Blog
News

SPAK to question over 50 witnesses for Gerdec case on ex-minister Mediu

Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has asked the question as witnesses of 52 people in relation to the case against the former Minister of Defense, Fatmir Mediu. SPAK requested from the court to question in the process against Mediu, former minister Aldo Bumçi and the son of …

Read More
News

Tirana prosecution launches probe into TIMS system illegal interventions

Tirana Prosecutor’s Office has registered criminal proceedings in connection with the report of the Police Surveillance Agency (PSA), for the intervention in the TIMS system, for “Abuse of duty” and “Unauthorized intervention”. In the framework of these investigations, the Prosecutor’s Office has asked the AMP to interrogate the entire management …

Read More
News

Two call center employees arrested, two more wanted for fraud

Another case of deceiving foreigners through call centers located in Albania has been discovered by the police, as announced this Friday. In the framework of operation coded “Momentum”, it was possible to arrest two people and two more of the four administrators in a call center subject were announced as …

Read More
News

Minister concerned over usage of nitrius oxide balloons

The use of new drugs, mainly by young people, has worried state structures. The Minister of the Interior Taulant Balla says that in addition to cannabis, a nitrous oxide balloon is a new substance, which is turning into a trend of use by young people in Albania. He says that …

Read More
News

Killed a 33-year-old for parking space, new details revealed

New details have been revealed from the murder that happened the night before in Shkodër. According to information for ABC News, it is learned that the cause of the murder was a momentary quarrel over parking, which initially started between the brother of the victim Valter Fierza, 33 years old, …

Read More
News

Illegal gun found in Tirana police patrol car

An unprecedented event happened on Wednesday evening in one of Tirana’s police stations, where an illegal gun was foud inside a police car. According to the police announcement, a patrol officer at police station No. 1 in Tirana together with her colleague found a firearm inside the service vehicle. Initially, …

Read More
News

Drugs grower busted watering cannabis in Tirana

A person has been arrested from Tirana police after being caught watering narcotic plants this Thursday morning. During the operation coded “Green Hills”, it was possible to catch this citizen in the act of watering the narcotic cannabis plants cultivated in the place called “Ish-Lerat”, on the dividing border of …

Read More
News

Tirana, two arrested for illegally selling luxury jewellery

Two people were arrested by the Tirana police this Thursday after being accused of selling expensive goods without a tax invoice. During the operation coded “Sahati”, as a result of the continuous monitoring of economic entities that sell their products online, it was found that the two citizens who were …

Read More
News

US Embassy’s message on democratic parliament group’s head clashes

US Embassy to Tirana has underlined this Thursday that they believe that functional democratic institutions, including an opposition, are vital for any healthy democracy, when it comes to the clashes in the Democratic Party about the head of the DP parliamentary group. In a reaction for the local media, the …

Read More
News

Elbasan incinerator case, Special Court to make decision on october

Special Court held this Thursday the next session regardig the two defendants in the Elbasan incinerator, where it decided to postpone the decision to October 5. According to the information, a defense session was held in court this Thursday for two companies which are represented by two lawyers who performed …

Read More
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 …

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 …