Emigration is top economic risk to Albania, says EBRD head
TIRANA, Jan. 14, 2024 – A potential deepening demographic crisis due to the increased emigration of young people is one of the top economic risks Albania faces, according to the head of the European Bank for Development in Albania EBRD’s Ekaterina Solovova emphasized this week the need for concerted efforts …
Albania government reshuffle leaves experts puzzled
TIRANA, Jan. 14, 2024 – Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has revealed the latest in a series of changes to his cabinet, reshaping two ministries and establishing a new one. The changes feature the establishment of a ministry dedicated to fighting corruption, and a puzzling merging of the economy and …
Two youth arrested, another wanted for trafficking drugs from US via post
Two people have been arrested and a third has been declared wanted after it was discovered that they were trafficking cannabis sattiva narcotics from the USA to Albania using the postal service. Police announced that as a result of the operation, 5 kg of cannabis sativa, with a high percentage …
Elbasan youth arrested after punching, threatening to stab man
A 26-year-old man was arrested after a conflict over trivial motives with a person in the “Haxhias” neighborhood of Elbasan. Police revealed that the young man punched a 63-year-old man and threatened to stab him with a knife. As a result of the quick intervention, carried out as part of …
Man prosecuted for trying to bribe Kakavija border officer
A 40-year-old man has been criminally prosecuted this Sunday after trying to bribe the border police officer in Kakavija. According to the authorities, he offered a 20 EUR bill to the employee to enter Albania without registering. Criminal proceedings started because the 40-year-old tried to bribe the Kakavije PKK Border …
Senior citizen dies in Tirana’s criminal court
A citizen lost his life this Friday in the Criminal Court of Tirana. It is learned that the elderly man was in the court premises where he felt bad and passed away. From the preliminary data, there are doubts that he died as a result of a house arrest. After …
Former minister of Health summoned again by Special Prosecution
Former Minister of Health, Ilir Beqaj, in the investigation for the concession of sterilization of surgical sets, appeared again this Friday morning at 09:00 again to be questioned by the Special Prosecution against Corruption (SPAK). During the summoning to SPAK,. Beqaj was accompanied by his lawyer. Former minister Ilir Beqaj …
Rezart Taci’s italian collaborators to face Special Court for money laundering
Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has closed the preliminary investigations and has sent three Italians, collaborators of Rezart Taçi, to trial for laundering 18.4 million euros. In the official announcement, it is emphasized that at the end of the preliminary investigations related to this criminal proceeding, it …
Fier man arrested for possession of illegal gun
A 44-year-old man was arrested this Friday morning by the police of Fier for possession of weapons without a permit. According to the police, the 44-year-old was hiding a pistol and ammunition in the apartment. During the checks, the firearm, magazine and its cartridges were seized by the authorities. “As …
Youth arrested for dealing drugs in Shkodra
A 22-year-old man was arrested in Shkodër, after he was caught distributing doses of cannabis around the city. Ymer Duli was caught on “Bujar Bishanaku” boulevard, while driving a “Benz” type vehicle, to distribute doses of the narcotic substance cannabis sativa, in different neighborhoods of the city. Arrest of the …
Instead of stimulating investment in agriculture or energy, critics say a 2015 ‘special law’ on strategic investment in Albania has simply made it easier and more profitable for certain privileged businesspeople to build luxury villas on the coast. Original post Here
Halfway into a 12-month ban on TikTok in Albania, anecdotal evidence suggests the prohibition is being widely flouted while the government remains silent on promised filters to weed out ‘undesirable’ content. Original post Here
Our selection of Premium stories this week looks at the challenges facing the region as the summer season winds down and business-as-usual resumes. Original post Here
Court again bans MPs from forming institutions deriving from the February elections while it considers a complaint about the failure to elect a deputy speaker from the Serb community, as guaranteed in the constitution. Original post Here
On the eve of Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Week, which will take place in Tirana from September 16–20 at the Palace of Congresses, the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania, Mr. Faisal bin Ghazi Hafzi, through a press statement, praised this event as …
When Denisa Kasa returned from abroad and saw the state of Albania’s filthy waterways, she was shocked. Now she has formed an independent collective of young people dedicated to the ‘dream of clean rivers’. Original post Here
Tirana will soon open its doors to the sights, sounds, and flavors of Arabia. From 16 to 20 September 2025, the Palace of Congresses will transform into a vibrant stage for Saudi Cultural Week, a five-day celebration of art, heritage, and creativity hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Culture. The festival promises to be more …
Albania’s hosting of an exiled Iranian opposition group was never likely to be easy. Now it’s under criminal investigation. Original post Here
Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week sheds light on police brutality, hidden influence, strained bilateral relations and other turbulent issues across the region. Original post Here
The city of Durres on Albania’s Adriatic coast boasts a fine selection of Roman-era mosaics. But due to a lack of initiative by the local authorities, progress has been slow to preserve them and make them available for the public to view. Original post Here