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Premier sees Prekal-Kir road’s construciton as ‘impulse for tourist development’

Prime Minister Edi Rama started this Thursday with some pictures of the works being done on the Prekal-Kir road in Shkodër.  In a social media statement, the Head of Government underlined that this road segment will serve as a new impulse for tourist development. “GOOD MORNING, and with the works …

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Durres driver arrested after crashing pedestrian to death

A 34-year-old man was arrested by the Durrës police this Thursday for an accident that happened a few days ago. Fatbardh Keci hit pedestrian Jonuz Mani to death, then fled the scene and hid the vehicle in Shijak. Regardless, the vehicle was found and blocked by the police. “Specialists of …

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“Metamorphosis” operation, the Appellate Court gives today the decision for the arrested

The Appellate Court will decide on the morning of this Thursday for the arrested during the “Metamorphosis” operation. The session will take place at 10:00 a.m. and it is expected that the decision will be given on the request of the businessman Pellumb Gjoka, the police officer Oltion Bistri and …

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Woman involved in Kukes ex-mayor sex scandal seeks lighter security measure

Alma Kaçi appeared this Thursday in the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), where the request for replacing the security measure is expected to be examined. The 40-year-old woman has demanded the replacement of the measure ‘house arrest’ with ‘investigation in free state’. At the end of last …

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Tirana, three arrested for cocaine dealing

Three people have been arrested after being accused of supplying cocaine to several distribution networks. In the framework of the operation coded “Three stars”, to attack criminal activity in the field of narcotics, it was possible to arrest three persons, respectively 27, 30 and 24 years old, who, in cooperation …

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Youth caught with drugs, gun in Saranda

A 21-year-old has been arrested this Wednesday morning by Saranda Police after being caught with narcotics and firearms in the car. Arrest of the young man was made possible after a police search of the ‘Benz’ type vehicle that was moving on the Sarandë-Ksamil road axis near the bay of …

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Undeclared money/ Over 1 million euros seized since the beginning of the year in Durres, 10 arrested

Over 1 million undeclared euros have been seized in the port of Durres since the beginning of the year. Journalist Leonidha Musaj reports that so far 10 operations have been carried out and as a result 10 people have been arrested who tried to smuggle these large sums of money …

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Veliaj hosts the delegation of Japanese MPs

The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj hosted a delegation with representatives of the Japan-Albania Friendship Group, which is conducting an official visit to Albania. He expressed his happiness that Albania, which with the opening of the Pyramid, will soon return to the digital epicenter for the Balkans, is supported by …

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Operation “Metamorphoses”/SPAK seizes the property of the arrested

In addition to the criminal investigation, SPAK has also launched a property investigation for those arrested during the “Metamorphoses” operation. Until this stage, the investigative group is looking for the identification of all the resulting assets in the name of the persons included in this file or even their family …

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From rents for all employees of the Guard of the Republic to zero-interest loans for officers, Balla announces the government’s decisions

From today, all employees of the Guard of the Republic who, due to their duty, are forced to change their place of residence from one city to another, will be covered by rent from the state. The decision was taken this Wednesday at the government meeting, while it was announced …

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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

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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

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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 …

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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 …