By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania, March 19th— Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo have signed a joint declaration aimed at strengthening defense and security cooperation, marking a significant geopolitical development in the Western Balkans. The agreement, announced this week in Tirana, signals an increased level of military collaboration but stops short of …

A defence agreement between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, calling for joint responses to common security challenges, has drawn a furious response from Serbia, which called it a threatening move. Original post Here

Under Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist Party, Albania’s government has been bombarding the media with carefully curated PR packages that air as ‘news’. Original post Here

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times ) The Albanian government has nearly doubled the projected cost of its “Smart City” initiative, now expected to cost $118.5 million—up from the initially planned $60 million—raising concerns over transparency, lack of competition, and the protection of personal data. The government announced the …

The Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church has elected Metropolitan Joan Pelushi of Korça as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania. The 69-year-old cleric succeeds Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos, marking a historic transition for the Church after more than three decades of leadership under the Greek- born …

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania Venesday March 12th—A special appeals court in Albania has upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, rejecting his request for a more lenient security measure. The ruling, reaffirmed on Monday by Judge Engert Pëllumbi, has sparked significant controversy, with Veliaj’s legal team and …

By Genc Pollo The European Union’s stance on democracy in the Balkans is increasingly difficult to defend. The recent visit of EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos to Albania is a glaring example of Brussels’ selective engagement, where stability appears to take precedence over genuine democratic governance. Despite mounting evidence of …

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

Appeals court dismisses plea to release the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, who is in detention as charges of corruption and money laundering are investigated. Original post Here

Albania’s communist-era military bunkers – now a tourist attraction but also a reource for experimental artists – are dotted everywhere, from beaches to mountain tops. Original post Here