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Three arrested in Tirana on drug charges

Three people have been put in handcuffs by the police in Vora after being accused of the criminal offense “Production and sale of narcotics”. According to the police, the three young men, 18, 20 and 22 years old, from Dibra were caught red-handed on Limuthi street transporting the suspected narcotic …

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Shkodra’s Mayor pays tribute to deceased Zef Deda

Mayor of Shkodra, Benet Beci paid this Saturday his tributes to honor the figure of the master of humor Zef Deda, who passed away on Friday. In his statement for the media, Mayor Beci underlined that the late comedian will be remembered for many roles, but also as the Albanian …

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Shooting in Lezha, van driver injured

Driver of a van from Laçi was wounded in a shooting that took place this Saturday morning near the market of Lezha.  According to the journalist, Gjergj Figuri, the incident allegedly happened after a momentary conflict with another person. The author has been identified and wanted, but has not been …

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Young man dies in Saranda car accident

A serious accident happened at midnight on Saturday in Saranda, where 34-year-old Arlind Qendro, traveling with his vehicle, went off the road, colliding with the curb and then fell down. Based on the information, the serious incident happened at the entrance of the city near the “Panorama” Hotel.  As a …

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Fire guts 5th floor of building, a 57-year-old man died

A flat is included in Tirana. The incident happened around 02:50 on the fifth floor of a building on “Ferit Xhajko” street, where a 57-year-old man lost his life as a result. The causes of the fire are still unknown, while the investigative group is working to clarify the circumstances …

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“January 21, a state crime”, Rama: Investigation is the foundation for the new justice that has started to built

For Prime Minister Edi Rama, the investigation of the January 21 murders on the boulevard is the foundation for the new justice system. In a media conference, Rama said that until now the country’s highest authorities have prevented justice in the most brutal way from reacting and acting in real …

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Rama: The agreement with Italy for immigrants does not violate the Constitution, it is positive for Albania

Prime Minister Edi Rama says that the agreement with Italy for immigrants does not violate the Constitution of Albania. In a press conference, Rama said that the agreement is positive for our country. Among other things, Rama underlined that for him it is not a problem if someone turns to …

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Elbasan young man’s assets worth EUR 200,000 seized

Two apartments and a service unit worth about 200 thousand euros were seized this Friday in the “Maji” neighborhood in Elbasan, as part of the police operation coded “Property”. According to preliminary information, the assets were seized with the suspicion that they have their source from the criminal activities of …

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Dead body found in fishing port of Durres

Dead body of a 42-year-old man from Tirana was found in the Fishing Port in Durrës this Friday morning. Based on the eye witness report, the victim was spotted by fishermen. According to the police, the victim has no signs of violence and is suspected to have accidentally drowned. Police …

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Shkodra youth arrested for dealing drugs

A 29-year-old man was arrested this Friday in Shkodër during the police mega-operation coded “Tempulli”. Francesk Malaj was selling doses of cannabis in different areas of the city of Shkodra, as he was caught by the police force in the “Dergut” neighborhood. During the inspection in this citizen’s apartment, another …

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Albania’s Youth Exodus: Emigration as a Security Threat

Tirana Times. July 8, 2025. Albania is shrinking—demographically, economically, and institutionally. A once-youthful country on the edge of Europe is now in the grip of a mass exodus that analysts warn is no longer just a social or economic crisis, but a growing threat to national security. In a nation …

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Vidovdan: A Dangerous Myth Turned Political Weapon

By Syle Ukshini For more than a century, the Serbian state and Church have mythologized the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as a defining moment of Serbian identity—a narrative culminating each year in the celebration of Vidovdan, Serbia’s national and religious holiday observed on June 28. Originally linked to the …

News
One Man’s Rule: Governance by Ultimatum

by Vilson Blloshmi From the way it was announced to its substance, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest ultimatum to “clear public spaces within 2 weeks” is neither a law, nor a public policy, nor a government decision. It is a personal order, a voice over the phone that, in any …

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“Wherever I travel, Greece wounds me.”

