The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order
by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 2026
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Balkan Govts Scramble to Safeguard Citizens in Middle East Conflict Zone
Some Balkan countries are planning to evacuate stranded citizens from the conflict zone around Iran, others have already managed to fly people out – although some have only issued security warnings. Original post Here
Albanians Pay Price of Legal Row over Wastewater Treatment Project
For decades, sewage from the Albanian capital has been discharged untreated into the waters of the Lana River in Tirana. Original post Here
Albania Aligns With U.S. and Israel on Iran
Albania also voices solidarity with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners after Iran’s missile attacks. Tirana Times, March 1, 2026 – Albania threw its support behind U.S. strikes on Iran in the opening hours of the latest Middle East escalation, with Prime Minister Edi Rama declaring that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary …
Albania Backs U.S. Strikes on Iran
Kosovo and North Macedonia join support for Washington. Tirana Times, February 28, 2026 – Albania threw its support behind U.S. strikes on Iran on Friday, with Prime Minister Edi Rama declaring that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should be officially designated a terrorist organization and saying Tirana would move to …
Albanian Prime Minister Under Pressure Dismisses Deputy Accused of Corruption
After months of defending his deputy and Minister of Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, who faces allegations of manipulating public tenders, Edi Rama finally dismissed her on Thursday night. Original post Here
Week in Review: Trades and Betrayals
From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here
PM Rama’s Big Shake-Up as SPAK Closes In
Tirana Times, February 26, 2026 – Prime Minister Edi Rama carried out one of the deepest cabinet reshuffles of his fourth term, replacing officials across several of the most powerful ministries in a move that comes as his government faces rising scrutiny, swelling scandal pressure and an intensifying anti-corruption push …
Letter from Washington: Buying Friends and Finding Common Foes
As Milorad Dodik comes in from the cold, Albanians impress on Trump that they have an enemy in common. Original post Here
Taulant Balla met Socialist Party structures in Golem. He leads the party in Tirana County. The meeting focused on internal organization. It also stressed stronger field engagement. Participants discussed continuing work under the “Jobs of Albania” initiative. Balla highlighted cooperation between local structures. He said teamwork helps meet development goals. …
Tale in Lezhë has long attracted tourists. Each year, more visitors arrive. Therefore, authorities moved to improve access. The government backed a municipal project. It built a new road linking Rrilë and the Tale Hydrovore with the Lezhë–Tirana highway. The road stretches 6.3 km. It follows modern standards. It includes …
Every Tuesday since March 17 has drawn pilgrims to the Church of Saint Anthony in Laç. As a result, the site has become a center of prayer. People travel from cities across the country. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images on social media. He showed the church in Laç. He …
Justice Minister Toni Gogu met EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato in Tirana. They discussed key challenges facing Albania’s justice system. They focused on efficiency. They also discussed improving citizens’ access to justice. In addition, they stressed stronger procedural guarantees. The talks also covered EU support. The European Union will help the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama gathered the Socialist Party parliamentary group. The meeting took place at the Assembly Presidency. It was held without media presence. Rama focused on parliamentary work. He also urged MPs to continue meetings with citizens. These meetings are part of the “Jobs of Albania” tour. He praised …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha and Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption Adea Pirdeni met students in Durrës. They visited “Naim Frashëri” High School and “Aleksandër Moisiu” University. The meeting is part of the national tour, “EU and You: Europe Starts Here.” The event aims …
The U.S. Embassy in Tirana announced that the U.S. International Investigative Unit completed a specialized training with Albania’s Border Police. The focus was on detecting illegal documents and assessing risks. The training emphasized practical techniques to spot forgeries. It also strengthened officers’ professional skills in the field. The embassy highlighted …
The Montenegrin film Nderi premieres for the first time in Tirana and Prishtina. The director, Nikola Vukčević, presents it as Montenegro’s official Oscar® candidate (98th Academy Awards). The film has won 20 international awards at 31 festivals. These include the Cairo International Film Festival, IFFI GOA, and Palm Springs International …
The Ombudsman Endrit Shabani, who also serves as President of the Mediterranean Ombudsmen Organization (AOM), is conducting an official visit to the Republic of Kosovo, where he was received in a high-level meeting by the Speaker of Parliament and Acting President, Albulena Haxhiu. The discussions focused on the protection of …
Following the farmers’ protest held this Tuesday in front of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Minister Andis Salla and Minister of Finance Petrit Malaj met with a delegation of 15 farmers to discuss concerns in the livestock sector. During the meeting, issues related to subsidies, market functioning, competition, …