Blog
News

Justice and Realpolitik: Trump, Thaci and the Kosovo Special Court

Donald Trump’s sympathy for Hashim Thaci – and his propensity to take bold action – could end the ordeal of Kosovo’s former president before the Hague court, over which the US has significant leverage. Original post Here

Read More
News

Albania’s Food Safety Scandal Highlights Rule of Law Deficiencies Amid EU Accession Talks

A recent scandal involving 10 tons of pesticide-laden mandarins distributed across Albania has once again exposed the country’s weak enforcement of food safety regulations and broader rule-of-law challenges. As Albania progresses in its European Union accession negotiations, the case underscores persistent governance issues that threaten the country’s path to EU …

Read More
News

New Book “The Lisbon Treaty and Transatlantic Dialogue: Significance and Inefficiencies”

A new book, The Lisbon Treaty and Transatlantic Dialogue: Significance and Inefficiencies, recently published by the EU Publications Office, provides a unique insight into the complex diplomatic dynamics between the European Union and the United States over the past three decades. Written by Dr. Álvaro Renedo, a Spanish diplomat, researcher …

Read More
News

UAE President’s Historic Visit to Albania Strengthens Bilateral Ties, Sparks Debate

In a rare and tightly scheduled diplomatic visit, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in Tirana on Friday for a two-hour stay, marking the first-ever visit by a UAE leader to Albania. The trip, which included high-level meetings and the signing of …

Read More
News

Serbian Prosecutors Move Against Construction Graft, on President’s Order

For years, prosecutors in Serbia have been sitting on evidence of graft in the Belgrade real estate sector. Only when the country’s embattled president announced a crackdown on corruption was the man at the top finally arrested. Original post Here

Read More
News

A legal and moral Victory against unjust detention in Albania

ECHR Rules in Favor of Thoma Gëllçi Tirana Times,  Februar 25.The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg ruled today in favor of Thoma Gëllçi, confirming that his arrest was unlawful. This decision represents a significant legal and moral victory for the former director of Albania’s national broadcaster, RTSH, …

Read More
News

Albanian Mayor Takes Aim at Corruption Prosecutor from Detention

Tirana’s mayor Erion Veliaj, who is in custody facing corruption charges, has been mounting daily verbal assaults on his case prosecutor and the judge via his social media accounts. Original post Here

Read More
News

At an Albanian Market, Fruit, Veg and Claims of Organised Crime

In Albania’s Elbasan, prosecutors say the town’s only fruit and vegetable market is the base of a powerful organised crime gang. That hasn’t stopped the local council from giving its owner permission to expand. Original post Here

Read More
News

Serbia Arrests Former Mayor of Nis for Alleged Corruption

In the latest in a series of corruption arrests in Serbia, the former mayor of Nis was held for allegedly offering contracts to companies for construction work in the southern Serbian city, bypassing laws on procurement. Original post Here

Read More
News

Internet Freedoms ‘Deteriorated Again in Southeast Europe in 2024’

AI caused an increase in digital rights violations in 2024 while discrimination, genocide denial and disinformation continued to flourish, a webinar held by BIRN and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom heard. Original post Here

Read More
News
Arrests at Bankers Petroleum Spark Questions Over Albania’s Oil Industry and Accountability

By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …

News
Massive Fraud Uncovered: Bankers Petroleum Under Fire for Decades of Tax Evasion and Billions in Untaxed Oil Revenues

CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …

News
Rama Rebukes Farage: Albanian PM Slams “One-in-50” Prison Claim as Post-Brexit Scapegoating

 While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …

News
Skopje Summit Revives EU Enlargement Hopes — But Ignores the Democratic Erosion in the Balkans

The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …

News
Albania’s ‘Lads of London’ Create Bigger Problems for Their Home Country

A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here

News
The Silent Collapse of the Tower Euphoria

By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …

News
Balkan Investigative Reporting Highlights: 20 Stories from 20 Years

As BIRN marks its 20th anniversary, here’s a diverse selection of investigations picked from two decades of in-depth reporting on one of Europe’s most complex and challenging regions. Original post Here

News
Rama Forces UK’s Farage Onto Backfoot Over Albanian Criminals

British far-right leader fails to land a punch with Albania’s prime minister in fiery row on social media over the number of Albanians held in UK jails. Original post Here

News
NATO’s Defence Spending Plan Poses Challenge for Balkan States

The Western military alliance’s new national spending benchmark on defence and security may cause problems for smaller and poorer NATO member states in the Balkans who cannot afford 5 per cent of GDP. Original post Here

News
Rule of Law or Rule by Law? Albania’s EU Path Faces a Crisis of Credibility

Jerina Zaloshnja As Albania accelerates the formal process of European Union accession—opening negotiation chapters at a pace that seems to outstrip democratic reforms—it faces an urgent and unavoidable truth: a country cannot genuinely integrate into the EU without first building a functioning rule-of-law society. No volume of technical chapters opened …

News

Arrests at Bankers Petroleum Spark Questions Over Albania’s Oil Industry and Accountability

By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …

News

Massive Fraud Uncovered: Bankers Petroleum Under Fire for Decades of Tax Evasion and Billions in Untaxed Oil Revenues

CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …

News

Rama Rebukes Farage: Albanian PM Slams “One-in-50” Prison Claim as Post-Brexit Scapegoating

 While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …

News

Skopje Summit Revives EU Enlargement Hopes — But Ignores the Democratic Erosion in the Balkans

The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …

News

Albania’s ‘Lads of London’ Create Bigger Problems for Their Home Country

A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here

News

The Silent Collapse of the Tower Euphoria

By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …

News

Balkan Investigative Reporting Highlights: 20 Stories from 20 Years

As BIRN marks its 20th anniversary, here’s a diverse selection of investigations picked from two decades of in-depth reporting on one of Europe’s most complex and challenging regions. Original post Here

News

Rama Forces UK’s Farage Onto Backfoot Over Albanian Criminals

British far-right leader fails to land a punch with Albania’s prime minister in fiery row on social media over the number of Albanians held in UK jails. Original post Here

News

NATO’s Defence Spending Plan Poses Challenge for Balkan States

The Western military alliance’s new national spending benchmark on defence and security may cause problems for smaller and poorer NATO member states in the Balkans who cannot afford 5 per cent of GDP. Original post Here

News

Rule of Law or Rule by Law? Albania’s EU Path Faces a Crisis of Credibility

Jerina Zaloshnja As Albania accelerates the formal process of European Union accession—opening negotiation chapters at a pace that seems to outstrip democratic reforms—it faces an urgent and unavoidable truth: a country cannot genuinely integrate into the EU without first building a functioning rule-of-law society. No volume of technical chapters opened …