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The Unfinished EU: Western Balkan Integration as a Geostrategic Necessity

By Tanja Fajon, Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of Slovenia, Alexander Schallenberg, Minister of European and International Affairs of Austria, Gordan Radman Grlic, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia In her 2023 State of the Union address, European Commission President von der Leyen asserted that the future of …

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Op/ed: Nuclear energy still a long-term option for Albania

By Dr Valentina Dedi*, Lead Economic Advisor, Consulting International, KBR Today’s focus on climate commitments, while ensuring energy security and affordability, seem to have created a new momentum for nuclear energy. The latest global developments, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have made many governments rethink their energy strategies and …

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Two “Canadair” planes working to extinguish Fier wildfires

Two Canadair planes are working this Monday to put out the fire that has been going on for several days in Darzeze in Fieri. Ministry of Defense informs that Canadair CL-415 aircraft are helping by throwing water to help 20 MZSH Fier officers, 40 FA forces and vehicles involved in …

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Rama official visit in Croatia, hosted with ceremony by his counterpart Plenkovic

Prime Minister Edi Rama has started an official visit to Croatia. The head of the Albanian government was received with an official ceremony by the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic. In the last two weeks, the Prime Minister of Albania has had a busy agenda of meetings, specifically in …

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Balla to prosecutors and judges: Work and crack down on crime

The Minister of the Interior, Taulant Balla, said that the State Police and the institutions that are under his authority will carry out their duty responsibly in defense of the lives of every citizen, including judges and prosecutors. “We discussed the issue of prosecutors’ safety, but our attention is on …

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Rama: Croatia is an example and a source of encouragement in our process towards the EU

Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, during his official visit to Croatia, expressed about some of the topics he discussed with his counterpart Petkovic. “Croatia is an example and a source of encouragement in our process of walking towards EU membership. Croatia is an example of success, recently also with …

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Tensions in North Kosovo/ Rama demands sanctions for Serbia

During the official visit to Croatia, Prime Minister Edi Rama analyzed the recent tensions in the north of Kosovo and the killing of the Kosovo Police officer by a group of armed Serbs. He called for the EU to apply punitive measures and sanctions to Serbia. The head of the …

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PM Rama’s message on breast cancer awareness month

Prime Minister Edi Rama started this Monday with the annual call to women and girls to take some time and take care of themselves by doing the necessary checks to prevent unwanted health surprises. “GOOD MORNING, and with the annual call every #PinkOctober to all women and girls to take …

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New academic year launched in Albania’s universities

In all universities of Albania, the new academic year has kicked this Monday. According to the data, there are about 20,000 students who sit for the first time in university auditoriums. Students this year were registered in two rounds. First round took place from September 29-11, while the second round …

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Rector: 2023-2024 academic year related to Albania’s EU integration

Rector of the University of Tirana, Artan Hoxha has held this Monday a press conference, on the occasion of the launch of the 2023-2024 academic year. In his speech, Hoxha said that this year starts with a new dynamic, which is also related to the process of Albania’s integration into …

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Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News
Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News
BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News
Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News
NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News
Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News
Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News
Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News
Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News
The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

News

Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News

BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News

Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News

NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News

Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News

Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News

Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News

Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News

The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …