Foreign Influence Watch: Opposition MP Jorida Tabaku warns that weak institutions, tolerated corruption and money laundering are making Albania and the Western Balkans easier targets for foreign influence, urging tougher checks on foreign investment in energy, ports, telecoms and data, plus stricter rules on ownership, big transactions, procurement and illicit money. Agri-Exports Push: Albania and Kosovo agree to help farmers and food producers reach wider markets through farming advice, new tech, digital services, joint promotion and support at international fairs. EU Energy “Divorce” Context: A new REPowerEU framework shows Russian gas dependence falling fast (to about 12% in 2025), with Russian LNG ending by early 2027 and pipeline gas by late 2027—spotlighting how alternative pipeline projects and monitoring are reshaping supply. Banking Modernization: Jet Bank officially launches as Albania’s first fully digital bank, built on Backbase’s AI-native banking platform, with remote account opening and a large waiting list. FDI Snapshot: Foreign investment hit €404m in Q1, led by Austria, while real estate dominated flows (€172m), reinforcing concerns that Albania’s FDI model still leans heavily on property. Flamingo Revolution Fallout: Rama says the Zvërnec/Kushner-linked resort protests have become an international political fight tied to Trump, while the EU’s own “implementation gap” critique keeps pressure on Albania’s governance and anti-corruption delivery. Food Production Update: Albania’s 2025 vegetable output rose 1.5% to about 1.4m tons, with Fier, Tirana and Berat leading.