Shkodra police’s director confirmed in duty by vetting
Edmond Sulaj passed this Monday the vetting process for the position of Director of Shkodra’s Local Police Directorate. Evaluation body chaired by Arben Sefajn, rapporteur Denisa Sina and member Suela Bulkun, after checking the wealth, professional ability and clean image, decided to confirm Sulaj’s position. “We come to the conclusion …
Rama: Albania is ready to be part of the EU
Prime Minister Edi Rama has declared this Monday that Albania is ready for the EU. He thanked the administration for the work done over the years, stressing that at first he was very distrustful of their work. Thus, Rama emphasized that he felt very proud when colleagues and presidents of …
Woman crashed to death by careless driver in Tirana
A serious accident has been recorded early this Monday morning in Tirana. Police revealed that a vehicle crashed a 54-year-old woman, who as a result of the collission died at the scene. Law enforcement announced that the incident happened around 06:10, on Elbasani street. Meanwhile, the investigative team is working …
Mandates council to discuss SPAK’s request for former PM’s arrest
Council of Mandates will convene this Monday at 12:00 in the Presidency of the Assembly to consider the request of Special Prosecution against Corruption (SPAK), which requires the granting of authorization for the arrest of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. For weeks, Berisha refused to appear before the special court, …
Shkodra youth busted hauling illegal migrants
A 22-year-old from Shkodra was arrested this Sunday in the framework of police operation coded “Station”. Police revealed that the young man was caught red-handed transporting immigrants from third countries, who intended to cross illegally from Albania to the EU countries, against the amount of 500 Euros per person. Vehicle …
Turkish man accused of ‘participation in murder’ arrested in Tirana
A 48-year-old Turkish man was arrested in Tirana as part of the police operation codenamed “Istanbul”, as reported this Sunday. Hasan Ozcan was declared internationally wanted, after the Court of Serious Crimes in Istanbul, Anatolia, Turkey, sentenced him to 3 years and 28 days in prison. Ozcan is accused of …
New details on Peqin prison handgun killing
ABC News has provided footage of the police inspection of the apartment where Sokol Mjacaj used to live in Prekal, Shkodra. The conditions in this apartment, as it seems from the images provided by journalist Ervin Leka, are in a bad state, while it is said that his father lived …
Duty abuse, SPAK seeks 3.6 years in prison for former Mayor of Bulqiza
Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has announced this Friday the claim against the former mayor of Bulqiza, Lefter Alla, seeking 3.6 years in prison. SPAK demands 4 years of imprisonment for Erion Isak and Rasim Daci (2.8 years with a shortened trial), 3 years in prison for …
Two Albanians busted with 54 Kg of drugs in Greece
54 kilos of marijuana that were being transported from Albania to Greece, have been caught in Thessaloniki. For the quantity of drugsz the 49-year-old driver of the vehicle and the 58-year-old van driver, both Albanians, were arrested. During checks inside the vehicle, the officers found 4 plastic canisters containing 20 …
Socialist Party seeks exclusion of three opposition MPs from Parliament’s proceedings
Socialist Party (SP) has requested to exclude three opposition MPs from the work of the Assembly for ten days, as revealed this Friday. This request is related to yesterday’s episodes in the Parliament, where some MPs became protagonists in the hall by throwing lighters and cigarette lighters. It is about …
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
Tirana, 21.01.2026 – Research on disability has increasingly moved into the centre of international scientific and policy discussions, reflecting broader debates about inclusion, quality of life and access to public space. Against this wider backdrop, the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) has opened nominations for the 4th cycle of …
While Albania’s Edi Rama welcomed an invitation to join Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania and Greece merely confirmed that they had received invitations. Original post Here
When the “Choo Choo” Train Never Came It begins with a scene that now feels almost surreal. In 2022, during a staged media event in Tirana, Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku enthusiastically explained to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the Tirana–Durrës–Rinas railway would be completed by 2024. …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The United States has once again issued an unusually clear and public warning about the threat posed by Albanian organized crime groups and their links to Latin American drug cartels, framing the issue not only as a criminal challenge but as a direct risk to Albania’s national security and economic …
As the new year gets off to a cold start in the region, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories takes a look at the high expectations and sobering realities of what 2026 holds in store. Original post Here
Critics warn of deepening inequality, impunity and potential money-laundering exposure. Tirana Times, January 16,2025 – Albania’s newly adopted “fiscal peace” package framed by the government as a reset of relations between businesses and the tax authorities, has sparked sharp criticism from economists, business associations, the opposition and international observers. Although …