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Elbasan, man arrested after stealing EUR 17,000 off brother

Police of Elbasan arrested this Thursday a 38-year-old wanted for theft. Law enforcement revealed that he had stolen 17 thousand euros from his brother’s apartment in April 2023. His wife is also under investigation, who is accused of being an accomplice in this theft. On its part, the Police also …

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Shkoder, 32 kg of cannabis seized, five arrested

Over 32 kg of cannabis sativa were found this Sunday in the village of Plan of Shkodra. The amount of drugs was found by police, part of the mega-operation ‘Tempulli’ and it is believed that the drugs is property of a criminal group of 11 persons, five of them arrested. …

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Perpetrator of the murder of businessman Nikulaj arrives to Albania

Portuguese Ruben Saraiva, who is suspected of being the person who executed businessman Ardian Nikulaj in April of this year, has been extradited from Morocco to Albania. He arrived this Sunday morning at Rinas Airport. The Portuguese was arrested in May and has been imprisoned in Morocco. until the authorities …

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Albania’s former prime minister and leader of largest opposition group, Sali Berisha, placed under house arrest, ordered not to communicate with public  

TIRANA, Dec. 30, 2023 – Sali Berisha, Albania’s former prime minister and leader of the country’s largest opposition group, has been placed under police-supervised house arrest and ordered to stop communicating with anyone outside his household through a ruling of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. The ruling …

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P.M highlights Albania’s economic growth in 2023

Prime Minister Edi Rama, at the year-end conference with journalists, emphasized that 2023 has been a very good year for Albania. The head of the government added that the year will close with an economic growth of nearly 4%, a figure that exceeds the forecast of the government and international …

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Police Director: Officers haven’t admitted use of ‘Sky ECC’

General Director of State Police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku taled this Saturday about the work of the law enforcement in 2023, focusing at the self-cleaning of police. At the annual meeting with journalists, Rrumbullaku spoke about filling out the forms, he said that they have all been collected, but no one has …

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Sali Berisha under house arrest

Judge Irena Gjoka announced the decision today, accepting SPAK’s request for tightening the security measure for the former prime minister. From today, Sali Berisha will be under house arrest. It remains to be seen if SPAK’s request has been approved in its entirety, in addition to house arrest, GJKKO has …

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Rama reacts after house arrest measure on former PM Berisha

At the same time that the Prime Minister, Edi Rama holds the annual conference, GJKKO (Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime) made the decision to toughen the measure against the former Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, into house arrest. Rama reacted by stating that it is not a party’s victory …

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Next hearing on former PM Berisha’s arrest to be held

Next hearing regarding the measure of arrest against former Prime Minister Sali Berisha is expected to be held this Saturday, at 12:00. In Thursday’s session, judge Irena Gjoka argued that the postponement of the decision was made to give time to the lawyers to familiarize themselves with the evidence. On …

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Librazhd, man dies in car accident

A 57-year-old man from Librazhd area passed away in a road accident, as reported this Friday.  Police informed that he lost control of the car he was driving and as a result he lost his life. In the meantime, the investigative group has started investigations to solve the circumstances of …

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Week in Review: Commitment, Stasis and the Epstein Effect

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

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Kosovo, Albania Parliaments Adopt Resolutions Seeking Justice for Thaci

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

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Actress Sues Albanian Govt for Using Her Image for AI ‘Minister’

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

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Albania’s AI Facade Cracks While Neighbors Win EU Funds

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 …

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Behind Albania’s Collapsing Roads: Clientelism and Corruption

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 …

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Solar Energy Revolution Comes at a Cost in Rural Albania

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

News
Albania’s TikTok Ban Expires, But Promised Protections Still Pending

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

News
Letter From Brussels: The Epstein Effect Hits Europe

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

News
Opposition Takes to the Streets as Corruption Scandal Reaches the Heart of Power

Tirana Times, February 10, 2026 – Thousands of Albanians filled the streets of Tirana on Tuesday evening in a national protest called by the opposition Democratic Party, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the dismissal of his government, and the establishment of a technical cabinet to lead the …

News
Balkans Seeing ‘Serious Stagnation’ in Tackling Corruption: Transparency International

As Transparency International releases its latest corruption perception index, the watchdog’s Lidija Prokic tells BIRN that anti-graft drives have faltered across the Western Balkans – in Serbia especially. Original post Here

News

Week in Review: Commitment, Stasis and the Epstein Effect

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

News

Kosovo, Albania Parliaments Adopt Resolutions Seeking Justice for Thaci

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

News

Actress Sues Albanian Govt for Using Her Image for AI ‘Minister’

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

News

Albania’s AI Facade Cracks While Neighbors Win EU Funds

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 …

News

Behind Albania’s Collapsing Roads: Clientelism and Corruption

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 …

News

Solar Energy Revolution Comes at a Cost in Rural Albania

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

News

Albania’s TikTok Ban Expires, But Promised Protections Still Pending

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

News

Letter From Brussels: The Epstein Effect Hits Europe

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

News

Opposition Takes to the Streets as Corruption Scandal Reaches the Heart of Power

Tirana Times, February 10, 2026 – Thousands of Albanians filled the streets of Tirana on Tuesday evening in a national protest called by the opposition Democratic Party, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the dismissal of his government, and the establishment of a technical cabinet to lead the …

News

Balkans Seeing ‘Serious Stagnation’ in Tackling Corruption: Transparency International

As Transparency International releases its latest corruption perception index, the watchdog’s Lidija Prokic tells BIRN that anti-graft drives have faltered across the Western Balkans – in Serbia especially. Original post Here