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Tirana, woman found dead by husband

A 33-year-old woman has been found this Tuesday without signs of life inside her apartment in the Kombinati area, in Tirana. According to the police, the victim was found by her husband, while no signs of violence were found on her body during the preliminary examination. Meanwhile, the investigative group …

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Today the decision on Arben Ahmetaj’ arrest

The Council of Mandates meets this Tuesday at 16:00, to consider the request of SPAK for the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj. The Special Prosecutor’s Office asked the assembly for permission to arrest the former finance minister and former deputy prime minister Arben Ahmetaj at the same …

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Begaj: Vilnius Summit, crucial to Euro-Atlantic security

President of the Republic Bajram Begaj declared Tuesday that the NATO meeting in Vilnius is a decisive moment for the Euro-Atlantic security. Through a social media statement at the beginning of the NATO summit in Lithuania, Begaj underlined that Albania continues to be steadfast in supporting the Alliance’s efforts to …

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Op/Ed: Remembering the Srebrenica Genocide

by George Monastiriakos In 1993, one year into the Bosnian War, the United Nations declared “safe areas” in the Muslim enclaves of Republika Srpska to protect Bosniak refugees fleeing from the violence. Security Council Resolution 819 designated the city of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia as a “safe area.” Security Council …

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Albania Ruling Party Postpones Controversial Lustration Legislation

After an EU intervention, ruling Socialist Party MPs postponed the approval of legal changes that critics claim are intended to target former President Ilir Meta for alleged collaboration with the Communist-era intelligence service. Original post Here

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Albania Prosecutors Seek Former Deputy PM Arben Ahmetaj’s Arrest

Prosecutors want parliamentary immunity lifted so that former Deputy PM Arben Ahmetaj can be arrested on charges of corruption and money laundering. Original post Here

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Op/Ed: The sacrifice of a spotless shirt

By DEMUSH SHASHA While 20 seconds of Ambassador Hill’s tweets shatter 20 years of illusion in Kosovo, they are also useful starting points for reassessing our way forward. Our way forward is the quagmire, where Kurti’s political clean shirt must be submerged to pull us out of the deluge in …

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Socialist MP resigns following vicious beating perpetrated by MP’s family members, MoI sacked

TIRANA, July 8 – A controversial ruling party MP in Albania has resigned after his son and two brothers were detained by police in connection with the vicious beating of two men near their home town of Fushë Krujë. The beating, filmed and distributed on social media by the assailants, …

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Tirana mayor attends environment conference in Budapest

The Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj has travelled to Hungary to participate in the Conference on Environment and Health that is being held in Budapest. Veliaj, in a post on social networks, writes that he shares the experience of Tirana at the conference. While he added that he visited the …

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Korça university will not be closed

The Minister of Education, Evis Kushi, in a statement to the media, clarified that the University of Korça, “Fan Noli” will not be closed and will continue its work in the new academic year. Kushi said that there have been proposals for its closure but no definitive decisions, where she …

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Pay Delays Deepen Concern over Albanian Public Broadcaster’s Finances

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

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China Index: Beijing’s Influence Waning in Balkans – Except Bosnia

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

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Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas

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

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Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM

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

News
Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches

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

News
Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam

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

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Ambassador Faisal bin Ghazi Hafzi: Saudi Arabia Cultural Week, a Bridge of Communication Between the Two Countries

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 …

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Dirty Water: Albania’s Polluted Rivers Need Cleaning Now, Activist Says

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

News
Saudi Cultural Week to Bring a Taste of Arabia to Tirana

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 …

News
Iranian Opposition Group’s Stay in Albania Turns Sour

Albania’s hosting of an exiled Iranian opposition group was never likely to be easy. Now it’s under criminal investigation. Original post Here

News

Pay Delays Deepen Concern over Albanian Public Broadcaster’s Finances

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

News

China Index: Beijing’s Influence Waning in Balkans – Except Bosnia

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

News

Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas

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

News

Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM

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

News

Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches

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

News

Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam

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

News

Ambassador Faisal bin Ghazi Hafzi: Saudi Arabia Cultural Week, a Bridge of Communication Between the Two Countries

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 …

News

Dirty Water: Albania’s Polluted Rivers Need Cleaning Now, Activist Says

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

News

Saudi Cultural Week to Bring a Taste of Arabia to Tirana

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 …

News

Iranian Opposition Group’s Stay in Albania Turns Sour

Albania’s hosting of an exiled Iranian opposition group was never likely to be easy. Now it’s under criminal investigation. Original post Here