not served. More than 7 million pairs of Meta smart glasses were sold worldwide in 2025.

The smart glasses still face fierce privacy pushback, regardless of the change in batteries rules.

Cláudio Texeira, the head of digital policy at Europe's largest consumer protection group BEUC, said: "Europe should not dilute consumer protections. Smart glasses are already raising important concerns about privacy, security and consumer choice. Exemptions from EU battery removability rules should remain exactly that: genuine exceptions based on clear technical and safety evidence, not industry pressure. Exempting these devices … risks setting a dangerous precedent."

When Meta launched the first iteration of its RayBan smart glasses in Europe in 2021, the product immediately sparked concerns with Irish and Italian privacy watchdogs over whether the specs made it obvious enough to people that they are being filmed.

And earlier this year, concerns peaked again when Swedish media reported that subcontractors for Meta in Kenya were reviewing “deeply private” footage captured by the firm's smart glasses to help annotate the content to train artificial intelligence models. It included recordings of people's bathroom visits, banking details, or even them having sex.

The European Data Protection Board, which gathers privacy regulators across Europe, has ordered a report into smart glasses which should be finalized this summer, chair Anu Talus told POLITICO earlier. She added that the board will look at actions from there.

A Meta spokesperson told POLITICO last month that its glasses include built-in privacy safeguards and that the company has "teams dedicated to evolving these measures so that we can continue to deliver safe, secure products that enhance people’s lives."

“Unlike smartphones, our glasses have an LED light that activates when someone prompts the glasses to take a photo or video that will be saved to their gallery. The glasses feature tamper detection technology to prevent people from covering that light. Unless users choose to share media they've captured with Meta, that media also stays on the device," they said.

The U.S. Mission to the EU declined to comment.

Meta didn't respond to POLITICO's request for a comment.

Albanian security policy expert Juxhina Sotiri Gjoni tells Anadolu that last week's summit in Ankara marked operational implementation of decisions made at Vilnius and The Hague summits

• Gjoni noted that Prime Minister Edi Rama's leadership is 'frequently viewed positively by Western partners,' emphasizing that Albania's foreign and security policies remain fully aligned with those of EU and NATO

At the ninth Accession Conference between the EU and Albania, scheduled to be held in Brussels on Tuesday, Albania aims to close Chapters 25, 26, and 30, marking the closure of the first three chapters in its EU accession process.

Following the opening of the first negotiation chapters with the EU on Oct. 15, 2024, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that closing these first three chapters represents "another important milestone in Albania's path toward EU membership."

Rama stated that Albania has significantly accelerated the process of transposing EU legislation into national law by making use of artificial intelligence, allowing the country to complete much of its work in a remarkably short period.

He underlined that EU membership is not simply about meeting formal conditions.

"It requires incorporating around 4,000 legislative and regulatory acts into Albania's legal system and, more importantly, ensuring their effective implementation," he said.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos described the Accession Conference as "a milestone for Albania, marking the beginning of the closure of negotiating chapters."

NATO Summit in Tirana will mark most critical moment for Albania's geopolitics, security expert

Meanwhile, following NATO's 36th Summit held in Ankara, analysts say that the 37th NATO Summit, which will be hosted by Albania's capital Tirana, could further strengthen the country's strategic position.

Prime Minister Edi Rama's role has also been viewed positively by Western partners.

As Albania continues to make rapid progress toward EU membership, hosting the next NATO Summit is being regarded as a significant achievement for both the country and Rama.

Albanian security policy expert Juxhina Sotiri Gjoni told Anadolu that last week's summit in Ankara marked the operational implementation of decisions made at the Vilnius and The Hague summits.

"The summit brought an end to the era of promises made to the public. The focus has shifted to ensuring that the defense spending target of 5% of GDP, agreed upon in The Hague, is used to produce actual weapons, equipment, and infrastructure," he added.

"Türkiye is a key actor and a geopolitical anchor for three main reasons. It is a leader in the Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe. For countries in the region, such as Albania, Türkiye assumes a direct military leadership role. It serves as a regional shield and as the guarantor of the concept of a 'more European NATO.'"

Gjoni stated that the NATO Summit in Tirana would represent one of the most significant moments in Albania's geopolitical history, transforming the country from merely a consumer of security into a decision-maker and provider of stability in the Western Balkans.

"Hosting such a summit confirms Albania's diplomatic and operational maturity on the global stage. Organizing an event of this scale demonstrates that Albania can provide the high-level physical, logistical, and cybersecurity standards required to host the world's most powerful leaders. The event goes beyond symbolism, representing formal recognition by allies that Albania's infrastructure meets the requirements of modern defense," she added.

Gjoni also referred to the "Joint Declaration on Defense Cooperation" signed in March 2025 by the defense ministries of Albania, Kosovo, and Croatia, saying it had elevated Albania to a leadership role in regional defense.

"Albania believes that the full integration of Kosovo into regional security structures is the only way to counter hybrid threats and external interference in the region."

She further noted that Prime Minister Rama's leadership is "frequently viewed positively by Western partners," emphasizing that Albania's foreign and security policies remain fully aligned with those of the EU and NATO, particularly regarding support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

Albania's EU membership application

Albania officially applied for EU membership in 2009. After the European Commission issued a favorable opinion in October 2012, the European Council granted Albania candidate country status in June 2014.

Formal accession negotiations between Albania and the EU began in July 2022.

Albania received an invitation to join NATO at the Bucharest Summit on April 2, 2008, and officially launched accession negotiations on April 25, 2008.

After NATO member states ratified Albania's accession protocols, the country officially became a NATO member on April 1, 2009, thereby achieving one of its key Euro-Atlantic integration goals.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/albania-to-close-3-chapters-on-its-eu-membership-bid/3997672