SPAK closes the investigations for 3 former officials of the Municipality of Tropoja
The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has closed the investigations for 3 former officials of the Municipality of Tropoja for violation of equality in tenders. Zenel Çela, Ramiz Bardhi and Rexhep Ismailsufaj have pleaded guilty in connection with a tender of nearly 500 thousand euros for the reconstruction of a school …
Vangjush Dako remains under house arrest, Appeal rejects SPAK’s request
The Special Appeal leaves the measure of house arrest for Vangjush Dako unchanged. SPAK demanded the return of the former mayor of Durrës to his cell, while the court released him after the detention period ended. He was arrested last June on charges of abuse of office. Dako was released …
Unprecedented corruption arrests sweep shakes up Tirana mayor’s leadership
TIRANA, April 8, 2024 – When Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj returned to work last week after a short stay in hospital for a surgical procedure, he faced a nasty surprise: Most of his top management team at city hall had been arrested on corruption-related charges. On the orders of the …
Council of mandates decides Monday over the mandate of Olta Xhaçka
The Council of Regulation, Mandates and Immunity will discuss Monday the mandate of the socialist MP, former minister, Olta Xhaçka. On January 2023, the Constitutional Court decided to close the request of DP that pretended that the mandate of Xhaçka was incompatible with the constitution. Now the council will decided …
Vlora, is burned the car of the Tax Director
A vehicle was burned during the night in Vlora. The incident was recorded at the old beach area in the coastal town. It is learned that the car was used by the Tax Director in the municipality of Vlora, Anjeza Shiko. Meanwhile, some people have been accompanied to the police …
An 18-year old armed arrested in Shkoder
An 18-year-old man was handcuffed in Shkodër, as he was moving around armed. The young man was arrested red-handed in the “Perlat Rexhepi” neighborhood, as part of the “Signal” operation. The Police Services signaled and stopped the vehicle driven by the 18-year-old for checks. In it, they found 1 pistol …
A 50 year old man arrested on attempted murder
The police have solved the incident that happened on Sunday in Shkodër, where the murder of a 24-year-old man was attempted with a firearm. A 50-year-old man, who is the author of the incident, was arrested. From the investigations, it is suspected that the 50-year-old man, due to a momentary …
Tirana for two days the center of tourism, over 1.7 million tourists during January-March 2024
For two days, Tirana will be transformed into the European city of tourism. From April 7 to 9, Albania will host the 70th Meeting of the Commission for Europe of the World Tourism Organization, an event of historical importance not only for the field of tourism. Ministers of Tourism and …
GJKKO leaves in prison Oltion Bistri, the former head of the Operational Forces
The Special Appeal of GJKKO has upheld the “prison arrest” decision for the former head of the Operational Forces Oltion Bistri. He was arrested as part of the “Metamorphosis” operation, while his request for a lighter security measure was rejected. Oltion Bistri was arrested in July last year. The head …
Tried to bribe police officers, a 40-year old arrested
A 40-year-old man, who was found to be passing wrongly, was arrested by the Police, while after the verification it turned out that he was under the influence of alcohol. After the arrest, the 40-year-old tried to bribe the traffic officers with an amount of 5,000 ALL. The police state …
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 …
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
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 …
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
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
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 …
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 …
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
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 …
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 …