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By:
Sinan Berisha
- November 12, 2025 22:27
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Starting from high taxes to problems related to book piracy, the increase in the price of paper and printing, have been some of the challenges that have been mentioned since the opening of the Book Fair in Tirana, on Wednesday. There are over ten participants from Kosovo, and the president of the Kosovo Publishers Association, Edon Zeneli, considers the Fair as a window through which these publishers reach the Albanian reader.
With the motto “Our conscience needs books” – a phrase by the great writer, Ismail Kadare – the 28th edition of the Tirana Book Fair has opened its pages. The opening ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Palace of Congresses, during which the importance of books and reading in Albanian society was emphasized, without forgetting the challenges that publishers face, starting from high taxes to problems related to book piracy, the increase in the price of paper and printing.
As one of the most important cultural events of the year, the fair organized by the Albanian Publishers Association has brought together writers, translators, authors and publishers, creating a bridge with readers, who are the key factor in this event. Around 100 publishers from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro have enabled readers to not only buy books, but also meet their authors through visits to the Fair. Book promotions and meetings with writers have been planned.
In his welcoming speech during the opening ceremony, the president of the Albanian Publishers Association, Petrit Ymeri, spoke, emphasizing the need for reading, through which a "safe culture" is created.
"It is no coincidence that we have chosen a quote by our great writer Ismail Kadare: 'Our conscience needs books', but everyone's conscience, everyone's attention and everyone's care need books, because books are a safe culture, first and foremost for today's generations, but also for future generations," he said during the opening ceremony of the Fair.
Among the long list of challenges facing the book, he also mentioned the lack of bookstores, new publications, and also the small print runs of publications. According to him, it is important that readers are given the opportunity to get to know local culture through Albanian books and world culture through translations.
"Starting from piracy, especially digital piracy in electronic books, but also piracy in printed publications, our libraries are in a catastrophic situation. The number of bookstores, instead of increasing, is decreasing. It is important that we are always together, always attentive, to give our readers what is the best of our culture, to support our authors, our writers, translators and to give our readers the best works of world culture, translated into Albanian", added Ymeri.
Writer Enkel Demi, who received the "Best Author" award at the Fair last year, has shown the importance of "ownership" of the Fair.
"It is very important to understand that this is not a writers' fair, but a readers' fair. Thank God, an island has been created for 28 years, which creates opportunities for many readers to touch every kind of literature and every kind of book," he said during his speech at the opening ceremony.
The chairwoman of the Committee for Culture, Tourism and Diaspora, Ina Zhupa, considered the fair a moment that unites readers with translators and writers.
"I am committed today to starting a series of hearings with publishers, translators, booksellers, writers, and to doing my best for what has come to the Assembly as a draft law, which so far presents many problems and does not provide a solution to the essential goal: to bring the book closer to the reader and to support publishers," she said during the ceremony. Zhupa is also a member of the Albanian Parliament.
As is usually the case at book fairs, the last days bring the largest influx of visitors, with large groups of students, among others, flooding the halls.
Edon Zeneli, president of the Kosovo Publishers Association, considered the Tirana Fair as the most important Albanian book event, indicating that the publishing house he leads, "Pema", has come up with 100 new titles.
"The Tirana Book Fair remains the main event of the Albanian book, which brings together all publishers for these five days that it lasts in the premises of the Palace of Congresses. Publishers present the publications of the time span from last year's fair to this year's fair. We as a publishing house have published over 100 titles during this time span," he said in a conversation with KOHĖNA.
He indicated that there are over ten participants from Kosovo, describing the Fair as a window through which the publisher from Kosovo reaches the Albanian reader.
"From Kosovo, there are over ten participants in the Tirana Book Fair and this is actually one of the best opportunities for publishers from Kosovo to present their publications. It is an event that essentially raises awareness and information about the titles that have been published, about books, about what is trending, about what is most requested by readers. In this regard, I consider that participation in the Fair serves as a window for Kosovo publishers to reach the readers of Tirana and Albania," said Zeneli.
Even during the press conference held the day before the departure, the problems faced by the book industry in Albania were mentioned.
"A few days ago, we sent a questionnaire to publishing houses asking them how many new books they have at the fair. There are publishing houses with no new books, that have been at the fair for years, some that have 1-2 new titles, some with 5-6, there are even a few that publish 20-30-40 titles, so the number of publications and the quality of publications has decreased," Petrit Ymeri is quoted as saying.
As in every edition, this year too, awards will be given for the best works and authors of the year in the literary and scholarly fields. On Saturday, their selection and awarding will take place, evaluated by a professional jury headed by Elsa Skënderi-Rakipllari, researcher and lecturer at the University of Tirana, translators Beti Njuma and Manuela Sota, publicist and librarian Teuta Dhima, and Zija Vukaj, translator and scholar of literature.