Korca judge left to four years in prison for corruption
Special Court of Appeal has upheld the sentence of 4 years and 6 months in prison for Mimoza Margjeka, the judge of the Korçë Appeal, for the charge of “corruption”. On December 15 of last year, the Court gave this measure of punishment, which was suspended and converted into 3 …
Balla vows for inter-institution coop to prevent violence
Interior Minister Taulant Balla said this Tuesday that there will be absolutely no lack of cooperation between institutions to prevent incidents of violence that can lead to tragedies. During his speech from the conference on the protection of “victims of crime”, where the international cross-sectoral strategy 2024-2023 is being presented, …
Rama: About ten million foreign tourists visited Albania in 2023
During 2023, Albania has welcomed 9.54 million foreign visitors, Prime Minister Edi Rama informed this Monday, adding that only during the month of November, 547 thousand foreign tourists visited Albania. In a social media statement, PM Rama emphasized that these are proofs that Albania is being visited in every season …
German citizen caught with 30,000 undeclared euro in Rinas
Two cases of smuggling and one of non-declaration of money at the border were dealt with this Monday by police authorities. A German citizen was criminally prosecuted for the case of non-declaration of the money. Meanwhile, the amount of 30,000 euros that he did not declare at the exit of …
Luxurious vehicle burned in Shkodra
A luxurious vehicle was partially burned in the early hours of Monday morning in Shkoder. Police revealed that the “Range Rover” type vehicle is owned by a 58-year-old resident of America. On its part, the investigative group led by the Prosecutor’s Office is working to determine the cause of the …
Two injured and six cars crash on nation’s highway
Six vehicles collided this Monday morning, on Nation’s Highway, near the village of Blinisht. According to the police, as a result of the collision, material damage was caused and two people were slightly injured. Following the massive accident, police services went to the scene and are working to determine the …
Elbasan, teen busted transporting drugs
A 19-year-old was arrested in Elbasan after he was caught transporting a quantity of narcotics. Drugs were found hidden in the vehicle driven by the young man, as announced Monday. On their part, the authorities have identified the owner of this vehicle and the work to catch him is ongoing./abcnews.al …
12 incinerator defendants to appear before Special Court
2 people arrested by order of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), are expected to appear before the court this Monday at 10:30, for the Tirana Incinerator affair. Earlier on, the Special Prosecutor’s Office issued 15 arrest warrants, after the investigations started for the concession awarding procedures …
Opposition warns blocking of parliament work on approving 2024 budget
Opposition has once again warned of chaos and blocking the work of the Assembly, while this Thursday it is expected that the 2024 budget will be approved, article by article and in its entirety. Six opposition MPs will not be present at the session, as they were expelled for 10 …
Suspended vice mayor of Kukes appears at SPAK
After the suspension from the office, deputy mayor of Kukes Municipality, Granit Gjana appeared on Thursday morning at the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK). SPAK accuses Ghana of violating equality in tenders, while today Ghana will be notified of the measure of suspension from office. According to SPAK, Ghana, in violation …
Expecting the unexpected seems to be the name of the game in both global politics and the domestic politics of the region, as 2026 kicks off with a few unexpected twists. Original post Here
Critics accused Edi Rama of overlooking Palestinian suffering during his recent visit to Israel. But both he and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, see advantages in a closer relationship. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 29, 2026 – This Tuesday, the Elbasan County Council has formally honored the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Albania, Faisal Ghazi Al-Hafthi, in recognition of his humanitarian engagement and his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations at the local level. The ceremony, held in Elbasan, …
Albania has opened every negotiation ‘cluster’ as it races along the road to EU accession, but who should get the credit – Edi Rama’s government? Anti-graft prosecutors? Or even Vladimir Putin? Original post Here
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement. By David J. Kostelancik When Congress passed the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it sent a clear signal: energy security in Southeastern …
New changes to the Albanian criminal code that only partially abolish defamation as an offence have been criticised by media freedom organisations, citing concerns over freedom of speech. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 26, 2026 – Albania’s attempted entry into the Peace Board has become a revealing episode, not because of the significance of the initiative itself, but because of the way Albania’s leadership chose to stage and communicate it domestically. The Peace Board represents a new and ambitious international …
Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania has joined the Peace Board, a newly established international mechanism initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at overseeing peace agreements and post-conflict stabilization efforts, with an initial focus on the Gaza Strip. The Peace Board was formally launched during the World Economic …
The crisis deepens as the government shields Deputy PM Balluku and a criminal network emerges in AKSHI Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania’s main opposition party returned to the streets on Saturday with a second national protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, challenging the legitimacy of his fourth term …