The Departed: Balkan Personalities Who Left the Stage in 2024
From a diplomat who fought in World War II to a Turkish cleric accused of subverting the state and a Bulgarian rock star who raised his voice for democracy, these are some of the key figures who passed away this year in the Balkans. Original post Here
Albania’s TikTok ban draws debate
TIRANA, Dec. 26, 2024 – The Albanian government’s recent announcement that will ban for at least a year the use within the country of the popular social media platform TikTok has generated debate over the impact of social media on society and the decision’s impact on free speech. According to …
1980s icon Simaku returns to the spotlight after decades of emigration hardship
TIRANA, Dec. 26, 2024 – Parashqevi Simaku, once Albania’s darling of song and stage, has re-emerged in the public eye after years of hardship, including a period of homelessness in New York City. The beloved singer, known for her velvety voice and electrifying performances during the 1980s, is now reclaiming …
Digital Rights Review: TikTok Backlash in Romania, Spyware Revelations in Serbia
TikTok became the focus of criticism for boosting a far-right contender in Romania’s elections, while in Serbia, evidence of the use of spyware emerged amid the largest student protests in the country in years. Original post Here
As Justice Vetting Ends, Albania Urged to Maintain New Anti-Graft Standards
A seven-year vetting process in Albania has been hailed as setting new standards in the fight against judicial graft. Can the country maintain them? Original post Here
Museum Honours Woman Who Challenged Albania’s Brutal Communist Takeover
Musine Kokalari paid a heavy price for opposing Albania’s slide into totalitarianism; a newly opened museum recalls her largely forgotten struggle for a more liberated society. Original post Here
Bechtel Bespoke: US Engineering Giant’s Modus Operandi in the Balkans Causes Concern
Over the past two decades, US engineering giant Bechtel has won billions of euros worth of infrastructure work across the Balkans, often on the basis of bespoke laws that bypass public procurement rules and keep the deals’ key details under wraps. Original post Here
Regional Youth shares a vision of Peace, Development and European Integration
Tirana, 13.12.2024 Young people seek a region where their voices are heard, where they can decide about their future and where peace and cultural cooperation trump division, hate speech and prejudice. The European integration as a vessel of relevant reforms and incentives can be decisive toward achieving this noble goals. …
Higher Pay Lures Albanians to Booming Montenegrin Resort
A flow of workers from northern Albania to the expanding town of Ulcinj on Montenegro’s coast is leaving their hometowns short of labour. Original post Here
Albanian Opposition MPs Slam Govt for Sidelining Constitutional Court
Opposition MPs claimed the government is ignoring Council of Europe experts’ advice urging parliament to let the Constitutional Court review the mandate of a former minister who has been accused of abuse of office. Original post Here
ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …
As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …
Opposition parties and media unions condemn new strategy adopted by parliament, claiming the government wants to use it to exert more control over the media. Original post Here
As BIRN celebrates two decades of work, there never seems to be a dull moment in the region, as our selection of Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …
CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …
While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …
The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …
A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here
By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …