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The Municipality of Tirana and the French Embassy sign an agreement in the field of creative industries.

The head of the Municipality of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, received in a meeting the ambassador of France in Albania, Catherine Suard. The focus of the meeting was the signing of a cooperation agreement in the digital and innovation field, which according to Mayor Veliaj will bring a new spirit and …

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Water resources management/ Balluku: Challenge that must be met according to EU requirements

The Deputy Prime Minister and at the same time the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, spoke at the Forum of Integrated Management of Water Resources, which was held in Albania. She said that water management is one of the conditions of the European Union that it has imposed …

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10 kg of drugs were caught in a vehicle in Korça, two arrested

10 kilograms of narcotics are seized in Korça. Two people have been put in handcuffs. The narcotic substance of the cannabis sativa type was found in a vehicle during a check on the Korçë-Voskopojë road axis. The police have detained the driver of the vehicle and another person traveling with …

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Convicted for murder and drugs, two Albanians are extradited from the United Kingdom and Greece

Two Albanians convicted in the United Kingdom and Greece have been extradited to Albania. From the United Kingdom, 34-year-old Donald Hoxha was extradited, for whom the Court of Elbasan, with the decision dated 21.01.2024, assigned the security measure “Arrest in prison”, for the criminal offenses “Premeditated murder” and “Illegal Possession …

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Buying votes, SPAK closes investigations for Agim Loci

The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has closed the investigation into Agim Loci, who is accused of election corruption. According to SPAK, Loci has given a monetary sum of up to 10,000 ALL to vote in favor of his daughter, who competed in the May 14 elections, on the list of …

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Analysis: Albania’s parliament undermines Constitutional Court in Xhaçka ruling

Albania’s parliament, under the control of the Socialist Party, has overturned a decision made by the Constitutional Court that would see to the expulsion of MP Olta Xhaçka from parliament. Xhaçka is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as the Minister of Defence, and is seen as a …

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The Empty Seat in Strasbourg

When the newly elected European Parliament convenes this year on July 16 there will be an empty seat in the plenary hall within the Louise Weiss building in Strasbourg. Fredi Beleri, a dual Albanian and Greek national, who will surely be elected on the ticket of Greece’s ruling party, cannot …

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Criminal amnesty/Manja: About 800 convicts benefit, no senior official is amnestied

The implementation of the criminal amnesty began this Wednesday. The Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, after a visit to the Rrogozhina prison, declared that about 800 convicts will benefit. Manja clarified that no senior official, who has been convicted by GJKKO, benefits from the criminal amnesty. According to Manja, from …

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Criminal amnesty, among them former democratic mayor of Lezha, Fran Frrokaj

This Wednesday, the implementation of the criminal amnesty began. The number of convicts who benefit is 1100, of which 700 will be released immediately, while another 400 will benefit from a reduced sentence. In the Reçi prison, the beneficiaries are 150 convicts, among them the mayor of Lezha, Frran Frokaj. …

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Criminal amnesty, will benefit 314 convicts

The implementation of the criminal amnesty begins this Wednesday. It was learned from IEVP Reç in Malësi i Madhe that about 150 convicts will benefit from the amnesty. There are about 700 prisoners in Reçi prison. Meanwhile, 150 people in IEVP Fier benefit from the amnesty. There are about 800 …

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EU Enlargement Report Criticises Serbia, Hails Montenegro’s Progress

Tough European Commission report takes Serbian democratic backsliding to task – while saying Montenegro will probably be the first among the current candidate countries to join the EU. Original post Here

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Oligarchy, Governance, and Justice in the Eyes of Citizens’ Expectations

By Zef Preçi The recent decision of Albania’s Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption (SPAK) to formally indict Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku on charges related to abuse of office and corruption has sent shockwaves through the political establishment. Balluku widely regarded as the government’s second-in-command and …

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Drug Shortages, Delays and Debts: Breast Cancer Treatment in Albania

Delays and drug shortages in the public healthcare system force hundreds of Albanian women every year to seek expensive, private treatment for breast cancer. Original post Here

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The Sound of Freedom: Why MTV was Beloved in the Balkans

MTV is shutting down its European music video channels, which were once symbols of freedom for many young people in the Balkans and the former Eastern Bloc. Lida Hujic had a front-row seat when the channel was at its peak. Original post Here

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Fatos Nano, Albania’s Reformist Prime Minister, Dies at 73

Tirana, October 31, 2025  Former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, the reformist leader who transformed the country’s Communist Party into a modern European-style Socialist Party and who steered Albania through several of its most turbulent post-communist years, has died at the age of 73. Nano  a figure at once admired, …

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Constitutional Court Overturns Dismissal: Veliaj Formally Reinstated as Tirana Mayor

Tirana November 3,2025 The Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of Erion Veliaj, annulling the government’s decision to dismiss him from office and invalidating President Bajram Begaj’s decree for early elections in Tirana. With a 5–3 vote, the Court decided that Veliaj  who has been in pre-trial detention for nine …

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Albania Constitutional Court Overturns Decision Sacking Tirana Mayor

Country’s top court rules in favour of ousted Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj regarding his dismissal – also cancelling fresh elections for a replacement for Veliaj, who is facing corruption charges. Original post Here

News
Commemorating the Restoration of China’s Legitimate Seat at the United Nations, Preserving and Advancing the Traditional China–Albania Friendship

— Article by the Chinese Ambassador to Albania, Pang Chunxue On 25 October 1971, at the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly, Resolution 2758 was adopted by an overwhelming majority, restoring all the lawful rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations and recognizing the representatives …

News
US Academic Challenges National Narratives with Study of Race in Albania

In her new book based on her travels in Albania, Black American academic Chelsi West Ohueri looks at how people in the country see race and ethnicity – and the racial divides between Albanians and the marginalised Roma minority. Original post Here

News
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: November 3, 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

News

EU Enlargement Report Criticises Serbia, Hails Montenegro’s Progress

Tough European Commission report takes Serbian democratic backsliding to task – while saying Montenegro will probably be the first among the current candidate countries to join the EU. Original post Here

News

Oligarchy, Governance, and Justice in the Eyes of Citizens’ Expectations

By Zef Preçi The recent decision of Albania’s Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption (SPAK) to formally indict Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku on charges related to abuse of office and corruption has sent shockwaves through the political establishment. Balluku widely regarded as the government’s second-in-command and …

News

Drug Shortages, Delays and Debts: Breast Cancer Treatment in Albania

Delays and drug shortages in the public healthcare system force hundreds of Albanian women every year to seek expensive, private treatment for breast cancer. Original post Here

News

The Sound of Freedom: Why MTV was Beloved in the Balkans

MTV is shutting down its European music video channels, which were once symbols of freedom for many young people in the Balkans and the former Eastern Bloc. Lida Hujic had a front-row seat when the channel was at its peak. Original post Here

News

Fatos Nano, Albania’s Reformist Prime Minister, Dies at 73

Tirana, October 31, 2025  Former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, the reformist leader who transformed the country’s Communist Party into a modern European-style Socialist Party and who steered Albania through several of its most turbulent post-communist years, has died at the age of 73. Nano  a figure at once admired, …

News

Constitutional Court Overturns Dismissal: Veliaj Formally Reinstated as Tirana Mayor

Tirana November 3,2025 The Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of Erion Veliaj, annulling the government’s decision to dismiss him from office and invalidating President Bajram Begaj’s decree for early elections in Tirana. With a 5–3 vote, the Court decided that Veliaj  who has been in pre-trial detention for nine …

News

Albania Constitutional Court Overturns Decision Sacking Tirana Mayor

Country’s top court rules in favour of ousted Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj regarding his dismissal – also cancelling fresh elections for a replacement for Veliaj, who is facing corruption charges. Original post Here

News

Commemorating the Restoration of China’s Legitimate Seat at the United Nations, Preserving and Advancing the Traditional China–Albania Friendship

— Article by the Chinese Ambassador to Albania, Pang Chunxue On 25 October 1971, at the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly, Resolution 2758 was adopted by an overwhelming majority, restoring all the lawful rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations and recognizing the representatives …

News

US Academic Challenges National Narratives with Study of Race in Albania

In her new book based on her travels in Albania, Black American academic Chelsi West Ohueri looks at how people in the country see race and ethnicity – and the racial divides between Albanians and the marginalised Roma minority. Original post Here

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: November 3, 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