Gerdeci file, former Minister of Defense appears in Special Court
Former Minister of Defense Fatmir Mediu appeared this Wednesday in the Special Court, where the next court session for the “Gërdec” case will take place. In the session held on January 10, 2024, Ylli Pinari, former director of the state enterprise in the Ministry of Defense, MEICO, testified against the …
Session on security of Berisha’s house arrest held
This Wednesday, the court hearing in the Special Appeal for the appeal of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha will take place. The lawyers of the former prime minister, as can be seen from the footage, have arrived at Apel. The former prime minister, who has been under “house arrest” since …
Rama: 2024 proclaimed as year of Albanian language
2024 has been declared as the year of Albanian language, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced Wednesday. In a post on his personal Facebook page, PM Rama published a video by the Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu. “On the International Day of Education, we announce the year 2024, the …
Prostitution network dismantled in Tirana and Kruja, three Arrested
Three people have fallen into the handcuffs of the police and another has been declared wanted this Wednesday, because they are accused of exploiting three minor girls for prostitution. Samuel Doku, Kastriot Kullaj and Fabjon Cangu were arrested. From the investigative actions carried out, it was found that the 3 …
Italian Parliament approves the Rama-Meloni agreement for immigrants
The Chamber of Deputies approved with 155 votes in favor and 115 against (2 abstentions) the draft law for the ratification of the Italy-Albania agreement on immigrants, “for strengthening cooperation in migration issues”. The agreement enters into force on the date agreed between the parties and remains in force for …
Former PM Berisha summoned by SPAK for partizani issue
Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) has summoned former Prime Minister Sali Berisha this Tuesday to interrogate him regarding the privatization of the former “Partizani” sports complex. Session for the “Partizani” affair is expected to take place at 10:00, while it is not known whether Berisha himself will go personally or send …
Three arrested after scaffold’s fall in Tirana
Law enforcement has arrested three people in connection with the incident that happened on Monday in Tirana, where the scaffolding of a building under construction fell, injuring two passers-by. Police revealed that the engineer of the company that dealt with security, the owner of the company and the worker who …
Sali Berisha for the first time at SPAK
Sali Berisha arrives for the first time at the Special Prosecutor’s Office to be interrogated as a person under investigation for the Partizani file. At 10:00, Berisha arrived at the premises of the special prosecution accompanied by his lawyer Sokol Mengjesi and Genc Gjokutaj. In addition to Berisha, the investigations …
Fier, young man arrested on drug charges
A 37-year-old man was arrested this Tuesday by the Fier police, after he was caught distributing narcotics, in the framework of the “Tempulli2” mega-operation. The 37-year-old had prepared doses of cocaine to sell in Roskovec. From the physical controls and in the apartment, the police services found and seized from …
Police director: 273 arrested in ‘Temple’ Mega-Operation
The General Director of the police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku, held a press conference regarding the ‘Temple 2’ operation developed throughout the country, where he gave even more details about the arrests and the checks carried out. From the operation that, according to Rrumbullaku, started in December last year, it is known …
Parliament’s decision to label Tehran a state sponsor of terrorism formalizes a break years in the making and reflects a broad Albanian consensus that Iran has become a direct security threat Tirana Times, March 18, 2026 – Albania has taken one of its toughest political steps yet against Iran, with …
TIRANA TIMES, March 19, 2026 – The European Union’s enlargement debate has entered a new and unusually sensitive phase. What initially appeared to be a Brussels-driven discussion about how to accelerate Ukraine’s accession has quickly evolved into a broader political reckoning inside key member states over the future shape, pace, …
Ruling Socialist Party MPs aiming to support the US on the Iran war push through resolution – but opposition MPs boycott the vote they claim was staged ‘for the personal agenda of the Prime Minister’. Original post Here
by Professor Alaa Garad Tirana Times, March 17, 2026 – There are countries you visit, and there are countries you remember. Albania is rapidly becoming the latter. I began writing this article before travelling to Albania, drawing on the country’s remarkable tourism growth and the strategic opportunities it presents. Yet …
In the final years of Albania’s communist dictatorship, the authorities shot dozens of citizens trying to flee the country – and most of the attempts to bring the killers to justice have met obstruction and incompetence. Original post Here
The theft of a shipment of cocaine that was smuggled from Costa Rica to Sweden exposed the role of Albanian criminal groups in the international logistics of the drug trade, as well as the challenges in holding them accountable. Original post Here
A new cyberattack by Iran-linked Homeland Justice group targeting Albania’s parliament revealed the continued vulnerability of state digital systems and failures to implement basic security measures. Original post Here
Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the changing fortunes, power dynamics and neighbourly relations of countries and actors in South-east Europe. Original post Here
TIRANA, March 12, 2026 – Albania’s Parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, has refused to authorize the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, blocking a request by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime, SPAK, and triggering one of the gravest confrontations yet between …
Survey of women who gave birth recently reveals a “pervasive yet often hidden crisis of obstetric violence” and a widespread dissatisfaction with medical care. Original post Here