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 …
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 …
“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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Albanian executed inside vehicle in Ecuador
Arjani Rizaj is an Albanian who was executed on the evening of Thursday, November 9 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Rizaj was shot while inside his vehicle, which was parked near the emergency room of the Luis Vernaza hospital, in the center of the city of Guyaquil in Ecuador, local media reported. …
Online gambling, four arrested in Fier
Four people have fallen into the hands of the Fier police, two others have been criminally prosecuted, while another has been declared wanted for illegal organization of gambling. A 24-year-old man and a 45-year-old man were arrested after the latter organized gambling games in his bar in the “15 Tetori” …
Migration deal, Rama says Albania will refuse requests from other countries
Edi Rama, the head of the Albanian government, has given another interview to the Italian media regarding the agreement for the construction in Albania of two centers for housing migrants rescued at sea by Italian ships. For the prestigious “Corriere della Sera”, Edi Rama said that the agreement with the …
Police vetting process to begin in November
The Police Surveillance Agency will conduct the police vetting process throughout the month of November. It is reported that the sessions will be open to the media and the public. According to AMP, the first two lots have been cast on the division of assessment bodies, the appointment of the …
Charged with corruption, money laundering and concealment of wealth, ex-politician Monika Kryemadhi is rebranding herself as a showbiz celebrity on the Big Brother reality show, but can it keep her out of prison? Original post Here
An appeals court upheld the verdict jailing the former Socialist Party mayor of Himara, Jorgo Goro, who was at the centre of a political storm during a controversial election in 2023. Original post Here
The prime minister’s moves to shield his deputy from arrest feel like the beginning of the end of an era for Albanians’ hopes that the powerful would finally be held accountable. Original post Here
V Dem places Albania in a category dominated by African states, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina the only Western Balkan countries in the same group. Tirana Times, March 23, 2026 – Albania has been placed in the category of electoral autocracy in the latest Democracy Report 2026 by the …
As oil and gas prices surge amid the Iran war, Balkan countries are pondering ways to reduce the impact on households and businesses. Original post Here
The controversy over Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku has put the spotlight on prosecution efforts to target high-level corruption – but she is only the latest senior politician to face charges. 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
Democratic Party leader and former President Sali Berisha injured during clashes. Tirana Times, March 22, 2026 — Albania’s latest national opposition protest in Tirana, which ended in violent clashes between protesters and police, exposed not only rising anger against Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government but also a broader crisis of …
Tirana Times, March 17, 2026 – The United States has moved to dismantle a cyber network linked to Iran’s intelligence apparatus, seizing four domains used for hacking operations, disinformation campaigns and threats, in a case that places Albania at the center of a broader geopolitical confrontation. The U.S. Department of …
Parliament’s decision to label Tehran a state sponsor of terrorism formalizes a break years in the making and reflects a broad Albanian consensus that Iran has become a direct security threat Tirana Times, March 18, 2026 – Albania has taken one of its toughest political steps yet against Iran, with …