Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj leaves Albania ahead of approval of arrest request on corruption charges
TIRANA, July 12, 2023 – Representatives of the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition in the Council of Mandates of Albania’s parliament reached an agreement on Wednesday to open the way for the Special Prosecutor’s request to arrest former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj on corruption charges. However, the Socialists …
Rama meets Macron in Vilnius, President of France is preparing to come in Tirana
Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a photo where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Vilnius, Lithuania. He says that the French president is preparing to come to Tirana, as part of the Albania, as a NATO member country, has proven its commitment and seriousness, taking concrete steps to …
Attack on former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja, the Court leaves in prison Ramazan Rraja
The Special Court has rejected Ramazan Rraja’s request for a change in the security measure and has not change the meausure the arrest and imprisonment decision. Rraja was arrested as the person who provided the conditions for the assassination of former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja and for carrying weapons without a …
Korca’s teachers haven’t been paid for work in June
About 200 teachers in Korca and Maliq have not yet received their salary for the month of June. According to the head of the Education Union in Korça, the reason for the delay is the treasury, which has not yet disbursed the salaries. According to him, there are also teachers …
Under Spain’s EU Presidency, the Issue of the Western Balkans Will Be Sidelined
Spain’s 6-month presidency of the Council of the EU has been upended by a snap election in July. Yet regardless of who wins that vote, prospects for progress on the issue of EU enlargement are poor. Original post Here
Albania Pressed to Act Over Currency’s Unexplained Rise
The rapid rise in the value of Albania’s currency, the lek, is alarming exporters and tourist operators – but the government is unwilling to take action. Original post Here
A 31-year-old thief arrested in Tirana
A 31-year-old man from Kamza was arrested on charges of theft this Wednesday. He was put in handcuffs, as it is suspected that on July 10 he stole work tools in two different businesses. In the meantime, the young man is expected to be interrogated about the motives that led …
Arrested for abuse of duty, former mayor of Durres will appear at court on July 18
The former mayor of Durres Vangjush Dako, arrested for abuse of duty, will appear in front of the Court of Special Appeal on July 18 at 10 am. The appeal session will be reviewed by Judge Daniela Shirka. Dako was arrested on June 6 by order of the Special Prosecutor’s …
Rama: Vilnius summit finds NATO allies stronger and more determined
On July 11 and 12, the leaders of the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will meet in Vilnius, Lithuania. They are expected to address the most urgent challenges for the alliance, to increase the defensive and preventive capacities of NATO, as well as to bring Ukraine …
Two Kruja men arrested on drugs cultivation charges
Police of Kruja has put this Tuesday in handcuffs two citizens, who were wanted for criminal offenses in the field of narcotics. In the village of Shkoze, a 36-year-old resident of Thumanë was arrested. This citizen, together with his father and another citizen (previously arrested), cultivated 925 cannabis seedlings in …
Outside programme contributors to Albania’s indebted public broadcaster say they haven’t paid for months and are in the dark as to when they will receive the money they are owed. Original post Here
The latest China Index analysis, published by a civil society network that includes BIRN, suggests that Beijing’s influence declined in most of the Balkans in 2024, with only Bosnia and Herzegovina bucking that trend. Original post Here
Instead of stimulating investment in agriculture or energy, critics say a 2015 ‘special law’ on strategic investment in Albania has simply made it easier and more profitable for certain privileged businesspeople to build luxury villas on the coast. Original post Here
Halfway into a 12-month ban on TikTok in Albania, anecdotal evidence suggests the prohibition is being widely flouted while the government remains silent on promised filters to weed out ‘undesirable’ content. Original post Here
Our selection of Premium stories this week looks at the challenges facing the region as the summer season winds down and business-as-usual resumes. Original post Here
Court again bans MPs from forming institutions deriving from the February elections while it considers a complaint about the failure to elect a deputy speaker from the Serb community, as guaranteed in the constitution. Original post Here
On the eve of Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Week, which will take place in Tirana from September 16–20 at the Palace of Congresses, the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania, Mr. Faisal bin Ghazi Hafzi, through a press statement, praised this event as …
When Denisa Kasa returned from abroad and saw the state of Albania’s filthy waterways, she was shocked. Now she has formed an independent collective of young people dedicated to the ‘dream of clean rivers’. Original post Here
Tirana will soon open its doors to the sights, sounds, and flavors of Arabia. From 16 to 20 September 2025, the Palace of Congresses will transform into a vibrant stage for Saudi Cultural Week, a five-day celebration of art, heritage, and creativity hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Culture. The festival promises to be more …
Albania’s hosting of an exiled Iranian opposition group was never likely to be easy. Now it’s under criminal investigation. Original post Here