Parliament Blocks Arrest Bid for Former Deputy Prime Minister Balluku
Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …
Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity
Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 9, 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
Do the Balkans really want EU membership?
By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …
Marx on the Beach
By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …
Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves
From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here
The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership
by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …
Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection
By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …
Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France
Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here
The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order
by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …
The first two semifinal matches of the Albanian Cup ended in draws. Egnatia and Elbasani drew 1–1 in the first semifinal. The match in Rrogozhinë stayed open for both teams. Everything remains undecided for the return leg. The home side started strongly. Sota gave Egnatia the lead in the 5th …
Minister Enea Karakaçi presented the new energy law. He said the reform aligns Albania with EU rules. It creates a more open and competitive market. It also reduces state intervention. The law shifts away from a centralized model. It promotes liberalization. Competition will drive the sector. Meanwhile, new energy sources …
Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari met a high-level delegation from Poland today. Lt. Col. Tomasz Czyż led the delegation. Lamallari and Czyż discussed strengthening cooperation in fire protection and civil emergencies. They focused on experience sharing and professional capacity building. “Exchanging experiences and investing in professional skills are essential,” Lamallari said. …
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that the Albanian government is preparing a new pension scheme. He emphasized it will not replace the current system but enrich it. During a visit to an industrial complex in Durrës, Rama explained the scheme. Employees can save a portion of their salary in a …
Prime Minister Edi Rama visited an industrial complex in Durrës today. Several companies operate there in transport, recycling, and industrial processing. During the visit, Rama praised the companies’ growth. He said many started with limited resources and a big dream. Now they produce high-value products, like gold rings and pendants …
Minister of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, said today that Albania is promoting an economy focused on attracting investments and exporting higher-value products. She spoke during a visit to an industrial complex in Durrës, alongside Prime Minister Edi Rama and Mayor Emiriana Sako. “This business processes and exports precious metals. …
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader, Edi Rama, met today with the Party Assembly in Lezhë. He discussed Albania’s EU accession negotiations, aiming for membership by 2030. Rama said Albania has opened all negotiation chapters in record time, thanks to national effort and EU readiness. “Today is our moment. We …
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama outlined the government’s ambition to raise Albania’s total gross production to €35 billion by 2030. At a Socialist Party Assembly meeting, Rama said, “We inherited an economy with less than €10 billion total production. Today, it stands at around €27 billion. We …
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said today that Albania aims to finish negotiations with the European Commission by 2027 and join the European Union by 2030. At a Socialist Party Assembly in Lezhë, Rama explained: “When I said we would complete negotiations by 2027, many thought it …
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs welcomed the two-day ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, aimed at paving the way for a sustainable resolution to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. In an official statement, the Ministry highlighted Albania’s consistent support for de-escalation, restraint, and meaningful …