Two Rinas officers arrested on corruption charges
Police Supervision Agency (PSA) has arrested two employees at the Rinas Police Station this Wednesday. According to the police, the two cops are suspected of being involved in ‘Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions’, carried out in collaboration. Detained policemen are: – Inspector, Ardit Doçi, 31 years old, with …
SPAK seeks seizure of man involved in prosecutor’ assassination attempt
Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has requested this Wednesday the confiscation of the assets of Redjan Rraja, involved in former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja’s assassination attempt. It is about nine assets, including two “Audi-A8” luxury vehicles. SPAK has requested the confiscation of all assets in his name or …
In depth: Balkan countries play Russian roulette with mosquitoes
Headache, fever and muscle aches. A fellow citizen had the feeling that a cold was bothering his body. He was almost certain that the seasonal flu had taken over when he felt nauseous, but he expected to get over it. The usual days for the common cold have passed and …
SPAK asks the Assembly for authorization for “house arrest” for Sali Berisha
SPAK has requested authorization from the Assembly to change the security measure for former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. It has been learned that SPAK has submitted a letter to the Parliament of Albania, where it also requests the change of the measure, to ‘house arrest’. “Until now, there is no …
Significant amount of drugs seized in Vlora
Vlora’police conducted an anti-drug operation during the night hours. In connection with this operation, several people were also accompanied. Police sources confirmed to ABC News that a quantity of narcotics and a van were seized. It is expected that the police will come out with an official announcement about the …
Balla-Wisner discusses war on narcotics trafficking
Albania’s Interior Minister, Taulant Balla held a meeting with the US Charge d’Affaires in Tirana, David Wisner. During the meeting, Balla and Wisner discussed the partnership and cooperation between Albania and the United States of America in the field of law enforcement, focusing on the fight against organized crime and …
Seven arrested as 500 kg of drugs get busted in Vlora
A criminal cannabis trafficking group has been destroyed in Vlora, after an anti-drug operation carried out during the night until the early hours of the morning. According to the sources, about 500 kilograms of cannabis were seized and seven people were arrested. Two vans and two vehicles were seized during …
Korca judge left to four years in prison for corruption
Special Court of Appeal has upheld the sentence of 4 years and 6 months in prison for Mimoza Margjeka, the judge of the Korçë Appeal, for the charge of “corruption”. On December 15 of last year, the Court gave this measure of punishment, which was suspended and converted into 3 …
Balla vows for inter-institution coop to prevent violence
Interior Minister Taulant Balla said this Tuesday that there will be absolutely no lack of cooperation between institutions to prevent incidents of violence that can lead to tragedies. During his speech from the conference on the protection of “victims of crime”, where the international cross-sectoral strategy 2024-2023 is being presented, …
Rama: About ten million foreign tourists visited Albania in 2023
During 2023, Albania has welcomed 9.54 million foreign visitors, Prime Minister Edi Rama informed this Monday, adding that only during the month of November, 547 thousand foreign tourists visited Albania. In a social media statement, PM Rama emphasized that these are proofs that Albania is being visited in every season …
By Zef Preçi What kind of political system are we living in today? Even though we have a weak state, authoritarian tendencies in governance have become more pronounced, and in a synthesized way this is reflected in the increasing number of MPs of the ruling party from one mandate to …
As the year draws towards its end, our Balkan Insight Premium stories show that there is no shortage of political surprises, unexpected twists and new standoffs across the region. Original post Here
Albanian-American writer Fron Nahzi’s new book explains how the Albanian diaspora used its newfound freedom in the United States to campaign for a range of nationalist causes. Original post Here
The earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 left many families homeless. But a rural housing estate built to accommodate some of them remains almost empty due to problems with infrastructure and insecure terrain. Original post Here
O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …
The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …
Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …
By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times). Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …
New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here
Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here