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High influx in Kapshtica as immigrants return for end-of-year holidays

The end-of-year holidays bring many immigrants back to the country. During the last 24 hours, 5518 citizens have entered Kapshtica and 2185 have left. On Saturday, December 23 and the following Sunday, a flow is expected, especially at the border crossing point of Kapshtica.  To cope with the influx, the …

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17-year old detained after stealing several mobile phones

A 17-year-old who stole several mobile phones in a store, wanted after breaking the “house arrest” security measure, has fallen into the hands of the Librazhd police. Also, a 44-year-old man was arrested, who pushed the teenager to commit the theft, keeping the mobile phones at home. Furthermore, the owner …

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New director of Peqin prison appointed after inmate killing

Florenc Doka will be the new director of Peqin prison, who will replace Kamber Hoxha, who was arrested after the murder of Arben Lleshi by Sokol Mjacaj. Appointment of Doka to this post was signed by the Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja, yesterday. Kamber Hoxha along with 10 others were …

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Appellate Court rejects the request of Malltezi for returning a mobile phone and some documents

The Court of Special Appeal rejected the request of Jamarber Malltezi, the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, for the return of a seized mobile phone and some documents. “The Court of Appeals today’s session, rejected the request of Jamarber Malltezi’s lawyers who requested the return of a mobile …

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SPAK seeks reincarceration of Berisha’s son-in-law

Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has filed an appeal in the High Court for Jamarber Malltez, requesting his return to prison, as reported Friday. On November 21, the Court of Appeal changed the measure for Malltez from “prison arrest” to “house arrest”. This Friday, the Special Appeal rejected Jamarber Malltez’s request …

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Tirana, construction worker falls to his death

A 38-year-old worker fell from a height this Friday morning while working in a building under construction (Univers City) in Tirana. As a result of injured sustained by the impact with the ground, the worker died. Meanwhile, the investigative team is working to clarify the circumstances of the event. “On …

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Berisha’s arrest, Nikola signs the document and sends it to SPAK

The letter, signed by Lindita Nikolla, was sent to the Special Prosecutor’s Office after the vote on Thursday morning with 75 votes in favor to remove the MP’s immunity and pave the way for his arrest. A day ago, the two reports compiled by the members of the Mandates Council …

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Parliament to vote on lifting Berisha’s immunity as MP

Albanian Parliament is expected to vote this Thursday on the removal of Sali Berisha’s immunity after the Mandates Council approved the request of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to grant the authorization for the arrest of the former prime minister and the Constitutional Court dismissed the …

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Harsh security measures as opposition to protest against former PM’s arrest

Around 800 officers from the Tirana Police and the National Security Forces (NSF) are committed to maintaining order and security as the opposition protest is expected to be held this Thursday against a harsher security measure on Former Prime Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Local media reported that the measures were …

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Assembly votes for immunity removal of Berisha, who are the expelled opposition MPs

As the Assembly is expected to vote on removing the immunity of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, there is a clash between the MPs who support him and the Guard of the Republic at the entrance of the building. Some MPs, who are expelled from the Parliament, try to forcefully …

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Exposing Scams, Probing the Powerful: A Year of BIRN Investigations

As 2026 begins, we look back on some of the most important investigations published by BIRN in its 20th anniversary year – from brutal migrant-smuggling gangs and arms deals with Israel to state surveillance of protesters and online frauds. Original post Here

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Letter From Washington: The US Just Blasted Balkan Authoritarians – Or Did It?

The recently-passed Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act shows that some US lawmakers still care about the region. But it doesn’t mean that Donald Trump is going to tell Aleksandar Vucic to be nicer to student protesters. Original post Here

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PM Kurti claims victory in Kosovo vote, no clear majority

Tirana Times PRISTINA, Kosovo December 29, 2025. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti secured another clear electoral victory in Kosovo’s repeat parliamentary election on Sunday, with his left wing Vetëvendosje movement significantly expanding its lead over rivals but once again failing to secure the parliamentary majority needed to govern alone, according …

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Deputy PM Balluku Arrest Bid Shakes Albania’s Rule of Law

Will Parliament Lift the Deputy Prime Minister’s Immunity? Tirana Times, December 28 th , 2025. Albania has entered one of the most serious institutional confrontations since the launch of its justice reform, as the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) formally requested parliamentary authorization to arrest Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of …

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Tirana’s Construction Boom and the Flow of Dirty Money

TIRANA, December 26, 2025 – Albania’s decade-long construction boom, long portrayed as a sign of growth and urban renewal, is increasingly being scrutinized as a vehicle for laundering illicit capital. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, combined with years of investigative reporting and analysis by Tirana Times, points …

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Secret tenders, violence and kidnappings, BIRN: The staggering profits of AKSH contractors 

Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …

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Saudi Arabia Leads AI Readiness in MENA, Emerges as Global Governance Power

As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …

News
New Chief of Albania’s Anti-Graft Prosecution Vows ‘Tough Approach’

Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here

News
Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …

News

Exposing Scams, Probing the Powerful: A Year of BIRN Investigations

As 2026 begins, we look back on some of the most important investigations published by BIRN in its 20th anniversary year – from brutal migrant-smuggling gangs and arms deals with Israel to state surveillance of protesters and online frauds. Original post Here

News

Letter From Washington: The US Just Blasted Balkan Authoritarians – Or Did It?

The recently-passed Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act shows that some US lawmakers still care about the region. But it doesn’t mean that Donald Trump is going to tell Aleksandar Vucic to be nicer to student protesters. Original post Here

News

PM Kurti claims victory in Kosovo vote, no clear majority

Tirana Times PRISTINA, Kosovo December 29, 2025. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti secured another clear electoral victory in Kosovo’s repeat parliamentary election on Sunday, with his left wing Vetëvendosje movement significantly expanding its lead over rivals but once again failing to secure the parliamentary majority needed to govern alone, according …

News

Deputy PM Balluku Arrest Bid Shakes Albania’s Rule of Law

Will Parliament Lift the Deputy Prime Minister’s Immunity? Tirana Times, December 28 th , 2025. Albania has entered one of the most serious institutional confrontations since the launch of its justice reform, as the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) formally requested parliamentary authorization to arrest Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of …

News

Tirana’s Construction Boom and the Flow of Dirty Money

TIRANA, December 26, 2025 – Albania’s decade-long construction boom, long portrayed as a sign of growth and urban renewal, is increasingly being scrutinized as a vehicle for laundering illicit capital. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, combined with years of investigative reporting and analysis by Tirana Times, points …

News

Secret tenders, violence and kidnappings, BIRN: The staggering profits of AKSH contractors 

Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …

News

Saudi Arabia Leads AI Readiness in MENA, Emerges as Global Governance Power

As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …

News

New Chief of Albania’s Anti-Graft Prosecution Vows ‘Tough Approach’

Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here

News

Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …