Why is this important: The project is part of a broader government plan to revive Albania’s dormant military industry and develop a domestic production network for the armed forces, police, firefighting services, and potential export. The move also seeks to repurpose abandoned industrial infrastructure and stimulate the local economy.

Why is this important: The DP’s internal order to avoid the lobbying topic highlights the party’s strategic concerns about the political fallout just days before the May 11 elections. It also underscores the sensitivity of the issue, as SPAK examines the contract’s financial and legal implications.

Why is this important: While Berisha seeks to shift the campaign agenda toward economic issues, his silence on the growing lobbying scandal raises questions about transparency and political accountability. The contrast between the scale of the promises and the unresolved funding controversy risks undermining DP’s credibility with voters.

Why is this important: The agreement is positioned as a major step toward transforming Albania’s healthcare and medical education sectors. It sets the ambition for QSUT to become a regional leader in medical services and education, potentially reducing the need for Albanians to seek healthcare abroad.

Opinion by Mero Baze

Why is this important: The investigation puts new pressure on DP at a crucial moment, highlighting both financial transparency concerns and the potential misuse of lobbying for electoral purposes. It also raises the possibility of serious legal consequences if the source of funding is found to breach Albanian or U.S. regulations.

Why is this important: The new findings raise deeper questions about the legitimacy and transparency of the opposition’s international lobbying efforts. They suggest potential misuse of financial and legal structures, with implications for both DP’s political credibility and future legal accountability.

Why is this important: The controversy hits PD at a critical electoral moment, undermining its claims to transparency and reform. It highlights persistent concerns over political financing in Albania, and the apparent use of extraordinary resources to address a leader’s personal legal challenges. It also carries the risk of serious legal repercussions, both domestically and internationally, if violations of transparency and funding laws are confirmed.

Why is this important: The districts of Tirana and Shkodër together account for 48 parliamentary mandates, making them decisive in shaping the next government. The Piepoli survey shows that the Socialist Party is on track to win an additional seat in Tirana compared to 2021, while the Berisha-led coalition could lose up to four seats there. In Shkodër—long considered a stronghold of the right—PS is also projected to make gains, signaling a potentially significant political realignment.

Why this is important: The law was introduced by the Socialist government in response to a growing healthcare workforce crisis, as Albania loses a significant number of trained doctors—mostly to Germany and other EU countries—each year. With education funded by taxpayers, the measure aimed to ensure that graduates serve domestically before emigrating. Berisha’s vow to repeal the law, without offering an alternative strategy, seems to be a mere proposal to win the students support without any thought given to the consequences for a sector already facing shortages and systemic strain.