Ὅπου κι ἂν ταξιδέψω, ἡ Ἑλλάδα μὲ πληγώνει. Jerina Zaloshnja This is what Giorgos Seferis wrote — and thus, before I even truly knew who Seferis was, I began to love Greece. That verse — simple, clear, ablaze with love and pain — was, for me, once a gateway to …

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Digital Rights Review: AI-Driven Violations Go Unchecked in South-East Europe

Across south-east Europe last month, BIRN’s digital rights monitors documented how AI is being used for protest surveillance, election manipulation, enabling digital sexual abuse and committing fraud, sparking calls for urgent action. Original post Here

News
Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

Saudi Ambassador  Faisal Ghazi  Ismail Hifzi, Highlights Kingdom’s Commitment to Global Educational Ties through Balkan Alumni Gathering Tirana Times Sunday, July 6, 2025,  The Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania Faisal Ghazi  Ismail Hifzi, announced that on Monday, July 7, Tirana will …

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Toxic Smoke and Broken Promises: Albania’s Waste Crisis Exposes Deep Rot in Governance

ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …

News
Serbia on Edge as Vučić’s Legitimacy Crumbles

As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …

News
Albanian MPs Adopt National Anti-Disinformation Strategy Amidst Opposition

Opposition parties and media unions condemn new strategy adopted by parliament, claiming the government wants to use it to exert more control over the media. Original post Here

News
Week in Review: Anniversaries, Challenges and Conflicts

As BIRN celebrates two decades of work, there never seems to be a dull moment in the region, as our selection of Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Albania’s Youth Exodus: Emigration as a Security Threat

Tirana Times. July 8, 2025. Albania is shrinking—demographically, economically, and institutionally. A once-youthful country on the edge of Europe is now in the grip of a mass exodus that analysts warn is no longer just a social or economic crisis, but a growing threat to national security. In a nation …

News

Vidovdan: A Dangerous Myth Turned Political Weapon

By Syle Ukshini For more than a century, the Serbian state and Church have mythologized the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as a defining moment of Serbian identity—a narrative culminating each year in the celebration of Vidovdan, Serbia’s national and religious holiday observed on June 28. Originally linked to the …

News

One Man’s Rule: Governance by Ultimatum

by Vilson Blloshmi From the way it was announced to its substance, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest ultimatum to “clear public spaces within 2 weeks” is neither a law, nor a public policy, nor a government decision. It is a personal order, a voice over the phone that, in any …

News

“Wherever I travel, Greece wounds me.”

Ὅπου κι ἂν ταξιδέψω, ἡ Ἑλλάδα μὲ πληγώνει. Jerina Zaloshnja This is what Giorgos Seferis wrote — and thus, before I even truly knew who Seferis was, I began to love Greece. That verse — simple, clear, ablaze with love and pain — was, for me, once a gateway to …

News

Digital Rights Review: AI-Driven Violations Go Unchecked in South-East Europe

Across south-east Europe last month, BIRN’s digital rights monitors documented how AI is being used for protest surveillance, election manipulation, enabling digital sexual abuse and committing fraud, sparking calls for urgent action. Original post Here

News

Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

Saudi Ambassador  Faisal Ghazi  Ismail Hifzi, Highlights Kingdom’s Commitment to Global Educational Ties through Balkan Alumni Gathering Tirana Times Sunday, July 6, 2025,  The Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania Faisal Ghazi  Ismail Hifzi, announced that on Monday, July 7, Tirana will …

News

Toxic Smoke and Broken Promises: Albania’s Waste Crisis Exposes Deep Rot in Governance

ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …

News

Serbia on Edge as Vučić’s Legitimacy Crumbles

As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …

News

Albanian MPs Adopt National Anti-Disinformation Strategy Amidst Opposition

Opposition parties and media unions condemn new strategy adopted by parliament, claiming the government wants to use it to exert more control over the media. Original post Here

News

Week in Review: Anniversaries, Challenges and Conflicts

As BIRN celebrates two decades of work, there never seems to be a dull moment in the region, as our selection of Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here