Media Unions Criticise Albanian Police Operation Targeting TV Station
Media organisations say Albanian police action, surrounding the News 24 TV station building and seizing journalists’ computers amid a property dispute with a government ministry, is ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks a clear legal basis. Original post Here
News 24 Raid and Blackout: Press Freedom or Property Dispute?
Tirana Times, 11 August, 2025 The forcible shutdown of Albania’s leading all-news television channel, News 24, and the blockade of the Focus Media Group headquarters by police and later military forces on August 9 has ignited national and international debate about press freedom, political retaliation, and the limits of state …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: August 11, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
European Raids Hit Albanian Cartel, Millions Laundered in Resorts
Tirana Times,August 08,2025 — A massive Albanian-run cocaine trafficking syndicate, accused of moving 28 tons of the drug from Latin America to European ports and laundering its profits in luxury resorts and real estate in Albania, has been dismantled in a multinational operation. The breakthrough, announced Friday by Albania’s Special …
Anti-Mafia Law Is Only on Paper?
The dismantling of a 28-ton cocaine trafficking network, led by Albanian nationals and operating on a global scale, should have been a triumph for Albania’s justice system. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this success was imported. It was European law enforcement — from Belgium to Italy — armed with …
Week in Review: Trials, Tricksters and Controversial Legacies
Amid the summer heat, political developments in the region are also simmering, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
Economist Slams Albanian PM’s ‘Liberation’ of City Pavements as Counter-Productive
In an interview with BIRN, economist Arben Malaj said the Albanian government’s high-profile crackdown on unregulated small businesses will backfire on the Albanian economy. Original post Here
Albania’s Penal Code Draft Sparks Outcry
Tirana, August 5, 2025 — The Albanian government’s draft for a new Penal Code, presented in late July 2025, has ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum, the legal community, civil society, and international observers. Critics argue that the draft contains authoritarian-style restrictions on free speech while inexplicably reducing sentences …
Government Accused of Influencing OSCE Election Findings
Tirana , August 5, 2025– Allegations that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party is attempting to influence the final report of the OSCE’s election observation mission have sparked controversy in the wake of the country’s most disputed parliamentary elections in over a decade. The May 11th vote handed Prime Minister Edi Rama’s …
Anger in Albanian Mountain Village After Holiday Cabins Demolished
Albanian authorities have bulldozed dozens of illegally built holiday cabins in the picturesque mountain village of Theth, but critics say the state shares the blame for unlawful construction in protected areas. Original post Here
TIRANA, May 20 – Five European Union member states have proposed a new approach for integrating Western Balkan countries into the EU. Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia presented a confidential document in Brussels, according to Euractiv. They said the enlargement process should become more concrete and more …
TIRANA, May 20 – Prime Minister Edi Rama held meetings in Seoul with leaders of several major South Korean industrial companies. He met representatives of LG Group, Kia Corporation and Lotte Group. Rama shared the meetings on social media and published photos from the encounters. The Prime Minister said he …
TIRANA, May 20 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said South Korea stands as proof that history and culture matter, but do not alone determine the fate of nations. Rama made the remarks during the Asian Leadership Conference in South Korea. Rama said he first visited South Korea more than two …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-1″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-1″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-4″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Prime Minister Edi Rama gave an interview to the Swedish media outlet Postimees, where he spoke about Albania’s European Union membership process and also responded to questions regarding the immunity case of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku. Full Interview: …
The European Commission has today made available €49 million for Albania, €44.2 million for Montenegro, and €65.7 million for North Macedonia under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. According to the official website of the European Commission, this follows the third payment request and the Commission’s positive …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-3″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:2fe339d6-cc2f-4730-974c-1c32e33c2c15-3″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-8″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Prime Minister Edi Rama held a press conference in South Korea, where he is on a several-day visit. During the visit, he also met today with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Minseok. In his remarks, Rama stressed that the Korean …
The third stage of the 83rd Tour of Albania, following the Elbasan–Vlora route, concluded this Wednesday in the coastal city under strict security measures and temporary traffic restrictions. The tour began on May 18 and lasted for two days. The post Under tight security measures, the third stage of the …
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met this Wednesday with NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Partnerships, Ambassador Kevin Hamilton. This marks Hamilton’s first visit to Kosovo. During the meeting, they discussed deepening cooperation with NATO. Prime Minister Kurti spoke about developments in the country, including in the fields of technology …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”29ffcb7e-d35b-4b20-b5da-416375ac529e” data-turn-id-container=”29ffcb7e-d35b-4b20-b5da-416375ac529e” data-testid=”conversation-turn-13″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Eric Wendt, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the position of U.S. Ambassador to Albania, delivered his opening statement before the U.S. Senate, where he focused on his military experience, relations with Albania, and the objectives he hopes to achieve if …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”af7fec03-0c08-46eb-9dc4-a11509eee1fe” data-turn-id-container=”af7fec03-0c08-46eb-9dc4-a11509eee1fe” data-testid=”conversation-turn-15″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> During today’s Senate hearing on his nomination as U.S. ambassador to Albania, Eric Wendt was asked by one of the senators about how he would institutionally respond to investments expected to be made by the Trump family in Albania. *]:pointer-events-auto …