While political deadlock feeds despair in some corners of the region, glimmers of hope shine through in others, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week highlights. Original post Here

The EU police agency said 17 people suspected of trafficking women from South America to Europe for sexual exploitation have been arrested in Albania and Colombia. Original post Here

Tirana, Albania (Tirana Times). Prime Minister Edi Rama’s attempt at humor during a European summit turned into a viral spectacle on Thursday, overshadowing the European Political Community’s agenda in Copenhagen and sparking both international scrutiny and domestic criticism. The incident unfolded when Rama, known for injecting jokes into international meetings, …