Coastal & Tourism Pressure: Environmental groups say preliminary work on a Trump-linked luxury resort near Narta Lagoon has already caused “irreparable” damage—roads, deforestation, a new bridge, turtle nesting disruption, bird habitat disturbance, and altered lagoon water flows—sparking weeks of protests. EU & Environment Oversight: Lake Ohrid narrowly avoided UNESCO’s Danger List, but experts warn illegal construction, wastewater gaps, and shoreline damage still threaten the shared ecosystem, with a five-year deadline for fixes. Telecom Regulation: Albania’s competition watchdog imposed new obligations on Vodafone and One after concerns over anti-competitive behavior, giving operators 90 days to adjust plans and improve consumer transparency. Infrastructure & Connectivity: Officials inspected progress on the Tirana Bypass, aimed at linking major motorways and easing traffic around Tirana via the Adriatic-Ionian corridor. Labour Mobility: Albania and Vietnam signed an MoU to formalize sending Vietnamese workers to Albania with equal treatment and no pre-departure costs for workers. Digital Transformation Angle: A new regional push argues the private sector is key to accelerating Western Balkans digital transformation and closing ICT-to-business value gaps. Governance Watch: Former Albanian president Ilir Meta remains in custody as his corruption and money-laundering trial continues, with the next hearing set for September 10.