NATO Values as Security Infrastructure: Evidence From Student Conversations
In the Western Balkans, “security” is rarely an abstract concept. It is encountered as a lived condition, shaped by memory, geography and a persistent awareness that stability can erode when trust is thin. Security, in this context, is not discussed only in strategic documents or institutional language, but reasoned through …
‘Fiscal Peace’: Albanian Amnesty for Tax-Dodging Businesses Branded Unfair and Opaque
Albania’s government is poised to waive business tax debts more than a decade old, as part of what it says is a reset in relations between the tax authorities and businesses. Critics say it is unfair on those who have played by the rules. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: January 12, 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
How Albanian Organized Crime Conquered Europe’s Cocaine Market
On a locked down November afternoon in 2020, as Europe grappled with Covid 19 restrictions, two Albanian men based in Belgium exchanged a handful of encrypted messages. Deciphered years later from the Sky ECC platform, their words captured a watershed moment in Europe’s cocaine trade. A shipment measured not in …
Port-to-Port: How Albanians Conquered the European Cocaine Market
BIRN reporters trace the rise of Albanian crime gangs to the top of the European cocaine trafficking ladder, from remote parts of Paraguay to European Union ports. Original post Here
Albania in 2026: Battles With Anti-Graft Prosecutors Risk Slowing EU Progress
Political polarisation and government pressure on the judiciary – sparked by investigations of top politicians – could hinder Albania’s rapid progress towards European Union membership. Original post Here
Heavy Rains Cause Evacuations and Discontent in Albania
Dramatic situation reported in several towns, while some locals complain of being abandoned. Original post Here
Albania Under Water: A Return to a Hobbesian State of Nature
TIRANA TIMES, December 6, 2025 – Albania is once again under water. Torrential rains over the past days have triggered massive flooding across almost the entire country, exposing not only the fragility of urban infrastructure but, more fundamentally, the long-term failure of governance. From the northern plains to the southern …
Europe Tightens the Fight Against Corruption, Albania at a Crossroad
By Zef Preçi, Executive Director of ACER As Albania presents itself as closer than ever to the European Union, a troubling contradiction has emerged in its domestic legal and political debate. While the EU is moving decisively toward tougher and more harmonized criminal rules against corruption, Albania is simultaneously discussing …
Housing Boom Prices Out Albanians
Allegations of money laundering in construction and claims of informal power networks, including the case of Ergys Agasi, fuel concerns over a distorted housing market Tirana Times, TIRANA, 05 January 2026 – For many middle income families in Tirana, buying an apartment has shifted from a realistic life goal to …
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has responded to former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras regarding reactions in Greece to the recent incident in Zvërnec. In a lengthy post on X, Rama expressed surprise that Tsipras’ newly established party had “contributed to transforming a completely isolated incident into an issue of …
In a press release published on Monday, the Presidency announced that the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, has signed decrees concerning the dismissal and appointment of several ambassadors of the Republic of Albania in diplomatic missions across different countries around the world. As part of these changes, the President …
The Cycling Federation of Kosovo will hold a press conference on June 3 ahead of the BCU Balkan Cycling Championship 2026, an event that will be organized in Kosovo for the first time. The conference is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m., during which federation officials will present details regarding …
*]: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=”6da3c76f-8447-49ca-a5e6-4df86ac6b6a6″ data-turn-id-container=”6da3c76f-8447-49ca-a5e6-4df86ac6b6a6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-9″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Smoking among adolescents, as well as the use of nicotine products, has raised concerns among global health experts. Roland Shuperka, an Albanian expert on tobacco and alcohol issues, says that Albania has consumption levels similar to those found across Europe. …
The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) recorded a slight increase of 1.1 points in May. According to the latest survey by the Bank of Albania, the indicator remains close to the average level observed over the past two years and stands approximately 7 points above its historical average. The increase in …
*]: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:22bf80af-98aa-4fc2-b16a-86844b1c9ad9-7″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:22bf80af-98aa-4fc2-b16a-86844b1c9ad9-7″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> Unemployment in the European Union remains close to its lowest historical levels, with the labor market continuing to show resilience despite economic slowdowns in several member states. According to the latest data published by Eurostat, the unemployment rate stood at …
*]: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=”54bccc72-e979-4f23-b304-7de9d236c50e” data-turn-id-container=”54bccc72-e979-4f23-b304-7de9d236c50e” data-testid=”conversation-turn-13″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> The Constitutional Court of Albania has approved a request for the establishment of a parliamentary investigative committee concerning the 2025 parliamentary election process. *]: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:22bf80af-98aa-4fc2-b16a-86844b1c9ad9-6″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:22bf80af-98aa-4fc2-b16a-86844b1c9ad9-6″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-14″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”assistant”> The Court’s decision paves the way for …
*]: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=”a8981fa4-8889-4030-b42a-d84ab784d426″ data-turn-id-container=”a8981fa4-8889-4030-b42a-d84ab784d426″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-7″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Prime Minister Edi Rama was in Berat on Monday as part of the celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of the Socialist Party (PS). During his speech, he also addressed the recent protests concerning Zvërnec. *]: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:22bf80af-98aa-4fc2-b16a-86844b1c9ad9-3″ …
Under the motto “Open Skies, Open Minds,” the 13th edition of the DEA Open Air International Film Festivalreturns to Tirana. This year’s festival, which begins on Monday afternoon and runs through June 5, features 40 films from 25 countries. “This festival seeks to contribute to a country that lacks a …
*]: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=”e8cf9aaf-4304-4e95-b2d2-1f145b0c743c” data-turn-id-container=”e8cf9aaf-4304-4e95-b2d2-1f145b0c743c” data-testid=”conversation-turn-21″ data-scroll-anchor=”false” data-turn=”user”> Sudden temperature fluctuations have led to an increase in cases of respiratory viral infections in Elbasan. Doctors at local health centers report that five to six patients per day are seeking medical attention with symptoms such as coughing, fever, body …