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 …
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
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
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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
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 …
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
The exhibition “In the Footsteps of the Berat Codices” opened today at the Onufri Iconographic Museum as part of the International Museum Day celebrations. The National Museum Center of Berat organized the exhibition in cooperation with the General Directorate of Archives. As a result, the event attracted both local and …
TIRANA, May 19 – The cooperation between the Agricultural University of Tirana and the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences has delivered concrete results. It has developed into a key European model in higher education. Meanwhile, the rector of the Vienna university, Eva Schulev-Steindl, assessed the progress of …
TIRANA, May 19 – The Constitutional Court marks its 34th anniversary of activity with the “Open Days” initiative on 18–19 May. It welcomes students from public and private universities. Meanwhile, students gain direct insight into the institutional life of the court and its role and function. On the first day, …
TIRANA, May 19 – The president of the Albanian Football Federation, Armando Duka, said Albania aims to reach the World Cup in 2030 during the presentation of the new national team coach Rolando Maran. Meanwhile, Duka said the national team opens a new cycle with a coach who brings experience …
TIRANA, May 19 – The monumental icon “Saint Mary with Christ in her right arm”, a work by Onufri, returned to public display in Berat. It followed a three-month restoration process at the Conservation and Restoration Laboratory of the Onufri Iconographic Museum. Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Blendi …
Tourism in Albania continued to grow in March, with a strong increase in visitors staying in accommodation structures. According to INSTAT, total visitors increased by 20.8% compared to March 2025. Foreign visitors rose even more, by 23.7%. Resident visitors increased by 15.9%. Italian tourists led arrivals. They made up 30% …
TIRANA, May 19 – The archive of the Albanian news agency (ATSH) contains rare photographs of Radio Tirana dated 1947. The images show the radio’s facilities, speakers, technicians and broadcasting equipment. They also feature antennas, an orchestra and singers performing live in front of microphones. Radio Tirana was founded in …
Besëlidhja Basketball Club wins the Albanian Basketball Championship for the 2025–2026 season. They defeat Tirana Basketball Club 103–84 in the third final game. They complete the final series 3–0. Coach Afrim Bilali leads the team. He guides Besëlidhja to a dominant performance throughout the series. The game starts balanced. Besëlidhja …
Montenegrin FM Ervin Ibrahimovic highlights strong Albania–Montenegro partnership for EU integration
TIRANA, May 19 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Ervin Ibrahimovic visited Tirana on an official trip. He said Albania and Montenegro share friendship and a common European vision. Meanwhile, during a joint press conference with Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha, Ibrahimovic said relations between the two countries …
TIRANA, May 19 – The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha held a press conference with his Montenegrin counterpart Ervin Ibrahimoviç. They underlined close cooperation between the two countries and commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations. Meanwhile, Hoxha described relations between Albania and Montenegro as a stable model …