Bushi explained his selections, commenting on the forced absences due to injuries of key players like Rashica, Muça, Alili, and Osmani. He described them as important starters who are crucial to the team, noting the limited time the squad has together and the importance of making the most of every training camp to strengthen both play and team cohesion. He added that the new players in the squad are talented and capable of performing well, and that the match against San Marino is an opportunity for everyone to show their potential.

He emphasized that, as U21 coaches, it is challenging because matches occur only about once every two months, and players are committed to their clubs. Every time players join the squad, he expects maximum effort, discipline, and tactical focus. Mistakes in judgment or underestimating opponents are not allowed.

Since Albania qualified as a host nation for the European Championship, every friendly match is treated with the seriousness of a Euro match—even against San Marino. Bushi will use this match to assess which players are worthy of playing in the European Championship, and the players understand that their performance affects future call-ups.

On the opponent, he reiterated that every friendly has the weight of a European Championship match. He praised the character, commitment, and improvement of the team, citing strong performances against Germany and Switzerland, and underlined the importance of fans in the San Marino match.

“I am very satisfied with the group. They are humble, hardworking players, showing daily improvement. We played two strong matches against Germany and Switzerland; despite the losses, we competed until the 90th minute. This shows that we are a team ready to face any opponent. I expected a slower adaptation from this group, but they have integrated quickly, which I am very pleased with. I look forward to the match against San Marino. For us, no opponent is modest; every match is like a European Championship match, including these friendlies.

The match is at Air Albania, the timing is suitable, and I hope fans will attend. Albania is in the European Championship, and the team needs the support of its fans,” concluded Alban Bushi.

UEFA officials, accompanied by representatives of Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit, visited the stadiums that will host this historic championship.

The overall impression of the UEFA inspectors was positive, while 28 hotels and 21 training centers were also visited. These will be evaluated by UEFA and designated as “Team Base Camps” for the catalog that will be offered to the finalist teams.

The next UEFA visit is scheduled for March 2026 to review the progress of this major project.

The UEFA Executive Committee decided in February this year that Albania will be one of the host countries for the 2027 UEFA U21 European Championship. This tournament, to be held in June 2027, will feature 16 teams representing the most outstanding youth football talents in Europe, including players already active in the continent’s top leagues.

Coach Bushi spoke about the beginnings of his career as a footballer—both at club level and with the national team—highlighting the challenges and sacrifices he made in pursuit of his dream to become a professional player. He emphasized the importance of wearing the national team jersey and representing all Albanians worldwide.

The young players actively participated, asking questions about key moments in his career, such as his most memorable goal, favorite player, toughest opponents, and the emotions experienced in matches with the national team.

At the end of the session, Coach Bushi offered guidance for young players based on his personal experience as both a footballer and now a coach. He stressed that it is crucial for a young player to have a clear goal, work passionately toward it, maintain discipline, and collaborate with the team to achieve both individual and collective objectives.

Both matches will take place at the Vora Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 on each date. This will give Coach Bushi the chance to test his current squad as well as young players coming from the youth teams who could become part of Albania U-21 in the upcoming European Championship qualifiers.

Since these are official FIFA dates, the U-21 team decided to take advantage of the window to arrange these friendlies.

Friendly matches of Albania U-21

• Albania U-21 – Moldova U-21, November 15, 14:00, Vora Stadium
• Albania U-21 – Moldova U-21, November 18, 14:00, Vora Stadium

The referee called both teams to the locker rooms, and after 30 minutes returned to the field to assess the pitch conditions. However, it was impossible to resume the match, and together with the UEFA delegate, the referee decided on the final suspension.

The Communications Department of Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit announced that UEFA has rescheduled the match for June 7, 2024, to restart from the 27th minute. According to FIFA and UEFA’s official international match calendar, the game could not be postponed to the next day, and players’ club commitments made an earlier date impossible.

Prior to that, Albania U21 will play two qualifying matches in March 2024 against Finland and Switzerland. The qualifying phase will conclude in June 2024, during which Albania U21 is scheduled to face Switzerland, Armenia, and the postponed match against Montenegro.

So far, Smajli has already had the chance to play in friendlies with the Red and Blacks and has even scored a goal. Interviewed for the “Albanian Talent” section, the youngster talks about his first steps in football and his ambitions, as well as the feeling he had when he received the call-up to Albania U21 and when he scored against **San Marino**. **Elseid Hysaj** is Geralb’s role model, though he keeps his feet on the ground and prefers to let time take its course.

First matchday of the “Kategoria Superiore U21” championship

• FK Partizani Tirana – KF Vllaznia Shkodër

• KF Apolonia Fier – KF Egnatia Rrogozhinë

• KF Bylis Ballsh – KF Vora

• KF Teuta Durrës – KF Korabi Peshkopi

• KF Tirana – KF Erzeni Shijak

• KF Elbasani – KF Kukësi

The new season begins on September 20 and will feature: Vllaznia, Partizani, Bylisi, Egnatia, Teuta, Kukësi, Korabi, Tirana, Apolonia, Vora, Elbasani, and Erzeni.

The championship will be played in two phases, following a home-and-away (round-robin) format.

The museum has been in operation since 1986, when the characteristic Sejdini family house was donated to the state and adapted into an ethnographic museum showcasing the city’s traditional lifestyle. The building, dating to the 18th century, has been designated a Category I Cultural Monument. Architecturally, it represents a distinctive example of urban houses with a çardak (open veranda), typical of the Elbasan region, while also reflecting similarities with residential architecture in Berat and Shkodër.

Before being transformed into a museum, the ground floor served as storage for agricultural products, while the upper floor functioned as the family’s living quarters. These traditional uses have been preserved and are now presented as part of the ethnographic exhibition.

In recent years, the museum has undergone a significant restoration process, including the façade, roof, veranda, and other structural elements, carefully preserving its historical identity while enhancing the visitor experience. The Ethnographic Museum displays approximately 80 types of traditional crafts, illustrating the craftsmanship, lifestyle, and economic development of Elbasan through the centuries.

Constructed of stone and brick, with a tiled roof and an elegant stone minaret, the mosque exemplifies classical Ottoman architectural style. Its interior consists of a prayer hall with a wooden dome and a simple mihrab adorned with geometric motifs. The outer portico, added later, rests on carved stone columns, offering a serene and dignified entrance for worshippers and visitors.

Beyond its architectural value, the King’s Mosque holds great historical and cultural significance, as it is among the earliest Ottoman buildings in Albania to remain functional. It has long served as a religious, social, and communal reference point for Elbasan and the surrounding region.

Following damage sustained over the centuries, the mosque has undergone several restoration phases, including recent conservation interventions that have reinstated its original elements. Today, it is classified as a Category I Cultural Monument and stands as one of Elbasan’s most visited attractions for both domestic and international tourists.

Arena Kombëtare is unmatched in Albania, representing a cutting-edge sports complex distinguished by its bold architectural design and the integration of its historic façade, which adds significant cultural value. The stadium is designed in the shape of a Greco-Roman theater.

Its octagonal, multi-level structure allows access to different sections of the complex from every side. Today, the building stands as a major landmark, functioning not only as a football venue but also as a space for cultural and entertainment events.

On the ground floor, the Albanian Football Museum presents the history of the stadium as part of Tirana’s cultural heritage. Through photographs, videos, and audio exhibits, the museum offers an engaging overview of Albanian football history and welcomes both local and international visitors.

The Sabiha Kasimati Natural Sciences Museum was founded in 1948 as part of the former Institute of Sciences. After the establishment of the University of Tirana in 1957, it came under the Faculty of Natural Sciences within the Department of Zoology. In 2010, together with the National Herbarium and the Botanical Garden, it became part of the Research Center for Flora and Fauna.

The Mediterranean region is among the richest in the world in terms of fauna, and Albania has long served as a refuge for rare species, carefully documented by Albanian researchers, especially during the communist period. Today, the country is home to nearly 30 percent of Europe’s fauna.

Despite this richness, Albania has lost more animal species than any other European country due to population growth, erosion, deforestation, uncontrolled land use, overfishing, and illegal hunting. Nevertheless, the museum safeguards an extraordinary range of species inhabiting Albania’s land and waters.

The fauna inventory includes entomofauna (insects), herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles), ornithofauna (birds), mammal fauna (mammals), and macrobenthic fauna (mollusks and crustaceans).

