European Raids Hit Albanian Cartel, Millions Laundered in Resorts
Tirana Times,August 08,2025 — A massive Albanian-run cocaine trafficking syndicate, accused of moving 28 tons of the drug from Latin America to European ports and laundering its profits in luxury resorts and real estate in Albania, has been dismantled in a multinational operation. The breakthrough, announced Friday by Albania’s Special …
Anti-Mafia Law Is Only on Paper?
The dismantling of a 28-ton cocaine trafficking network, led by Albanian nationals and operating on a global scale, should have been a triumph for Albania’s justice system. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this success was imported. It was European law enforcement — from Belgium to Italy — armed with …
Week in Review: Trials, Tricksters and Controversial Legacies
Amid the summer heat, political developments in the region are also simmering, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
Economist Slams Albanian PM’s ‘Liberation’ of City Pavements as Counter-Productive
In an interview with BIRN, economist Arben Malaj said the Albanian government’s high-profile crackdown on unregulated small businesses will backfire on the Albanian economy. Original post Here
Albania’s Penal Code Draft Sparks Outcry
Tirana, August 5, 2025 — The Albanian government’s draft for a new Penal Code, presented in late July 2025, has ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum, the legal community, civil society, and international observers. Critics argue that the draft contains authoritarian-style restrictions on free speech while inexplicably reducing sentences …
Government Accused of Influencing OSCE Election Findings
Tirana , August 5, 2025– Allegations that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party is attempting to influence the final report of the OSCE’s election observation mission have sparked controversy in the wake of the country’s most disputed parliamentary elections in over a decade. The May 11th vote handed Prime Minister Edi Rama’s …
Anger in Albanian Mountain Village After Holiday Cabins Demolished
Albanian authorities have bulldozed dozens of illegally built holiday cabins in the picturesque mountain village of Theth, but critics say the state shares the blame for unlawful construction in protected areas. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: August 4, 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
Week in Review: Schemes and Interventions
Flashbacks from old habits, past failures, challenges and interventions are what link our selection of Premium stories together this week. Original post Here
Personal Data Misuse Tops Albanian Cybercrime List: Police
Head of cybercrime directorate says computer fraud and related offences – often for the purpose of financial gain – are the main cybercrimes committed in Albania. Original post Here
By Tirana Times Staff Tirana, 3 December 2025 — The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Albania today organized in Tirana the central event marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a broad awareness-raising activity that brought together around 250 children with disabilities from several cities across …
In the second of BIRN’s series about women’s wartime activism, Midheta Kaloper explains how she survived sexual violence during the Bosnian war and now helps other survivors to fight for their rights – and bring the perpetrators to justice. Original post Here
By Zef Preçi What kind of political system are we living in today? Even though we have a weak state, authoritarian tendencies in governance have become more pronounced, and in a synthesized way this is reflected in the increasing number of MPs of the ruling party from one mandate to …
As the year draws towards its end, our Balkan Insight Premium stories show that there is no shortage of political surprises, unexpected twists and new standoffs across the region. Original post Here
Albanian-American writer Fron Nahzi’s new book explains how the Albanian diaspora used its newfound freedom in the United States to campaign for a range of nationalist causes. Original post Here
The earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 left many families homeless. But a rural housing estate built to accommodate some of them remains almost empty due to problems with infrastructure and insecure terrain. Original post Here
O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …
The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …
Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …
By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times). Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …