Blog
News

Minor bicycle riders crashed by car in Shkodra

An accident resulting in the injury of two minors has occurred in the city of Shkodra. A vehicle, which was driven by a 31-year-old man, hit a bicycle, on which there were two minors. After the accident, the minors were immediately taken to the hospital and are out of danger …

Read More
News

“January 21″/ Strasbourg: The state is responsible for the murder of Aleks Nika

The court of Stasburg has given the decision for Aleks Nika. It should be noted that in connection with this event there are two violations in this matter: Murder and then not investigating the murder! In the decision of the Strasbourg Court, it is emphasized that the state is responsible …

Read More
News

59-year-old sentenced to prison after harrassing little girl

Court of Korça has set the security measure of arrest and imprisonment for 59-year-old Anesti Sala from the village of Pojan, who was arrested three days ago for sexual harassment of a 13-year-old girl. Prosecution demanded for the 59-year-old the security measure of arrest and imprisonment, a request that was …

Read More
News

Abuse with tenders, the prosecution seeks 4 years in prison for former secretary of the Ministry of Health

For the former General Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Joana Duro, the Special Prosecutor’s Office requested 4 years of imprisonment under the charge of passive corruption. As for the high-level specialist, Laura Shteto SPAK requested 1 year and 6 months of imprisonment. Vladimir Topi, the administrator of the company …

Read More
News

Balla meets the Secretary General of Interpol in France

Interior Minister Taulant Balla held a meeting this Monday with the Secretary General of Interpol, Jürgen Stock in Lyon, France. He declared that the time has come to pave the way for the extradition of crime bosses from Dubai and Latin America. Therefore, Balla emphasized that we must put an …

Read More
News

Rama: About 231.000 students to get free books throughout Albania

Prime Minister Edi Rama has revealed Monday that there are about 231 thousand students from the first to the ninth grade, who will benefit from free books throughout Albania. This support is foreseen in the 2024 budget, after the salary increase for over 14 nurses. “Good morning and with the …

Read More
News

“Temple” operation, 3 arrested in Lezha

The police of Lezha seized 40 kg and 200 grams of cannabis during the coded operation “Tempulli”. It is reported that Ergys Markja, Dorjan Salla and Artur Demiri were arrested after they were caught in the village of Gocaj, transporting the substance in the direction of Tirana, with the aim …

Read More
News

Rama: ‘Folk Fest’ concert part of November festivities

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced this Monday that the “Folk Fest” concert will join the November festivities. In a social media statement, PM Rama emphasized that all Albanians will take the stage with the participation of groups from Kosovo, North Macedonia and Arbëreshët. “111 years of independence. The November holidays …

Read More
News

Albania and Italy seek extradition after Turkish police nab globetrotting drug kingpin

TIRANA, Nov. 11, 2023 – Albanian authorities have announced plans to initiate extradition proceedings to bring home one of the country’s most wanted men and an internationally notorious drug kingpin, Dritan Rexhepi, following his recent arrest by Turkish police in an Istanbul hideout. Albania, where Rexhepi has been convicted of …

Read More
News

Refusing to sign letter on EU talks, Greece escalates standoff with Albania over Beleri case 

TIRANA, Nov. 11, 2023 – In a notable diplomatic move, Greece has opted not to sign a joint letter from the 27 European Union member-states urging the start of negotiations for the initial phase of accession chapters with Albania.  The decision underscores a substantial escalation of tensions driven by the …

Read More
News
Albania’s Political Absurdity:Doomsday – The Day Albania “Lost” Its Deputy PM

O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …

News
The Limits of Spectacle Diplomacy in the UK–Albania Migration Row

The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …

News
Albania: Between Reform Dynamics and Democratic Fragility

Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …

News
Opposition Rejects EU Commissioner’s “Free and Fair” Assessment of Elections

By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times).  Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …

News
Week in Review: TikTokcracy, Labyrinths and an Anniversary

New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here

News
Albanian PM Condemns Deputy’s Suspension by Court as ‘Brutal Interference’

Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here

News
Albanian Special Court Suspends Deputy Prime Minister: Source

The special anti-corruption court suspended Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who is under investigation for violating tender procedures, and barred her from travelling abroad, a source told BIRN. Original post Here

News
Deputy PM Balluku Suspended as SPAK Probe Widens

By Tirana Times Staff Tirana 20, November 2025.The suspension of Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime marks one of the most consequential judicial interventions against a senior government official since the creation of SPAK. The court accepted the Special Prosecution’s request …

News
Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Visit Signals a New Middle East Order

By Dr. Arben Ramkaj The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington may emerge as one of the defining diplomatic moments of this decade. Nothing about this trip was improvised. For weeks, senior Saudi officials travelled to the U.S. capital to prepare the ground, defense …

News
Digital Rights Review: Journalists and LGBTQ+ Groups Targeted Online

BIRN’s monitors registered a series of digital attacks on media content, online harassment of journalists and threats against LGBTQ+ groups across the Balkans and Southeast Europe in September and October. Original post Here

News

Albania’s Political Absurdity:Doomsday – The Day Albania “Lost” Its Deputy PM

O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …

News

The Limits of Spectacle Diplomacy in the UK–Albania Migration Row

The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …

News

Albania: Between Reform Dynamics and Democratic Fragility

Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …

News

Opposition Rejects EU Commissioner’s “Free and Fair” Assessment of Elections

By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times).  Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …

News

Week in Review: TikTokcracy, Labyrinths and an Anniversary

New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here

News

Albanian PM Condemns Deputy’s Suspension by Court as ‘Brutal Interference’

Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here

News

Albanian Special Court Suspends Deputy Prime Minister: Source

The special anti-corruption court suspended Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who is under investigation for violating tender procedures, and barred her from travelling abroad, a source told BIRN. Original post Here

News

Deputy PM Balluku Suspended as SPAK Probe Widens

By Tirana Times Staff Tirana 20, November 2025.The suspension of Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime marks one of the most consequential judicial interventions against a senior government official since the creation of SPAK. The court accepted the Special Prosecution’s request …

News

Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Visit Signals a New Middle East Order

By Dr. Arben Ramkaj The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington may emerge as one of the defining diplomatic moments of this decade. Nothing about this trip was improvised. For weeks, senior Saudi officials travelled to the U.S. capital to prepare the ground, defense …

News

Digital Rights Review: Journalists and LGBTQ+ Groups Targeted Online

BIRN’s monitors registered a series of digital attacks on media content, online harassment of journalists and threats against LGBTQ+ groups across the Balkans and Southeast Europe in September and October. Original post Here