Why is this important: The warm and lighthearted encounter between the two leaders underscores the close rapport between Rama and Rutte, the former Dutch Prime Minister who recently took over as NATO Secretary General.

Why is this important: The Albania–Serbia rivalry carries political and emotional weight. Following the infamous drone incident in Belgrade in 2014 that halted a match between the two nations, Albanian authorities are taking no chances. Public safety and crowd control are a top priority, as thousands of fans are expected to fill the stadium and surrounding areas.

Why this is important: The maritime dispute between Albania and Greece remains one of the last major unresolved bilateral issues. A breakthrough would remove a persistent source of political friction and give a boost to bilateral relations.

Why this is important: Berisha’s refusal to recognize electoral defeats has become a defining pattern over his 35-year political career. His latest claims continue this pattern—calling May 11 a “farce,” even though the preliminary OSCE/ODIHR report and key international actors, including the U.S. and EU, recognized the elections.

Why this is important: The session confirmed that the post-election political divide remains raw. Democrats continued to reject the legitimacy of the May 11 vote, calling it a “farce,” while Socialists accused them of refusing to accept electoral reality and urged them to conduct internal reflection instead of disrupting parliamentary work.