Letter From Brussels: Judgment Day for the Balkan Hopefuls
In the first of her monthly dispatches from the heartland of the European Union, Gjeraqina Tuhina looks at which Balkan states have been getting gold stars – or black marks – from the enlargement commissioners. Original post Here
Multigenderism’s Curious Impact
1. The Last Cycle of Extremist Ideologies in the Old Continent – Council of Europe In 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the final version of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), which contained many useful provisions. However, Article 3(c), which …
Balluku Charges Test PM Rama’s Power
TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) November 11, 2025. The criminal charges filed against Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku over the Llogara Tunnel project have pushed Albania’s flagship justice reform into uncharted territory, bringing prosecutors closer than ever to the core of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The Special …
Albanian Political Giants’ Electoral Reform Deal is a Sham, Rivals Suspect
Albania’s smaller parties believe the country’s two main political forces unexpectedly agreed to work together on electoral reform in order to fix the system to maintain their dominance. Original post Here
Western Balkans Remains Key Smuggling Corridor in Europe: Report
The Western Balkan countries remain important corridors in Europe for drug and human trafficking and migrant smuggling, says the 2025 Organised Crime Index, produced by an anti-graft NGO. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: November 10, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Ambassador Tsao: lets focus cooperation on technology and AI
Tirana Times sat with the Head of the Taipei Representative office in Italy, Ambassador Vincent Tsao on his recent visit to Albania to talk about cooperation and exchange in technology, development, education and more… Your Excellency, Taiwan is known globally for its advanced technology and innovation sectors. What specific areas …
Albania’s Gender Equality Law: Now Let’s See It Implemented
Online disinformation from opponents of the new gender equality law shouldn’t obscure the real issue: this vital legislation has been adopted by parliament, but now we need it to work in practice, not just on paper. Original post Here
Albania Gender-Equality Law Draws Praise and Condemnation
Women’s rights groups hailed adoption of the new equality law as a historic move – while the opposition Democratic Party and ‘pro-family’ groups called it an attack on traditional values. Original post Here
Leaked Albanian Investigation Implicates Deputy PM in Tender-Rigging
A leaked file, apparently from an anti-corruption prosecutors’ probe, suggests deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku played an active role in predetermining the winner of a major construction tender. Original post Here
The State Police of Albania strengthened its cooperation with Spain in the fight against international crime. The Director General of the State Police State Police of Albania met with the Spanish ambassador Ventura at the Directorate General of State Police in Tirana. First, both sides praised the strong and strategic …
FlyOne Armenia resumed direct flights between Albania and Armenia today. The airline landed its first flight at Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, restoring a direct air connection between the two countries. FlyOne Armenia will operate the route twice a week, every Monday and Thursday. The new service gives passengers more …
Prime Minister Edi Rama met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday. Rama thanked Macron for the warm welcome and said he was pleased with the meeting. During a working lunch, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Albania and …
French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France’s support for Albania’s European Union integration after meeting Prime Minister Edi Rama in Paris. Following the talks, Macron highlighted the growing ties between France and Albania. He pointed to progress in innovation, education, higher education, culture, and tourism as evidence of the close relationship …
European Council President António Costa said Albania could complete its European Union accession negotiations by 2027 if it maintains its current pace of reforms. Speaking at the EU–Moldova Summit in Brussels, Costa described Albania’s goal of closing negotiations by the end of 2027 as ambitious but achievable. He noted that …
Albania leads the Western Balkans in public support for European Union membership. Data from the European Commission shows very high levels of backing for EU integration. Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi stated that Albanians remain among the strongest supporters of the European project. He emphasized that 92% of citizens support …
The Central Election Commission of Albania and its counterparts in Moldova, Ukraine, and North Macedonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen democratic resilience and European cooperation. First, the agreement was signed during the closing session of the regional conference “Money in Politics 2026.” As a result, the event marked …
Minister of Justice Toni Gogu held his first meeting with the new leadership of the National Bar Association in Tirana. First, both sides focused on strengthening institutional cooperation in the justice sector. They also discussed the implementation of new commitments following Albania’s signing of the Council of Europe Convention on …
The Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Employment and Finance reviewed the draft resolution on the annual activity report of the Bank of Albania for 2025. The committee also defined key priorities for the institution’s work in 2026. First, committee rapporteur and chair Milva Ekonomi praised the role of the Bank of …
The Municipality of Vlora has announced that navigation will be prohibited in the Cape Gjuhëz area on June 23 and 24, 2026, due to a coastal military exercise and live-fire drill conducted by the Albanian Armed Forces. According to an official notice from the Ministry of Defense, Military Unit No. …