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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 31, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

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Money Laundering Causes Poverty, Income Disparity in Balkans, Says BIRN Film

A new BIRN documentary shows how money laundering has been increasing poverty, prices and income inequality in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Original post Here

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Diaspora Vote Might Shake Up Albanian Politics, But Big Parties Likely to Prevail

For the first time, Albanians abroad will be able to vote by post in the country’s May parliamentary election; some hope the change will help end the domination of the two big parties, but experts are not so sure. Original post Here

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Jailed Albanian Mayor Hires US Law Firm That Worked for Trump

While behind bars and under investigation for graft and money laundering, Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj and his businessman brother have engaged hard-hitting New York law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres to assist his case. Original post Here

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Albanian Rights Organisations Take TikTok Ban to Court

BIRN Albania, along with a civil rights group and a journalists’ association, have urged the country’s top court to declare a controversial law banning TikTok in Albania for a year unconstitutional. Original post Here

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Italy to Albania, and Back: A Migrant’s Journey Through Italy’s Asylum Experiment

Italy’s right-wing government called it a magic wand for the migrants arriving on its shores, but a deal with Albania to outsource and accelerate asylum processing has run afoul of Italian courts. Critics say it flies in the face of international humanitarian law. Original post Here

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Albanian Orthodox Church Gets First Ethnic Albanian Leader in Generations

The new Primate will need to be savvy, navigating between conflicting pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian currents in the small but opinionated Albanian Orthodox Church. Original post Here

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 23, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

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Albania’s Controversial TikTok Ban Still Not Fully Working

A government order to ban TikTok to protect children from violent material came into force more than a week ago, but the mobile phone app for the video-sharing platform is still partially working in Albania. Original post Here

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News Analysis: A Geopolitical Shift in the Western Balkans?

The Trilateral Defense Agreement Between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo The recent signing of a trilateral defense cooperation agreement between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo marks a significant geopolitical development in the Western Balkans. This move, underscores growing security collaboration in a historically fragile region. While the agreement does not constitute a …