Vengu welcomes Britain’s special envoy for the Western Balkans
Minister of Defense Mr. Pirro Vengu received in a special meeting the special envoy of the United Kingdom in the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach, who came to Albania, as part of the Joint Exercise “Austere Wolf – 24”. Minister Vengu and Lord Stuart Peach highly appreciated the interaction between …
An employee of IMT detained for abuse of duty and corruption
The police of Elbasan have detained 51-year-old Gentian Bako, an employee of IMT in this city, after he was declared wanted for corruption and abuse of office. Regarding the 51-year-old, SPAK ordered his arrest on May 29 for the criminal offenses “Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions” and “Abuse …
Even in Cases of Convicted Criminals, Albania’s Asset Seizures Aren’t Working
A sprawling seafront hotel and 18 apartments remain in the hands of relatives of convicted drug Albanian smuggler Kelmend Balili, despite previously being seized under a law designed to crack down on the proceeds of crime. Original post Here
Share Your Experience: Open Data in the Western Balkans
Have you had experiences with open data such as government statistics websites or scientific data portals? Are these platforms user-friendly or too complex to navigate? Tell us about it. Original post Here
Rama meeting with Albanians in New York: Our image in the world has changed
Prime Minister Edi Rama is in New York, where he is having a meeting with representatives of 100 associations of Albanians in America, at the invitation of the well-known Albanian activist and head of the National Diaspora Council, Mark Gjonaj. During his speech, he said that the image of Albanians …
Muslim state inside capital, Rama: Irreversible decision, but will take time
Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted through a post on the X platform to the criticism of the idea of creating a muslim state in Tirana, saying that they have crossed the limits of fantasy and mischief. The head of the Albanian government says that the time has come for …
A police officer was drowned in Shkonder
A serious event was recorded in Shkodër, where an FNSH officer was found drowned. The 51-year-old man was found drowned in a canal in Bardhaj village, Rrethina administrative unit. The event is reported as accidental as the officer was riding a motorcycle when he lost control and fell into the …
Heavy rain in Shkodra, flooding and power outage in some areas
The high-intensity rainfall during 24 hours in the region of Shkodra has caused some problems. The Mosel-Reç and Muçaj-Reç axes in the Shkrel administrative unit of the Great Highlands are blocked and impassable for vehicles, making it impossible to transport students to school In the Kastrat unit, roads are blocked …
Durres/ A 29 year old arrested for trying to rob a bank
A 29-year-old man was arrested in Durres as part of the police operation codenamed “Exchange”. Florenc Deda tried to forcefully take a sum of money from the cash register of a second level bank but he could not. During his departure, he forcibly took 500,000 ALL in an exchange. From …
Hasani: Albania, committed to the fight against extremism
In the side meeting co-organized by Albania, on the situation in northeastern Syria, within the framework of the UN General Assembly’s High Level Week, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, emphasized that the Albanian institutions have adopted and implemented successfully a model for identifying and combating violent …
The Democratic League of Kosovo has filed 17 lawsuits in a fresh legal challenge against the outgoing prime minister, Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, and his ministers. Original post Here
Anonymous social media accounts, a lack of financial transparency and the unethical use of AI could have an impact on voter opinion ahead of Albania’s May 11 parliamentary election, BIRN has found. Original post Here
In an interview with BIRN, Zef Mazi, Albania’s former chief negotiator with the EU, poured cold water on Prime Minister Edi Rama’s election promise of EU accession by 2030. Original post Here
TIRANA, Albania , May 6th (Tirana Times ) — On May 11, Albanians will head to the polls for parliamentary elections marked by a crowded field of contenders: 53 political parties and over 2,000 candidates will vie for 140 seats in the national legislature. While this diversity may signal political …
President Begaj welcomes His Majesty Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with a solemn ceremony. May 2, 2025 | TIRANA, Albania Tirana Times In a visit marked more by symbolism than substance, Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein arrived in Tirana on Friday for …
Tirana Times | May 2nd | Prishtina, Kosovo — A unique cultural bridge between Kosovo and Saudi Arabia was inaugurated on Thursday with the opening of the “Urat” exhibition in central Prishtina, showcasing the Kingdom’s rich Islamic and cultural heritage. Organized in partnership between the Islamic Community of Kosovo and …
The involvement of individuals with criminal backgrounds or ties to the underworld among Albania’s so-called strategic investors must be examined in a broader context. Politically, this phenomenon represents one of the clearest signs of the symbiosis between crime and politics — and of the state being effectively captured by organized …
Press freedom has continued a downward slide in most Balkan countries according to the latest report by Reporters Without Borders – although Albania, Montenegro and Serbia have bucked the trend. Original post Here
Genc Pollo – President of the Paneuropa Albania MovementFormer Minister and MP April 2025 “Whatever the European Court decides—if it says it can’t be done, we won’t do it; if it says it can, we will.” This was, roughly speaking, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s stance in March 2023, expressed at …
An in-depth investigation into the EU-backed trans-Balkan transport project that remains stalled decades after its launch. Over two decades ago, European planners and Balkan leaders laid out the idea off Corridor VIII, a transport route that would traverse and link the difficult-to-navigate terrains of Albania, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria. Its …