The mosque was founded in the late eighteenth century by Mulla Bey and completed in the early nineteenth century by his son, Hajj Et’hem Bey. It was one of the few religious structures to survive the period beginning in 1967, when churches, mosques, teqes, monasteries, and other religious institutions were closed, destroyed, or repurposed.

On January 18, 1991, despite resistance from communist authorities, around 10,000 people entered the mosque carrying flags. This event marked a decisive moment in the fall of communism in Albania and the restoration of religious freedom.

Visitors can admire the mosque’s distinctive architecture and detailed ornamentation, including oriental wall and ceiling paintings. The frescoes depict trees, bridges, waterfalls, and peaceful natural landscapes, a rare feature in Islamic art. The mosque was restored in 2019, with the works completed in April 2021.

The development of the Albanian postal service and philately has followed a long and complex path. The period from Albania’s liberation through the 1990s provides a particularly informative overview of the evolution of stamp design and production.

This era stands out for the quantity and variety of stamps issued, many of which carried political and ideological messages. After 1990 and the start of democratic reforms, despite the difficulties of transition, the General Directorate of the Albanian Postal Service made notable efforts to expand themes, reduce political influence, and improve print quality, reaching a consistently high standard.

Located within Dajti National Park at an elevation of 1,100 meters, the site offers sweeping views over Tirana and, on clear days, vistas that extend toward the Adriatic Sea.

Portions of the castle walls are partially hidden by dense forest vegetation, enhancing the site’s sense of mystery and natural beauty.

The historian Titus Livy described it as “the strongest place of the Labeates.”
The fortress became known as Rozafa in the Middle Ages, a period during which it was at times controlled by Slavs and Byzantines. Inside the walls are various structures, including military quarters, storage spaces, and an administrative building.

The castle is organized into three courtyards connected by gates. The third and smallest courtyard lies at the highest point of the hill, where rectangular openings replace towers along the outer walls.

Within this area are rooms connected to a round tower, a storage building, and a three-story structure dating from the Venetian period.
The second courtyard forms the central and largest section of the fortress and is separated from the first courtyard by a crosswall without towers.

Mehmed Bushati personally oversaw the building process, making sure each stone was carefully shaped. The first imam, Haxhi Ahmet Misria, who was of Egyptian origin, came to Albania through his ties with Mehmed Bushati. He was followed by other imams who continued to maintain the mosque.

By the early twentieth century, the building had suffered damage, and the lead covering of the domes was gradually removed. In 1916, during the Austrian occupation, the remaining lead was taken by the Austrian army.

Built along the ancient Shkodra–Kosovo trade route, the bridge has 13 arches of different sizes and measures 108 meters in length, 3.4 meters in width, and 15 meters in height. Construction took place in two stages: first the main 21.5-meter arch with four smaller arches, followed by an extension designed to manage flooding.

The project was commissioned by Mehmet Pasha Bushati, who governed Shkodra between 1755 and 1775. Historians date the bridge to the year 1768.

The museum centers on the legacy of the Marubi Photography Studio, founded in 1856 by Pietro Marubi, an Italian painter and photographer who settled in Shkodra. The studio was managed and expanded by three generations of photographers until the 1950s, when Gege Marubi became part of the collective communist photography unit.

By 1970, the archive contained around 500,000 negatives in various formats and techniques. Many historical photographs were later used for communist propaganda, sometimes altered or reproduced in official publications.

It forms the largest freshwater ecosystem in the Mediterranean region and supports remarkable biodiversity. The lake is home to about 65 fish species, 240 bird species, more than 850 plant species, and around 600 animal species. It is especially important for birdlife, with 281 recorded bird species, 123 mammals, and 20 endangered plant species.

The Albanian section was designated a Ramsar site in 2005. Together with the Buna delta, Lake Shkodra is one of five major European wintering sites for birds, including the rare Dalmatian pelican and the world’s second-largest colony of dwarf cormorants.

The museum’s original collections consisted of donations from Jesuit and Franciscan convents dating to the late nineteenth century, as well as private collections from prominent Shkodra families. Over time, the collections expanded through further donations, purchases, chance discoveries, and archaeological excavations.

In the following years, additional museums and house-museums were created, forming a network of seven museum centers across the city. In 1996, the historical museum was relocated to the restored monumental house of Oso Kuka, where it remains today. The Rozafa Museum, opened in 1987 within the castle, further adds to the cultural importance of Shkodra’s museum heritage.