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Former-PM son’s call to SPAK after questioning by Special Court

Son of Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Shkelzen Berisha spoke this Wednesday after leaving the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), where he was questioned regarding the Gerdeci case. In his media statement, Shkelzen Berisha declared that he has no idea who sent the fax with the inscription …

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Chief of Drenova prison’s guard arrested after Peqin murder

Internal Control Service of Prisons arrested this Wednesday the Chief of Police of the prison of Drenova, Mariglen Kadiu. According to the local media, his arrest is related to the recent events in Peqin prison, where Sokol Mjacaj killed Arben Lleshi with a gun and injured Indrit Shaqjan. Kadiu is …

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Democratic Party seal’s issue returned for adjudication by High Court

High Court decided this Wednesday to return for a retrial to the Court of Appeal the issue of who owns the seal of DP Basha or Berisha. After finding irregularities in the process of examining the case, the High Court overturned the appeal decision. “Civil College of the Supreme Court …

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Special Court to decide on leaving former PM Berisha under house arrest

Hearing against former Prime Minister Sali Berisha for the approval of the Prosecutor’s Office’s request for “house arrest” for the investigative file on the privatization of the former “Partizani” sports complex will be held this Wednesday, at 11:00. On Tuesday, the session was postponed due to the request of the …

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Berisha’s son summoned at Special Court for Gerdec case

Son of Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Shkëlzen Berisha, like his father, will face the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) this Wednesday. Hearing for the Gërdeci case will be held at 09:00 and will be judged by judge Irena Gjoka. GJKKO has called the son of the …

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Special Court to impose arrest measure in former PM Berisha

Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) will decide this Thursday the measure of arrest for former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Special Prosecution (SPAK) sent a request to the court to replace the mandatory security measure with house arrest. Request was filed on Friday, and judge Irena Gjoka is …

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Lushnja mall’s fire extinguished after about ten hours

“Metropol” shopping center in the city of Lushnja was engulfed in flames on Monday, and it took the firefighters about ten hours to extinguish the flames. Firefighters and other rescue teams fought the flames for about ten hours, making it possible to extinguish them and evacuate the citizens, who had …

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Rama: Over ten million tourists entered Albania until Christmas evening

Oer 10 million foreign tourists have entered Albania until Monday evening. This figure was announced by Prime Minister Edi Rama through a reaction on his official Facebook page. Furthermore, Prime Minister Rama said that this figure was unimaginable years ago, but nowadays it is an achieved objective. “Together with Christmas, …

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Wanted Ervis Martinaj’s brother-in-law’s assets seized by SPAK

Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has confiscated 15 assets of Arben Kaçorri and his family members. Kaçorri is the brother-in-law of Ervis Martinaj, who is missing for quite some time now. List of seized assets includes apartments, garages on the main streets of Tirana, …

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The hearing session for former P.M Sali Berisha is postponed

The court session in charge of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha is postponed. The reason was the request of the defense lawyers, who asked more time, to familiarize themselves with the documents and evidence presented by the Prosecutor’s Office. On Wednesday, at 11:00, a hearing session will be held in …

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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

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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

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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 …

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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

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BIRN Reality Check: With Its Mayor Behind Bars, Stasis Grips Albania’s Capital

Awaiting trial on graft charges, Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj has fought hard to maintain his position after the Albanian government tried to dismiss him – but how is the city being governed while he’s in a cell? Original post Here

News
EU Presses Parliament Over Deputy PM Immunity

Albania’s choice now will signal whether it is converging with that standard or drifting toward a system where, as Orwell warned, all are equal, but some remain more equal than others. Tirana Times, 09 February 2026 – The European Union has publicly urged the Albanian Parliament to address without delay …

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Is A Storm Gathering Over Justice in Albania?

By Zef Preçi Tirana Times, 09 February 2026 – The campaign that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party appears to be preparing against the Special Anti Corruption Structure (SPAK) raises serious concerns not only about the future of the rule of law in the country but also about the credibility of Albania’s …

News
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: February 9, 2026

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

News
How “Diella” Was Used by the Russian Pravda Network to Spread Disinformation

By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – In early December, a Croatian satirical outlet published a humorous article claiming that Albania’s AI minister had been arrested after allegedly accepting a bribe worth 14 bitcoins. The satire quickly went viral online, but it was subsequently misinterpreted as factual information …

News
The Kurum Case and the Collapse of Environmental Oversight in Albania

Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Kurum waste file has exposed one of the most serious environmental and governance scandals in Albania in recent years, revealing not only the illegal export of hazardous waste but also the disappearance of tens of thousands of tons of industrial byproducts inside the …

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

BIRN Reality Check: With Its Mayor Behind Bars, Stasis Grips Albania’s Capital

Awaiting trial on graft charges, Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj has fought hard to maintain his position after the Albanian government tried to dismiss him – but how is the city being governed while he’s in a cell? Original post Here

News

EU Presses Parliament Over Deputy PM Immunity

Albania’s choice now will signal whether it is converging with that standard or drifting toward a system where, as Orwell warned, all are equal, but some remain more equal than others. Tirana Times, 09 February 2026 – The European Union has publicly urged the Albanian Parliament to address without delay …

News

Is A Storm Gathering Over Justice in Albania?

By Zef Preçi Tirana Times, 09 February 2026 – The campaign that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party appears to be preparing against the Special Anti Corruption Structure (SPAK) raises serious concerns not only about the future of the rule of law in the country but also about the credibility of Albania’s …

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: February 9, 2026

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

News

How “Diella” Was Used by the Russian Pravda Network to Spread Disinformation

By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – In early December, a Croatian satirical outlet published a humorous article claiming that Albania’s AI minister had been arrested after allegedly accepting a bribe worth 14 bitcoins. The satire quickly went viral online, but it was subsequently misinterpreted as factual information …

News

The Kurum Case and the Collapse of Environmental Oversight in Albania

Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Kurum waste file has exposed one of the most serious environmental and governance scandals in Albania in recent years, revealing not only the illegal export of hazardous waste but also the disappearance of tens of thousands of tons of industrial byproducts inside the …