Three of Albanian citizens’ assailants in Montenegro identified
Police of Montenegro have identified three suspects, who attacked and raped three Albanian citizens on the main street of the city of Zelenika. According to the information so far, Police Department confirmed that cause of the incident was a traffic dispute, but without giving any other additional details. “Today in …
Durres man denies having pushed wife to committ suicide
Testimony of Xhemal Loka, the husband of 41-year-old Bedrie Loka, who killed himself by drinking phototoxin in Durrës, has been revealed this Sunday. After being interrogated by the police, he denied that he pushed his wife to commit suicide. Loka has stated that the woman killed herself precisely because of …
Durres brothers into police custody on cocaine dealing charges
Two brothers have been caught by the Durrës police in the framework of “Temple” national operation, as they were distributing cocaine near schools, in various bars and premises. During the operation, 1 kg and 50 grams of cocaine, 2 electronic scales that these citizens used to divide the narcotic substance …
Anti-drug operation in several cities/ Balla: 37 people were arrested in 24 hours
The Minister of the Interior, Taulant Balla, has announced that within the last 24 hours, 37 people have been arrested in Albania, as part of the “Rule of Law” and “Temple” operations. Through a post on social networks, he announced that 1.1 kilograms of cocaine were seized in Durrës, quantities …
Wanted heroine trafficker extradited from France
A 52-year-old man accused of being part of a structured criminal drug trafficking group has been extradited from France. Fraklin Xhelaj, known by the nickname “Bebi”, is suspected of being involved in the trafficking of heroin, transporting it between Greece, Albania, partly also in North Macedonia. Therefore, on July 19, …
Man caught with 3 kg cannabis by Saranda police
A 33-year-old man was captured by the Saranda police as part of the mega anti-drug operation codenamed “Temple”. The young man was caught while transporting an amount of about 3 kilograms of cannabis with the intention of selling it. The narcotic substance was seized as material evidence, together with the …
Husband of wife who killed herself accompanied to police
The husband of 41-year-old Bedrie Loka, who poisoned herself with photoxine after the New Year, has been escorted to the Durrës police. There are doubts that Xhemal Loka pushed his wife to commit suicide. The latter lived in exile in Greece and had returned home on December 27, together with …
Minister: Tourism, our best ambassador for 2023
The Minister of Tourism, Mirela Kumbaro, developed this Saturday the balance sheet for 2023, while she stated that tourism adjusted the country’s image. Kumbaro said that throughout 2023, Albania has been visited by tourists from all continents, while he added that the average number of nights of stay also increased. …
Op/Ed: Is Albania slipping into a one-party system?
The head of Albania’s opposition, Sali Berisha(1), Albania’s former President and a former two-term Prime Minister, was arrested on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. Mr. Berisha’s arrest follows a two-year period of dramatic developments for the Democratic Party, which has been in opposition since 2013. Led by Lulzim Basha, DP lost …
Four inmates to be put in ’41 Bis’ regime after trying to escape prison
General Directorate of Prisons has made a request to place Dan Hutra and the other three, Martin Kapllani, Geraldo Veizaj and Feti Kovaçi in the special 41 Biss regime after they tried to escape from Fier prison. According to the information, Hutra and the other three had started the plan …
Balkan countries are continuing to sacrifice their remaining clean river stretches to development and pollution, a new assessment warns. Original post Here
The Bulgarian mystic’s doomy predictions continue to grab headlines in Albania and elsewhere – even though many seem fabricated and sometimes appear to serve Russian geopolitical narratives. Original post Here
Tirana, 21.01.2026 – Research on disability has increasingly moved into the centre of international scientific and policy discussions, reflecting broader debates about inclusion, quality of life and access to public space. Against this wider backdrop, the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) has opened nominations for the 4th cycle of …
While Albania’s Edi Rama welcomed an invitation to join Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania and Greece merely confirmed that they had received invitations. Original post Here
When the “Choo Choo” Train Never Came It begins with a scene that now feels almost surreal. In 2022, during a staged media event in Tirana, Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku enthusiastically explained to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the Tirana–Durrës–Rinas railway would be completed by 2024. …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The United States has once again issued an unusually clear and public warning about the threat posed by Albanian organized crime groups and their links to Latin American drug cartels, framing the issue not only as a criminal challenge but as a direct risk to Albania’s national security and economic …
As the new year gets off to a cold start in the region, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories takes a look at the high expectations and sobering realities of what 2026 holds in store. Original post Here
Critics warn of deepening inequality, impunity and potential money-laundering exposure. Tirana Times, January 16,2025 – Albania’s newly adopted “fiscal peace” package framed by the government as a reset of relations between businesses and the tax authorities, has sparked sharp criticism from economists, business associations, the opposition and international observers. Although …
Opinion articles under the pseudonym ‘Endri Kajsiu’ have for years promoted pro-government narratives in the Albanian media – leading some to wonder if the author could even be the prime minister. Original post Here