Opposition blames majority for objecting electoral reform
Democrat MP Ervin Salianji spoke this Friday after the failure of the Electoral Reform Commission meeting, stating that the majority does not want the reform and that they will buy votes to hold constitutional elections. Speaking to the journalists, Salianji said that this is a hostage taking of the leaders …
Electoral Reform committee fails for second time in row
Meeting for the Electoral Reform Commission has failed again for the second time, this Friday. Opposition repeated the scenario this Friday as well, blocking the meeting of the Electoral Reform Commission. Based on field reports, the opposition MPs were sitting in the seats of the majority MPs in the commission. …
Several draft laws approved in 12 min plenary session
Plenary session of this Thursday was accompanied by incidents from the opposition, who blocked the floor protesting with placards in their hands. During the session, the majority approved the draft laws of the agenda in 12 minutes, closing the session in less than 30 minutes. At the helm of opposition …
Special Court leaves house arrest against Berisha in power
Appellate of the Special Court has upheld the “house arrest” decision for former Prime Minister Sali Berisha.This decision was taken this Thursday by judge Ilirjana Olldashi, leaving in effect the decision of December 30, 2023. After the Appeal decision of GJKKO, in communication to the media, the lawyer of the …
A 41 year old arrested in Italy for prostitution
A 41-year-old convicted in Italy for exploitation of prostitution was arrested in Rinas. According to the police, the 41-year-old, with several identities, was part of a criminal group that used foreign nationals for prostitution during the period 2008-2012 in Milan. He was sentenced to four years in prison in Italy …
EU committee urges Albanian parliament to give opposition denied oversight rights
TIRANA, Jan. 24, 2024 – The latest meeting of the EU-Albania Association Stabilization Parliamentary Committee has convened at the European Parliament, urging the ruling majority in the Albanian parliament to give back to the opposition rights that bolster parliamentary oversight through investigative commissions and other measures, aiming to enhance institutional …
Becchetti gets paid as Albanian taxpayers bail out air traffic control company whose foreign accounts were seized by Belgian court
TIRANA, Jan. 24, 2023 – The Albanian government has had to pump millions of euros to keep afloat Albcontrol, the state-owned company responsible for air navigation services in Albanian airspace, as its foreign accounts have been frozen by the order of Brussels First Instance Court to pay a controversial Italian …
Ryanair unveils expansion plans and new routes from Tirana International Airport
TIRANA, Jan. 24, 2024 – Europe’s largest airline, low-cost Irish carrier Ryanair, is doubling down in Albania with six new direct destinations to complement its existing 16 and the announcing of plans to open a base in Tirana as early as next year. Ryanair is set to introduce several new …
Gerdeci file, former Minister of Defense appears in Special Court
Former Minister of Defense Fatmir Mediu appeared this Wednesday in the Special Court, where the next court session for the “Gërdec” case will take place. In the session held on January 10, 2024, Ylli Pinari, former director of the state enterprise in the Ministry of Defense, MEICO, testified against the …
Session on security of Berisha’s house arrest held
This Wednesday, the court hearing in the Special Appeal for the appeal of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha will take place. The lawyers of the former prime minister, as can be seen from the footage, have arrived at Apel. The former prime minister, who has been under “house arrest” since …
From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here
In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here
Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here
Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …
Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here
June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …
By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania 20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …
Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here
by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …