Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity
Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 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
Do the Balkans really want EU membership?
By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …
Marx on the Beach
By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …
Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves
From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here
The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership
by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …
Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection
By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …
Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France
Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here
The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order
by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 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
Donald Trump’s son-in-law is headlining a planned luxury development in Albania’s protected Narta Lagoon, but behind him lies a web of colourful business interests knee-deep in controversy. Original post Here
Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja presented key achievements in the cultural sector during the launch of the National Culture Strategy 2026–2030. He described culture as a stable pillar of Albania’s development and a driving force in everyday life. Furthermore, he said the cultural sector has undergone a major …
TIRANA, June 4 – Prime Minister Edi Rama defended a planned 4 billion euro investment in Zvërnec after publishing a video on Facebook showing the site. Meanwhile, he said the footage reflects the current condition of the area and differs from criticism by opponents of the project. In addition, he …
Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja presented Albania’s National Culture Strategy 2026–2030 and outlined major reforms to strengthen the cultural sector. According to Gonxhja, the strategy is the result of months of consultations and discussions with stakeholders across the country. Furthermore, the government is preparing several reforms, including new …
TIRANA, June 4 – Albania will be affected by unstable atmospheric conditions on Wednesday, meteorological services said. Skies will be mostly cloudy from early morning until midday. Meanwhile, conditions will improve gradually in the afternoon with alternating clouds and clearer periods. Later in the day, weather will become mostly clear …
TIRANA, June 4 – Travel platform “Skyscanner” has included Saranda in its list of destinations to discover in 2026. According to “Skyscanner”, summer travel is often concentrated on well-known Mediterranean locations such as the Greek islands, the Balearic Islands and other established coastal resorts. However, it said demand is increasing …
State Police Director Skënder Hita met with Swedish Ambassador Niklas Ström to discuss ongoing cooperation in law enforcement and police modernization. During the meeting, Hita praised the strong partnership with Swedish law enforcement agencies. He highlighted the Community Policing Strengthening Programme, which will continue until 2029, as well as support …
Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi held meetings in Latvia with Inara Murniece and Edmunds Cepurītis. During the discussions, the participants focused on Albania’s accession process to the European Union. They also examined parliamentary and public support within EU member states, as well as the role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing …
The Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry says large foreign investments are essential for strengthening high-quality tourism in Albania. According to the Chamber, Albania has seen steady growth in visitor numbers in recent years. However, the main challenge remains increasing tourist spending and the overall value generated by each visitor. …
Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said the government is working to simplify procedures for citizens and businesses through deeper digital integration between public institutions and the banking sector. Speaking at the workshop on digitalization, public services and commercial banks, Ibrahimaj highlighted efforts to expand digital services, reduce paperwork and …