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Father arrested for sexually abused with his minor daughter

A 48-year-old man from Kavaja has been arrested by the police after being accused of having sexual relations with his minor daughter. It was the 15-year-old who denounced her father Bledar Rako for sexually abusing her during the last four years. As a result, the 48-year-old man was put in …

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Kruje, man arrested for drug cultivation, plants seized

A 53-year-old man was arrested in Kruja as part of the police operation codenamed “Plant 3”. The citizen Bujar Muka cultivated cannabis narcotic plants in the village of Mukje. During the control in several wooded premises of the village of Mukje. Police services found and seized as material evidence, 65 …

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Two arrested for trying to sell stolen euros in Europian banks

Two people have been arrested in Shijak after trying to sell on the market an amount of euros (with security ink) stolen in banks of EU countries. Taulant Demerxhiu, 33 years old, and Vladimir Kokomani, 43 years old, were taken into custody. The police announce that 80,000 euros were found …

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Backlog reduction tool / Wisner to the court: Your work is fantastic, you need to take tougher steps

The US embassy’s chargé d’affaires, David Wisner, praised the work done with the justice reform but added that it is necessary to take more difficult steps. As the new national strategy for backlog cases in the courts is being presented, Winser said that more cooperation between the government and institutions …

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New national strategy/Backlog cases in courts, Manja: KLJ, government of independent justice

The Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, says that the new strategy presented by the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (HCJ) for the backlogged cases in the courts, is a strategy that brings institutions together in order to judge pending cases for citizens. During his speech at the activity organized by …

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SPAK sends for trial the former mayor of the Municipality of Patos, Rajmonda Balili and 6 other officials

The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has sent for trial the former mayor of Patos and 6 other officials, accused of violating equality in tenders. From SPAK’s investigations, it turns out that the former mayor and the members of the bid evaluation committee in cooperation between them have favored contrary to …

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Illegal migration, Foreign UK Secretary Cameron, to visit Albania

Lord David Cameron will visit Tirana on May 22. The British Foreign Secretary will hold meetings with Prime Minister Rama, President Begaj and Foreign Minister Hasani, to discuss cooperation relations between the two countries. The focus will again be on stopping illegal immigration, almost two years after reaching the agreement …

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Mayor Veliaj meets the Albanian community in Japan

The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, concluded his visit to Japan with a meeting with the Albanian community in Tokyo. While publishing photos from the meeting, Mayor Veliaj underlines the key role played by the Albanian community there in strengthening the connection between the two countries. “At the end of …

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Seven criminal groups attacked by SPAK, 12 murders discovered

Seven criminal groups were part of the Special Prosecution against Corruption (SPAK) in Albania. During the investigation, SPAK informed that was destroyed the criminal activity in some cities of the country. Before the court are 12 people arrested within the SPAK operation. The lawyers have asked for time to familiarize …

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Operation by SPAK, a businessman arrested in Shkodra

Abc News learns that the businessman from Velipoja, Mir Bruli, was arrested during the SPAK operation. Initially, there are suspicions that the Shkodran businessman is involved in various criminal activities. Mir Bruli is the owner of several hotel businesses in the Velipoja area. He is known as a relative of …

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Albanian Parliament Under Cyberattack Linked to Iran

Tirana Times, March 10, 2026 – A cyberattack targeting Albania’s Parliament has revived one of the country’s most serious national security concerns, underscoring the return of a threat that Albanian institutions have come to associate with Iran linked retaliation. The breach, confirmed by Parliament on Tuesday, involved unauthorized access to …

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Belinda Balluku: Albanian PM’s Loyal Ally at Centre of Political Firestorm

The criminal charges facing former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku have dominated headlines in Albania for months – prompting her boss, Edi Rama, to pick a fight with the judiciary. Original post Here

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Parliament Blocks Arrest Bid for Former Deputy Prime Minister Balluku

Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …

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Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity

Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 9, 2026

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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Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

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Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

News
Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

News
The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

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Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …

News

Albanian Parliament Under Cyberattack Linked to Iran

Tirana Times, March 10, 2026 – A cyberattack targeting Albania’s Parliament has revived one of the country’s most serious national security concerns, underscoring the return of a threat that Albanian institutions have come to associate with Iran linked retaliation. The breach, confirmed by Parliament on Tuesday, involved unauthorized access to …

News

Belinda Balluku: Albanian PM’s Loyal Ally at Centre of Political Firestorm

The criminal charges facing former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku have dominated headlines in Albania for months – prompting her boss, Edi Rama, to pick a fight with the judiciary. Original post Here

News

Parliament Blocks Arrest Bid for Former Deputy Prime Minister Balluku

Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …

News

Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity

Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 9, 2026

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

Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

News

Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

News

Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

News

The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

News

Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …