“Challenges of Academic Integrity in Albanian Universities: An Interview with Migen Qiraxhi”
Interview with Migen Qiraxhi, Project Manager at Qëndresa Qytetare, July 17 In Albania, where higher education is often portrayed as a bridge to opportunity and European integration, the reality on the ground tells a darker story. Behind university gates, corruption, nepotism, and political interference have quietly hollowed out institutions that …
Week in Review: Influence, Repression and Revival
Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week sheds light on police brutality, hidden influence, strained bilateral relations and a whole lot more. Original post Here
Digital Rights Review: Privacy and Freedom of Expression Threatened
From data leaks and criminal hacks to smear campaigns, BIRN’s digital rights monitoring team documented widespread privacy violations and assaults on freedom of speech across Southeast Europe in July. Original post Here
Money to Burn: Albania’s Nexus of Organised Crime and Rubbish Collection
As fires rage at overflowing and often illegal landfills in Albania, companies with criminal connections keep securing waste management contracts with the state. Original post Here
Week in Review: Alarm Bells and Struggles
Across the region, our selection of this week’s Balkan Insight Premium stories suggests that alarm bells are going off in many countries – and not only because of the wildfires. Original post Here
With Investment Favours, Albania’s Government Chips Away at Media Freedom
The owners of the biggest broadcasters in Albania have all benefitted from ‘strategic investor’ status granted by the government for other projects, raising doubts about editorial independence. Original post Here
Albania Battles Deadly Wildfires Amid Heatwave
TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) , August 13,2025— Fierce wildfires swept across Albania this week, killing one person, injuring at least 10 and forcing mass evacuations from southern towns to central mountain villages, as much of the Mediterranean battles deadly blazes fueled by extreme summer heat. Authorities said more than 10,000 …
News24 TV’s Shutdown in Albania Sends a Worrying Signal
The Albanian police’s action – forcing the country’s largest news broadcaster off air without a court order – sets an alarming precedent. Original post Here
Alarm in Albania at Proposed Criminal Code Changes; Govt Denies Involvement
Albania wants to align its Criminal Code with EU law, but critics, including media associations, say a proposed draft falls far short – and could limit press freedom. Original post Here
Media Unions Criticise Albanian Police Operation Targeting TV Station
Media organisations say Albanian police action, surrounding the News 24 TV station building and seizing journalists’ computers amid a property dispute with a government ministry, is ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks a clear legal basis. Original post Here
As the new year gets off to a cold start in the region, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories takes a look at the high expectations and sobering realities of what 2026 holds in store. Original post Here
Critics warn of deepening inequality, impunity and potential money-laundering exposure. Tirana Times, January 16,2025 – Albania’s newly adopted “fiscal peace” package framed by the government as a reset of relations between businesses and the tax authorities, has sparked sharp criticism from economists, business associations, the opposition and international observers. Although …
Opinion articles under the pseudonym ‘Endri Kajsiu’ have for years promoted pro-government narratives in the Albanian media – leading some to wonder if the author could even be the prime minister. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 15, 2026 – Albania’s banking sector enters 2026 with growing caution, as banks operating in the country anticipate an increase in non performing loans despite strong demand for credit. According to the latest CESEE Banking Lending Survey conducted by the European Investment Bank for the second half …
After the US paused visa processing for 75 countries, including Albania, the opposition in Tirana has accused the government of getting the country put on Trump’s “blacklist”. Original post Here
Saudi Arabia welcomes Washington’s decision and reaffirms joint stance against extremism Tirana Times, January, 14, 2026 – The United States has officially designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as terrorist organizations, marking a major shift in Washington’s approach toward political Islamist movements. The announcement immediately drew …
Albania included among weak or failing states despite being a NATO member Tirana, Tirana Times, 14 January 2026 – Washington’s decision to suspend U.S. visa processing for Albania, effective January 21 and for an indefinite period, marks one of the strongest diplomatic signals sent to Tirana in years. Albania has …
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 …
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
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here