Organized the transportation of 7 immigrants who died in an accident, Stivljano Ndou arrested
Stivljano Ndou has been handcuffed by the police as part of the police mega-operation coded “Rule of Law”. The detainee tried to escape from the services of the Shkodra Police, with the motorcycle he was driving. The 24-year-old was wanted by the blues of Gjirokastra, after he organized the transportation …
Found unconscious on the street, a 22-year-old allegedly fell from a height
The 22-year-old who was found unconscious on the road near the Shengjin roundabout in Lezhë has been identified as Gentjan Bajrami from Shkodra. Journalist Gjergj Figuri reports that at first it was suspected that the young man was violeted, but according to the police, the track being investigated is the …
Tribute to Kadare’s house in Gjirokastër
Homages in honor of Ismail Kadare will also take place in his birthplace in Gjirokastër. Journalist Elidon Berberi reported from the house, where the writer started the first lines, while he said that the tributes will also take place in the center of the bazaar, where the corner of honor …
SPAK operation with the French authorities, three Albanians arrested and assets seized
SPAK has developed a joint operation with the French authorities, which led to the crackdown on a drug trafficking group. The criminal group operated in the Lyon region and supplied sales groups in the Rhone, Ain, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie regions from an Albanian citizen in France. The gang was led …
Albanian’s Leap to Freedom Was Only the Start of His Journey
An Albanian who 34 years ago jumped over an embassy wall in Tirana to escape the country’s repressive communist regime recalls his struggle to find freedom and a new home in Western Europe. Original post Here
Obituary: Ismail Kadare, the global writer who helped ‘making Albania’
TIRANA, June 1, 2024 – Albania’s greatest writer and perennial Nobel Prize candidate, Ismail Kadare, has died at the age of 88. Kadare had permanently moved back to his homeland of Albania from France in recent years and died of a heart attack Monday morning, doctors at Tirana’s largest public …
Drug trafficking and organized criminal group/ SPAK sends for trial Gezim Çela and 13 others
The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has closed the investigations and sent Gëzim Çela and 13 other people to trial for drug trafficking and organized criminal group. Gëzim Çela and Arlind Ismailukaj are considered to be the leaders of the criminal group that were hit during the “Flame at Sea” operation. …
Ismail Kadare, Greatest Albanian Writer, Dies at 88
The author of dozens of books translated into dozens of languages was feted abroad, in France especially – but some at home were less forgiving of his role during the communist era. Original post Here
Albanian renown writer Ismail Kadare, dies age 88
The Albanian renown writer, poet and novelist, Ismail Kadare died this Monday in Tirana, age 88. Were his familiars that found him lifeless in his home. He is the only Albanian national who was many time a candidate to win the Nobel price in Literature. In 1992, Kadare was awarded …
Oncology scandal, Rama: A crime against humanity
Prime Minister Edi Rama qualifies as a crime against humanity, the use of a doctor’s uniform, to extract money with blood for medicines of the sick, referring to the Oncology scandal. During his speech at the meeting of heads of services at QSUT, Rama said that nothing is missing in …
Tirana Times, March 26 , 2026 – The Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) has awarded its prestigious annual “Jorgji Qirjako” Translation Prize for 2025 to historian and translator Ilir Ikonomi, recognizing his outstanding contribution to bringing major works of international scholarship to the Albanian audience. Ilir Ikonomi received the award …
From a political spying scandal to MAGA alignment and a brewing collision with the law, selection of BIRN Premium stories this week makes for an exciting read. Original post Here
The now-notorious hacker group Homeland Justice claimed that it had breached the computer defences of Albania’s postal service following its attack on parliament’s systems earlier this month. Original post Here
Charged with corruption, money laundering and concealment of wealth, ex-politician Monika Kryemadhi is rebranding herself as a showbiz celebrity on the Big Brother reality show, but can it keep her out of prison? Original post Here
An appeals court upheld the verdict jailing the former Socialist Party mayor of Himara, Jorgo Goro, who was at the centre of a political storm during a controversial election in 2023. Original post Here
The prime minister’s moves to shield his deputy from arrest feel like the beginning of the end of an era for Albanians’ hopes that the powerful would finally be held accountable. Original post Here
V Dem places Albania in a category dominated by African states, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina the only Western Balkan countries in the same group. Tirana Times, March 23, 2026 – Albania has been placed in the category of electoral autocracy in the latest Democracy Report 2026 by the …
As oil and gas prices surge amid the Iran war, Balkan countries are pondering ways to reduce the impact on households and businesses. Original post Here
The controversy over Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku has put the spotlight on prosecution efforts to target high-level corruption – but she is only the latest senior politician to face charges. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here