Parliament gathers in session for Ahmetaj’s MP mandate’s lifting
anian Parliament will gather this Friday in another plenary session to discuss once again the request of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to strip former minister Arben Ahmetaj of his MP mandate and immunity in order to arrest him. During the previous plenary session in the …
The Assembly decides today for Arben Ahmetaj, reacts former Minister of Finances and Economy
In today’s special session, the Parliament of Albania is expected to vote on the removal of immunity for the former Minister of Finances and Economy, Arben Ahmetaj, and the granting of authorization for his arrest. So, with a status on the social network “Facebook”, Ahmetaj addressed a message to his …
Abuse of duty, the security measure for former mayor of Fushe-Arrez hasn’t change
The Special Court has left the former mayor of Fushë-Arrez, Fran Tuci, in prison and Ndoc Marku, former administrator of the Iballe Administrative Unit, under house arrest, who are accused of abuse of office and destruction of property. In Friday’s session, Tuci denied the accusations. Failure to fulfill the duty …
The Assembly paves the way for Ahmetaj’s arrest, votes to remove immunity
The Assembly paves the way for the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj. 117 MPs voted “yes”, meanwhile, 3 MPs have abstained. Journalist Esiona Konomi told ABC News that the deputies who abstained from SPAK’s request for the arrest of the former deputy prime minister are Vangjel Dule, …
Elected mayor of Himara left in prison by Appellate Court
Appellate Court has left this Friday in force the measure of “prison arrest” for elected Mayor of Himara, Alfred Beleri. Winning candidate of the “Together We Win” coalition for the Municipality of Himara in the elections of May 14, was arrested two days before the elections, as he was caught …
The court gives the decision for Safet Gjici and Alma Kaci
The Court of Appeal has left unchanged the security measures for the former mayor of Kukes, Safet Gjici, and the other person involved in the video scandal, Alma Kaci. Both Gjici who is being investigated under the measure of “prison arrest” and Kaci who is being investigated under the measure …
Put to Bed by Albania, ‘Open Balkan’ Had Long Flattered to Deceive
After Albania declares ‘mission accomplished’, experts say few will mourn the apparent demise of the Open Balkan initiative. Original post Here
Op/Ed: NATO Summit in Vilnius: Full of Drama, but Few Surprises
By JONATHAN TERRA Will anything that happened in Vilnius really matter in the foreseeable future? After all, in terms of diplomatic and material support, training, logistics, intel-sharing, and coordinated strategic goals, Ukraine is already a de facto member of the alliance. The 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius is over. In …
Reduction of police forces resumes in Northern Kosovo
Kosovo Police has started to reduce its troops in municipal facilities in the north of the country, after accepting the Government’s decision, as reported this Thursday. Reduction of police forces happened before midnight last night, while these movements were developed in parallel by the municipalities of Leposaviq, Zveçan and Zubin …
Former mayor of Fushe-Arrez arrested for abuse of duty
Former mayor of Fushë-Arrëz Municipality, Fran Tuci, has been arrested by order of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) this Thursday. He is accused of the criminal offense of “abuse of duty”, after he allowed some residents to clean a road of about 1 kilometer in a …
During last week’s visit to Israel, Albania’s Prime Minister used a private jet once owned by Sam Bankman Fried, now-jailed owner of crypto exchange FTX – but it’s unclear who footed the bill. Original post Here
The suspects are among 33 people accused of involvement in shipping a cargo of dangerous industrial waste from Albania to Thailand. Original post Here
The US president’s son-in-law wants to build a tourism development in southern Albania, but residents of the unspoilt strip around Zvernec say a dispute over ownership of the land is being ignored. Original post Here
Tropojë Mayor Indicted for Illegal Roadworks Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 – In a case related to alleged abuse of office, Albania’s Special Court has sent Tropojë’s mayor Rexhë Byberi and his deputy Abedin Kërrnaja to trial on charges of “abuse of office” related to local infrastructure projects. The officials are …
The Italy-Albania asylum ‘offshoring’ scheme is being studied by other Western European governments wanting to look tough on migration. But the case of Hamid Badoui, who took his own life after being held at an Albanian migrant detention camp, highlights the human cost. Original post Here
Balkan LGBTQ+ people, both in the region and in the diaspora, are often told that their identities are incompatible. It’s time to hear a different story – and learn more about the region’s pioneers. Original post Here
Plans by relatives of U.S. President Donald Trump to build a luxury resort in the scenic coastal area of Zvërnec have sidelined local residents and their property claims, while intersecting with a long-running court battle involving controversial real estate businessman Artur Shehu. By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The Murrizi Tunnel was opened to much fanfare in March last year, not long before a parliamentary election. Now the Albanian Road Authority says it has yet been certified for use. Original post Here
Tirana Times, 01 February 2026 – The release of more than three million pages of documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case by the United States Department of Justice has expanded the scope of one of the most disturbing scandals of the past decade far beyond the United States. The …