Albania Returns Stolen Icons to North Macedonia After a Decade

The handover of 20 religious icons, part of a larger haul seized in 2013, marks Albania's commitment to combating cultural heritage trafficking.

Albania has returned 20 stolen icons to North Macedonia, a decade after they were taken.
The return was marked with a ceremony at the National Historic Museum in Tirana, Albania.
The icons were part of over 1,000 religious and secular pieces of art seized by Albanian authorities in 2013, suspected to be sold abroad.
The pieces were taken from churches and cultural centers in southeastern Albania and North Macedonia.
The return of the icons is seen as a demonstration of Albania's commitment to the fight against trafficking of cultural heritage objects.