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Rrogozhina’s mayor trial on vote-rigging charges postponed

The preliminary hearing for the mayor of Rrogozhina, Edison Memolla, has been postponed. Journalist Ermal Vija told ABC that the reason for the postponement of the session was the absence of the prosecutor of the case, Edvin Kondili. Memolla has been charged with election corruption. Regarding this case, the Special …

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Three youths arrested in Tirana for luring foreigners to invest in fictitious stock market

Three young people from Tirana have been arrested this Wednesday after deceiving foreign citizens over the phone to invest in fictitious stock markets. According to preliminary verifications, they were employed in a call center entity in Yzberisht area, and in cooperation with each other called foreign citizens. They introduced themselves …

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Elbasan teacher suspended after mistreating autistic 5-year-old

Municipality of Elbasan reacted this Wednesday regarding the case of the 5-year-old boy with autism, after it was reported that he was mistreated by the kindergarten teacher. In the official announcement, it is clarified that the case was referred by the parents on October 26 and immediately on October 27, …

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Rama inspected Drilon park in Pogradec

Prime Minister Edi Rama inspected this Tuesday morning the transformation site of Tushemishti Promenade and Drilon Park in Pogradec.  During his visit, Rama said that this area will be multiplied to 150 hectares, all in function of the development of tourism. In the meantime, the Park will be accessible in …

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Socialist MP summoned by Special Prosecution

MP of the Socialist Party (SP), Agron Çela, went this Tuesday to the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). It is learned that Çela went also yesterday at the premises of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, but was not questioned. Meanwhile, it is not yet known what the socialist …

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Minor bicycle riders crashed by car in Shkodra

An accident resulting in the injury of two minors has occurred in the city of Shkodra. A vehicle, which was driven by a 31-year-old man, hit a bicycle, on which there were two minors. After the accident, the minors were immediately taken to the hospital and are out of danger …

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“January 21″/ Strasbourg: The state is responsible for the murder of Aleks Nika

The court of Stasburg has given the decision for Aleks Nika. It should be noted that in connection with this event there are two violations in this matter: Murder and then not investigating the murder! In the decision of the Strasbourg Court, it is emphasized that the state is responsible …

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59-year-old sentenced to prison after harrassing little girl

Court of Korça has set the security measure of arrest and imprisonment for 59-year-old Anesti Sala from the village of Pojan, who was arrested three days ago for sexual harassment of a 13-year-old girl. Prosecution demanded for the 59-year-old the security measure of arrest and imprisonment, a request that was …

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Abuse with tenders, the prosecution seeks 4 years in prison for former secretary of the Ministry of Health

For the former General Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Joana Duro, the Special Prosecutor’s Office requested 4 years of imprisonment under the charge of passive corruption. As for the high-level specialist, Laura Shteto SPAK requested 1 year and 6 months of imprisonment. Vladimir Topi, the administrator of the company …

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Balla meets the Secretary General of Interpol in France

Interior Minister Taulant Balla held a meeting this Monday with the Secretary General of Interpol, Jürgen Stock in Lyon, France. He declared that the time has come to pave the way for the extradition of crime bosses from Dubai and Latin America. Therefore, Balla emphasized that we must put an …

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Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

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Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

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BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News
Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News
NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News
Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News
Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News
Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News
Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News
The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

News

Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News

BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News

Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News

NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News

Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News

Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News

Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News

Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News

The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …