Albanian Opposition Rallies for Premier’s Resignation Over Indicted Deputy PM
Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here
Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability
Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 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
A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case
Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …
Tirana Marks International Arabic Language Day with a Festive Ceremony
Tirana, Tirana Times, 19 December 2025 – International Arabic Language Day was commemorated in Tirana through a festive ceremony organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Albania, bringing together a broad representation of Albanian state institutions, the diplomatic corps, universities, the academic community, cultural …
Albanian MPs Clash in Parliament Amid Tensions Over Corruption Cases
Opposition MPs hurled bottles and clashed with guards as the new ruling party-backed Ombudsman took his oath amid heightened tensions sparked by high-level graft cases. Original post Here
Visiting Thaci in Hague Jail, Albania PM Slates ’Shameful’ War Court
Albania’s Edi Rama lashed out at the Hague-based Specialist Chambers war crimes court following a visit to Kosovo’s ex-President Hashim Thaci in detention, calling it a ‘theatre of shame’. Original post Here
Stability Has a Schedule: What NATO’s Hague Pledge Means for the Western Balkans
In late August 2022, Montenegro’s government digital infrastructure was hit by what officials called an “unprecedented” cyberattack. The disruption was serious enough that parts of the public sector had to fall back on manual workarounds while authorities tried to isolate affected systems. In a region where state capacity is often …
Albania in 2025: Socialists Win Big, Graft Probes Continue
Prime Minister Edi Rama secured a historic fourth term in office and consolidated his rule against a background of ongoing corruption investigations into several politicians from the governing Socialist Party. Original post Here
Kremlin Echoes in Balkan Clickbait: How Fake Baba Vanga Prophecies Spread Across Albanian Media
TIRANA, Tirana Times, December 16, 2025. Each December, apocalyptic headlines resurface across Albanian media warning of global collapse, Europe’s disappearance or the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a world ruler, all attributed to the supposed prophecies of Baba Vanga, a blind Bulgarian mystic who died nearly three decades ago. …
Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari met today with the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Lamallari briefed the delegation on Albania’s progress in implementing recommendations and strengthening democratic standards. “Albania has also made steady progress toward the EU. We have concrete reforms and results recognized by international …
President Vjosa Osmani hosted a farewell reception as she left office. Among the guests was Eva Palatova, acting head of the EU office in Kosovo. The EU office in Kosovo said Palatova attended the reception and thanked Osmani for her years of cooperation. “As Kosovo’s most trusted partner, the EU …
On World Autism Day, celebrated every year on April 2, the Parliament building lit up blue. Blue is the international color for autism awareness. Each year, state institutions join this global initiative. It shows their commitment to raising awareness for this social cause. World Autism Day aims to increase public …
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said institutions and society must stand with children with autism and their families. She stressed the need for understanding, support, and love for this group. “Every child deserves to be heard and supported,” she said. Osmani called for greater inclusion and ongoing care for children with …
The Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) held an awareness event today for World Autism Day. The event was organized with the National Club of Parents of Children with ASD & P.A.K. and the “Asim Vokshi” Linguistic High School. The goal was to raise public awareness and promote inclusion of …
Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha joined a virtual meeting called by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Over 40 countries attended. They discussed the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed it amid ongoing conflict. Hoxha said countries coordinate through diplomacy and politics to …
EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato said fighting disinformation requires promoting independent and professional media. It also requires strengthening freedom of expression. Gonzato said independent media forms a key pillar of EU rule-of-law principles. It also shows a country’s readiness to join the European Union. He said, “Disinformation affects public …
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said Albania faces a historic opportunity to join the European family. He told the Socialist Assembly in Unit 14 that major powers now support Albanians concretely. He said Albania has never had such a clear chance to become a full EU member. …
Albania remembers actress Margarita Xhepa on her birthday. She remains an undisputed icon of the stage and screen. Her legacy continues to inspire generations. She was born on April 2, 1932. She became one of the brightest figures in Albanian theater and cinema. She performed dozens of roles that shaped …
The leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), Ali Ahmeti, reacted through an open letter on social media regarding recent developments in North Macedonia, emphasizing that the issue of the Albanian language cannot be put into question. In his message, Ahmeti underlined that a stable state is built on …