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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Parliament approves removal of former MP Berisha’s Immunity
Albanian Parliament has voted this Thursday to remove the immunity of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, thus paving the way for his arrest with 75 votes in favor. A day ago, the two reports compiled by the members of the Mandates Council were submitted to the Assembly, who voted in …
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement. By David J. Kostelancik When Congress passed the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it sent a clear signal: energy security in Southeastern …
New changes to the Albanian criminal code that only partially abolish defamation as an offence have been criticised by media freedom organisations, citing concerns over freedom of speech. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 26, 2026 – Albania’s attempted entry into the Peace Board has become a revealing episode, not because of the significance of the initiative itself, but because of the way Albania’s leadership chose to stage and communicate it domestically. The Peace Board represents a new and ambitious international …
Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania has joined the Peace Board, a newly established international mechanism initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at overseeing peace agreements and post-conflict stabilization efforts, with an initial focus on the Gaza Strip. The Peace Board was formally launched during the World Economic …
The crisis deepens as the government shields Deputy PM Balluku and a criminal network emerges in AKSHI Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania’s main opposition party returned to the streets on Saturday with a second national protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, challenging the legitimacy of his fourth term …
Forty-one environmental organisations from 28 countries have called for a halt to the planned development by Jared Kushner of Albania’s Sazan island as a luxury resort, saying it threatens the valuable biodiversity of the area. Original post Here
Kosovo, Bulgaria and Turkey have signed the Board of Peace Charter, under Donald Trump’s auspices, but several other Balkan countries are still pondering whether to join the initiative. Original post Here
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