Rail Modernisation: Albania’s Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi told Parliament the EBRD loan will fund full electrification of the Tirana–Durrës railway and the Rinas station, with civil works done, signalling nearing completion, and a target for electric service by end-2027. Food Safety Upgrade: Agriculture Minister Andis Salla presented a draft law to ratify Germany’s 2025 technical cooperation, backing the EU4Food Safety project to build a modern food safety system, strengthen controls and labs, and support Chapter 12 progress. Agriculture Law Package: Parliament approved multiple agriculture bills, including trade certificates for agri products, the agricultural census, chemical management updates, aquaculture amendments, and changes on protection of agricultural land—highlighting a split inside the ruling Socialist Party. Public Finance: Albania reported a near-53bn lek budget surplus in the first half of the year, driven by stronger tax collections and controlled spending, giving room for infrastructure funding. Regional Defence Cooperation: A European Partnership Flight conference in Tirana brought together six nations plus the U.S. to improve air base operations, logistics, rescue and firefighting, and interoperability. Banking Recognition: Raiffeisen Bank Albania won three Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026 for corporates, digital banking, and ESG. Land Governance & Protests: The “Flamingo Revolution” protests against the Kushner-linked Zvërnec and Sazan developments kept momentum, with Dua Lipa calling the movement “inspiring,” while reporting again raised concerns over land records and governance failures.