Notorious Behar Bajri left in prison by Special Court
Special Court of Appeals for Corruption and Organized Crime has left this Thursday in effect the ‘prison arrest’ measure for Behar Bajri, who is accused of a series of serious criminal offences. The 43-year-old was extradited from France to Albania in November after his arrest in a bar in Paris …
Elbasan, man arrested after stealing EUR 17,000 off brother
Police of Elbasan arrested this Thursday a 38-year-old wanted for theft. Law enforcement revealed that he had stolen 17 thousand euros from his brother’s apartment in April 2023. His wife is also under investigation, who is accused of being an accomplice in this theft. On its part, the Police also …
Shkoder, 32 kg of cannabis seized, five arrested
Over 32 kg of cannabis sativa were found this Sunday in the village of Plan of Shkodra. The amount of drugs was found by police, part of the mega-operation ‘Tempulli’ and it is believed that the drugs is property of a criminal group of 11 persons, five of them arrested. …
Perpetrator of the murder of businessman Nikulaj arrives to Albania
Portuguese Ruben Saraiva, who is suspected of being the person who executed businessman Ardian Nikulaj in April of this year, has been extradited from Morocco to Albania. He arrived this Sunday morning at Rinas Airport. The Portuguese was arrested in May and has been imprisoned in Morocco. until the authorities …
Albania’s former prime minister and leader of largest opposition group, Sali Berisha, placed under house arrest, ordered not to communicate with public
TIRANA, Dec. 30, 2023 – Sali Berisha, Albania’s former prime minister and leader of the country’s largest opposition group, has been placed under police-supervised house arrest and ordered to stop communicating with anyone outside his household through a ruling of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. The ruling …
P.M highlights Albania’s economic growth in 2023
Prime Minister Edi Rama, at the year-end conference with journalists, emphasized that 2023 has been a very good year for Albania. The head of the government added that the year will close with an economic growth of nearly 4%, a figure that exceeds the forecast of the government and international …
Police Director: Officers haven’t admitted use of ‘Sky ECC’
General Director of State Police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku taled this Saturday about the work of the law enforcement in 2023, focusing at the self-cleaning of police. At the annual meeting with journalists, Rrumbullaku spoke about filling out the forms, he said that they have all been collected, but no one has …
Sali Berisha under house arrest
Judge Irena Gjoka announced the decision today, accepting SPAK’s request for tightening the security measure for the former prime minister. From today, Sali Berisha will be under house arrest. It remains to be seen if SPAK’s request has been approved in its entirety, in addition to house arrest, GJKKO has …
Rama reacts after house arrest measure on former PM Berisha
At the same time that the Prime Minister, Edi Rama holds the annual conference, GJKKO (Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime) made the decision to toughen the measure against the former Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, into house arrest. Rama reacted by stating that it is not a party’s victory …
Next hearing on former PM Berisha’s arrest to be held
Next hearing regarding the measure of arrest against former Prime Minister Sali Berisha is expected to be held this Saturday, at 12:00. In Thursday’s session, judge Irena Gjoka argued that the postponement of the decision was made to give time to the lawyers to familiarize themselves with the evidence. On …
BIRN reporters trace the rise of Albanian crime gangs to the top of the European cocaine trafficking ladder, from remote parts of Paraguay to European Union ports. Original post Here
Political polarisation and government pressure on the judiciary – sparked by investigations of top politicians – could hinder Albania’s rapid progress towards European Union membership. Original post Here
Dramatic situation reported in several towns, while some locals complain of being abandoned. Original post Here
TIRANA TIMES, December 6, 2025 – Albania is once again under water. Torrential rains over the past days have triggered massive flooding across almost the entire country, exposing not only the fragility of urban infrastructure but, more fundamentally, the long-term failure of governance. From the northern plains to the southern …
By Zef Preçi, Executive Director of ACER As Albania presents itself as closer than ever to the European Union, a troubling contradiction has emerged in its domestic legal and political debate. While the EU is moving decisively toward tougher and more harmonized criminal rules against corruption, Albania is simultaneously discussing …
Allegations of money laundering in construction and claims of informal power networks, including the case of Ergys Agasi, fuel concerns over a distorted housing market Tirana Times, TIRANA, 05 January 2026 – For many middle income families in Tirana, buying an apartment has shifted from a realistic life goal to …
Democracy and the rights of women are being undermined in Albania by the practice of filling electoral candidate lists with women, only to have them resign en masse once the results are in and cede their seats to men. 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
Albania and Kosovo applauded the Trump administration’s military operation against Venezuela’s regime and the ousting of Nicolas Maduro, while other states in the region initially remained silent or called for calm and restraint. Original post Here
By Genc Pollo Tirana, 02 January 2026 – Today’s decision by the European Union to grant “roaming like at home” to Ukraine and Moldova deserves praise. It is a practical citizen-centered step that immediately lowers costs improves connectivity and makes Europe tangible in everyday life. Yet the non inclusion of …