Spectacle Over Substance: How Albania’s “War on Money Laundering” Ignores the Towers That Tell the Truth
At first glance, the Albanian government’s latest initiative to combat money laundering appears bold: an investigation into 400 luxury vehicles purchased by individuals with no declared income. Authorities have stated that if the owners fail to justify the source of funds used to purchase these high-end cars, the vehicles will …
The Book “The Journey of the Najdi Boy” as a Literary Bridge Between Saudi Arabia and Albania – The First Saudi Novel in the Albanian Language
By Jerina Zaloshnja The Albanian edition of “The Journey of the Najdi Boy” (Tirana Times, 2025) appears to mark an important milestone in the cultural history between Saudi Arabia and Albania: it is the first work of Saudi literature to be translated into Albanian. This publication results from the collaboration …
Albania-Italy Crime Nexus: Power, Profit, and Corruption
By | Tirana Times | May 29, 2025 ROME — Albanian criminal networks have entrenched themselves across Italy, forging strong alliances with the country’s most powerful mafia syndicates, according to a sweeping new report by Italy’s anti-mafia directorate (DIA), presented this week to the Italian parliament. The 424-page report—among the …
Share Your Experience: Ukrainian Refugees’ Integration in the Balkans, Spain, Poland, Italy
Did you leave Ukraine after the full-scale invasion started in February 2022? Did you find refuge in one of the Balkan countries? Did you manage to integrate? Tell us your story. Original post Here
Former President Meta Faces Corruption Charges in Politically Sensitive Case
TIRANA, Albania — Former Albanian President Ilir Meta and his former wife, current MP Monika Kryemadhi, have been formally indicted by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) on charges of corruption, money laundering, and concealment of assets—marking one of the most politically explosive cases since the country’s post-communist transition. Meta, a …
Western Powers Push to Turn Balkans into Migrant Buffer Zone, Stirring Rights Alarm
TIRANA TIMES, May 27, Albania — A growing wave of Western efforts to outsource the handling of rejected asylum seekers is turning the Western Balkans into what rights groups now describe as Europe’s “human warehouse.” At the center of the plan are proposals to build migrant detention centers in countries …
Italy Sends Second Migrant Ship to Albania Following Legal Changes
After encountering legal obstacles to its plans to offshore migrant processing to Albania, Itay has sent a second ship with some 27 migrants on board to the Gjader centre following changes to the rules. Original post Here
Mystery of ‘Ghost Analyst’ Intrigues Albanian Media
Following Albania’s elections this month, an incendiary opinion piece by a political analyst called Helen Bratt went viral. But then people started to raise questions about the author’s identity. Original post Here
After Albania’s Election: Defeated Democratic Party Badly in Need of ‘New People’
In the second of a two-part series on Albania’s post-election political landscape, BIRN looks at why, after another devastating loss, the Democratic Party risks irrelevance without root-and-branch reform. Original post Here
Shadow Networks – How Politics and Organized Crime Appear Intertwined in Albania
TIRANA, Albania May 26,2025– Recent revelations from an Italian anti-mafia investigation have cast a harsh spotlight on the murky relationship between organized crime and the Albanian political elite, deepening concerns over state complicity in shielding and enabling criminal actors. At the center of the storm is Elvis Doçi, alias “Visi …
By Zef Preçi What kind of political system are we living in today? Even though we have a weak state, authoritarian tendencies in governance have become more pronounced, and in a synthesized way this is reflected in the increasing number of MPs of the ruling party from one mandate to …
As the year draws towards its end, our Balkan Insight Premium stories show that there is no shortage of political surprises, unexpected twists and new standoffs across the region. Original post Here
Albanian-American writer Fron Nahzi’s new book explains how the Albanian diaspora used its newfound freedom in the United States to campaign for a range of nationalist causes. Original post Here
The earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 left many families homeless. But a rural housing estate built to accommodate some of them remains almost empty due to problems with infrastructure and insecure terrain. Original post Here
O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …
The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …
Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …
By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times). Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …
New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here
Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here