Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability
Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case
Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …
Tirana Marks International Arabic Language Day with a Festive Ceremony
Tirana, Tirana Times, 19 December 2025 – International Arabic Language Day was commemorated in Tirana through a festive ceremony organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Albania, bringing together a broad representation of Albanian state institutions, the diplomatic corps, universities, the academic community, cultural …
Albanian MPs Clash in Parliament Amid Tensions Over Corruption Cases
Opposition MPs hurled bottles and clashed with guards as the new ruling party-backed Ombudsman took his oath amid heightened tensions sparked by high-level graft cases. Original post Here
Visiting Thaci in Hague Jail, Albania PM Slates ’Shameful’ War Court
Albania’s Edi Rama lashed out at the Hague-based Specialist Chambers war crimes court following a visit to Kosovo’s ex-President Hashim Thaci in detention, calling it a ‘theatre of shame’. Original post Here
Stability Has a Schedule: What NATO’s Hague Pledge Means for the Western Balkans
In late August 2022, Montenegro’s government digital infrastructure was hit by what officials called an “unprecedented” cyberattack. The disruption was serious enough that parts of the public sector had to fall back on manual workarounds while authorities tried to isolate affected systems. In a region where state capacity is often …
Albania in 2025: Socialists Win Big, Graft Probes Continue
Prime Minister Edi Rama secured a historic fourth term in office and consolidated his rule against a background of ongoing corruption investigations into several politicians from the governing Socialist Party. Original post Here
Kremlin Echoes in Balkan Clickbait: How Fake Baba Vanga Prophecies Spread Across Albanian Media
TIRANA, Tirana Times, December 16, 2025. Each December, apocalyptic headlines resurface across Albanian media warning of global collapse, Europe’s disappearance or the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a world ruler, all attributed to the supposed prophecies of Baba Vanga, a blind Bulgarian mystic who died nearly three decades ago. …
Serbia Loses Kushner Investment, Vučić Points to Albania
Albania’s Sazan Island project backed by Trump’s son-in-law draws scrutiny over transparency and political motives BELGRADE, Serbia, Tirana Times – Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said Serbia has suffered a major economic setback after a company owned by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, withdrew from a planned Trump-branded …
Prime Minister Edi Rama described May 26 as a historic date, as Albania completed the phase of opening the chapters of its EU accession negotiations and entered the final phase of closing them. Speaking on his podcast “Flasim” (“Let’s Talk”), Rama said that this achievement represents a certification of the …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–header-height)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”cad5cd8e-5b87-40b2-8f87-a6827d2c76d0″ data-turn-id-container=”cad5cd8e-5b87-40b2-8f87-a6827d2c76d0″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-11″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Just 15 kilometers from the city of Pogradec, the village of Peshkëpia is experiencing some of the most difficult years in its history. *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-5″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-5″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-12″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Once home to around 800 residents, the …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-1″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-1″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-4″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> “Kosovo is a priority of Albania’s foreign policy,” declared Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, in Pristina alongside his counterpart, Glauk Konjufca. “Kosovo is an absolute priority of our foreign policy. It is a clear and unchanging …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-2″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-2″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-6″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will embark on a diplomatic tour of the six Western Balkan countries ahead of the EU–Western Balkans Summit, where he will hold meetings with regional leaders and co-chair the high-level summit on …
Himara continues to be a favorite destination among foreign tourists. Visitors mainly come from Greece, the United Kingdom, and Denmark, as well as from many other countries around the world as part of their tours across Albania. During their stay in Himara, tourists say they have been captivated by the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to the clashes that occurred a day earlier in the Zvërnec area, where residents protesting the construction of a resort were reportedly assaulted by security guards employed by a private company. In a post on X, Rama stated that he would speak the following …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-7″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:0981fa6a-3e79-4791-b704-0147d0641e3c-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to hold a key session on June 4 regarding the nomination of retired General Eric Wendt, who has been nominated by the President of the United States to serve as the next …
Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, shared photos and details on Facebook from his meeting this Sunday with Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha. During the meeting, Kurti emphasized that relations between Kosovo and Albania are excellent and that cooperation between the two countries is essential. According to him, coordination …
Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari has reacted to the clashes that took place a day earlier between local residents and private security guards employed by the company planning to invest in the Zvërnec area. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Lamallari called for those responsible for the violence to face criminal prosecution. …
Edi Rama said on Friday that the Socialist Party remains the only political force with a clear commitment to Albania’s national interest. He made the remarks during an event in Dibër marking the party’s 35th anniversary. Rama said the party made a clear break from the past when it was …