Permet, rock falls on young man while in house
A young man was trapped in his apartment this Monday morning in Permet, after a rock mass slid down the mountain and fell into the 25-year-old’s house. As a result, the 25-year-old man was trapped in the apartment, and part of the rock mass caught his lower limbs and made …
New details on 21 January 2011 protest killings’ investigation
Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana has given this Monday new details regarding the ongoing investigations into the case of January 21, where four people were killed, namely, Ziver Veizi, Faik Myrtaj, Hekuran Deda and Aleks Nika. In the official response, it is emphasized that as a function of the conducted investigations, …
PM Rama’s message to Balkan leaders
“We are not the best, but we deserve integration”, said Prime Minister Edi Rama in his speech at the Balkan summit in Skopje. “I would like to thank the US undersecretary, our friends. With this, O’Brien emphasizes the importance that this initiative has, not only for our countries, but for …
Two injured in Tirana by falling scaffold near under-construction building
A serious event has been recorded this Moday on “Gjergj Fishta” Boulevard in Tirana, where the scaffolding of a building under construction collapsed.As a result, two passers-by were injured, namely a 70-year-old and a 45-year-old. At the time being, the two injured are in the hospital, under the care of …
Why Albania sees Kosovo as an Autonomous Province of hers
The article below was first published on Feb. 26, 2020 in the Tirana Observatory. Many of the issues affecting the Albania-Kosovo relationship remain the same since then, albeit new issues have risen to add fuel to previous disagreements. It is part of a book authored by Albert Rakipi, “Albania and …
Op/Ed: The Future of Europe – Assuming Responsibility with Courage
By Karl von Habsburg In mid-December last year, a friend from Ukraine paid a visit to Vienna. Ihor Zhaloba, a historian from Chernivtsi, a university professor, a member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, co-chairman of the Austrian-Ukrainian Historical Commission, President of the Pan-European Union of Ukraine, and: soldier. Three …
Tirana, two arrested after embezzling EUR 10,000 off employer
Two people were arrested in Tirana in the framework of the police operation coded “All in”, as informed this Saturday. They were put in handcuffs after, in different periods of time, they stole the amount of EUR 10,000 from a company where they were employed, in the “Ali Demi” neighborhood. …
Dibra stricken by heavy snowfall, drivers urged to use tire chains
Snowfall has covered Dibra since the early hours of Saturday morning. Thickness of the snow in the city of Peshkopia and Bulqiza reaches 10 cm, while in the mountainous areas the thickness is greater, ranging from 15-20 cm. Peshkopi-Tirana road is passable after the snow removal vehicles have passed and …
Man steals ALL 5000 off Fier shop after breaking glasses
An unidentified person committed a theft in a grocery store in Fier, during the very early hours of this Saturday morning. Incident took place while it was still dark, in the “Apollonia” neighborhood, where the perpetrator broke the windows of the shop and took 5,000 ALL. On its part, the …
Two apartments burned in Memaliaj building, residents evacuated
A 2-story building was engulfed in flames on “Ali Pashë Tepelena” street in Memaliaj, in the early hours of this Saturday morning. From the fire on the second floor, 3 apartments were completely burned, while 3 other apartments were partially affected by the flames. Intervention of the fire brigade made …
Tirana Times, January 29, 2026 – This Tuesday, the Elbasan County Council has formally honored the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Albania, Faisal Ghazi Al-Hafthi, in recognition of his humanitarian engagement and his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations at the local level. The ceremony, held in Elbasan, …
Albania has opened every negotiation ‘cluster’ as it races along the road to EU accession, but who should get the credit – Edi Rama’s government? Anti-graft prosecutors? Or even Vladimir Putin? Original post Here
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement. By David J. Kostelancik When Congress passed the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it sent a clear signal: energy security in Southeastern …
New changes to the Albanian criminal code that only partially abolish defamation as an offence have been criticised by media freedom organisations, citing concerns over freedom of speech. 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
Tirana Times, January 26, 2026 – Albania’s attempted entry into the Peace Board has become a revealing episode, not because of the significance of the initiative itself, but because of the way Albania’s leadership chose to stage and communicate it domestically. The Peace Board represents a new and ambitious international …
Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania has joined the Peace Board, a newly established international mechanism initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at overseeing peace agreements and post-conflict stabilization efforts, with an initial focus on the Gaza Strip. The Peace Board was formally launched during the World Economic …
The crisis deepens as the government shields Deputy PM Balluku and a criminal network emerges in AKSHI Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania’s main opposition party returned to the streets on Saturday with a second national protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, challenging the legitimacy of his fourth term …
Forty-one environmental organisations from 28 countries have called for a halt to the planned development by Jared Kushner of Albania’s Sazan island as a luxury resort, saying it threatens the valuable biodiversity of the area. Original post Here
Kosovo, Bulgaria and Turkey have signed the Board of Peace Charter, under Donald Trump’s auspices, but several other Balkan countries are still pondering whether to join the initiative. Original post Here