Ten accompanied to police after Vlora sniper assassination
Ten people have been accompanied to the police of Vlora until this Monday morning in connection with the incident that happened on Sunday evening around 10:00 p.m. where a 23-year-old man was killed. A single bullet to the head is believed to have taken his life. Sources from the police …
Shkodra man arrested for planting explosives, injury
A 28-year-old man, identified as Seadet Muftija, has been arrested by the Police in Shkodër, as informed this Monday. He is suspected of being involved in serious criminal offences. According to the police, the 28-year-old is a suspect for destruction of property with explosives, destruction of property with strong tools, …
Killer of Vlora sniper assassination’s unidentified, burned vehicle found
Perpetrator of yesterday evening’s assassination in Vlora, where 23-year-old Gëzim Sinomataj was killed, is still unaccounted for. Police announce that the Eagle, Operational, Delta, and National Security Forces are in pursuit of the perpetrators of the incident where the 23-year-old citizen was shot dead. Perpetrators allegedly abandoned the “BMW” type …
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 …
Tirana Times, February 15, 2026 – Albania’s much publicized artificial intelligence “minister” Diella is now at the center of a legal and political controversy after actor Anila Bisha filed a lawsuit against the Albanian government, accusing state institutions of unlawfully using her image and voice. The case, filed at the Administrative …
How legislative moves to protect senior officials are putting Albania’s rule of law and EU path at risk By Zef Preçi When governments begin rewriting the rules to protect themselves from the courts, the problem is no longer legal. It is political. Albania’s latest debate over judicial measures against senior …
An unfolding scandal of global proportions combines with eventful developments in the region in our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week. Original post Here
MPs in both Kosovo and Albania on Thursday adopted declarations in support of the four former guerilla KLA leaders, including Thaci, whose trial for war crimes in The Hague is coming to an end. Original post Here
Actress Anila Bisha told BIRN that her image was used as the face of Albania’s AI-generated public procurements ‘minister’ without proper permission. Original post Here
Tirana Times, February 10, 2026 – Serbia and North Macedonia have secured concrete European Union funding to integrate into Europe’s emerging artificial intelligence infrastructure, while Albania—despite high-profile political messaging around AI—has been left outside the first wave of financed projects. According to the latest map and project list published by …
Tirana Times, February 12 2026 – The rapid deterioration of newly inaugurated roads and tunnels across Albania has exposed far more than technical shortcomings. What authorities have sought to explain as weather-related damage is increasingly understood as a symptom of deeper governance failures rooted in clientelism, weak oversight, and systemic …
Photovoltaic parks are multiplying across Albania as the country aims for ‘energy sovereignty’ – but locals say losing agricultural land to solar panels is a blow to their livelihoods. Original post Here
As a one-year ban ends, Albanian authorities say they are still working with TikTok on ‘relevant filters’ to better protect young users of the video-sharing app. Original post Here
In her latest monthly dispatch from Brussels, Gjeraqina Tuhina looks at the ripple-effects of the Jeffrey Epstein saga, while Serbia falls behind on the long march to EU accession. Original post Here