Sweden Reaffirms Strong Support for Albania’s EU Accession Amid Geopolitical Shifts
By Lutfi Dervishi Sweden remains a steadfast supporter of Albania’s European Union accession, citing the importance of enlargement in the wake of geopolitical shifts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Minister for European Union Affairs and Nordic Cooperation Jessica Rosencrantz, who vizited today (March 10th) Albania,highlighted Sweden’s commitment to a merit-based …
Ollga Plumbi – The Woman from the Future
By Valentina Leskaj Ollga, the woman with deep black eyes, who appears so elegant in an old photograph wearing a hat, often comes to my mind whenever we discuss the Women’s Movement. Her portrait, as she spoke to me in that simple but beautiful house on Rruga e Kavajës, …
Behind Albania’s Forest Crisis: Governance, Economy, and EU Accession
This article was produced as part of the Thematic Networks of PULSE, a European initiative that supports transnational journalistic collaborations The woodlands of Albania are a verdant expanse that once covered nearly half of the country’s rugged and mountainous terrain. In these past 25 years, however, they have been …
Promoting women’s leadership and participation in the next political elections is key for Albania
By: Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator Michele Ribotta, Chair of UN Gender Group Tirana, 8 March 2025 The general elections of May 11, 2025,are an important opportunity to strengthen democracy in Albania and consolidate past achievements in advancing women’s leadership in decision-making. While Albania has made …
Albanian Government Shuts Down TikTok, Opposition and Experts Call It Censorship
The Albanian government announced on Wednesday a one-year suspension of the social media platform TikTok, arguing that the measure is necessary to protect children and enhance online security. However, the opposition and independent experts have labeled the decision as an act of censorship that could impact the electoral campaign planned …
Albanian Ministry Confirms One-Year Ban on TikTok ‘to Protect Children’
Albania’s Minister of Education confirmed the prime minister’s previous announcement of a year-long ban on social media site TikTok, saying that it will be imposed within days. Original post Here
Drita Hajdari: Pioneering Prosecutor Who Battled Injustice in Kosovo
After a career littered with firsts, retired Kosovo prosecutor Drita Hajdari says the pursuit of justice for the crimes committed during the collapse of Yugoslavia is far from over. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 3, 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
PM’s Attacks on Prosecutors Turn Albania’s Justice Reform Into Election Issue
Following the arrest of a key ally, Prime Minister Edi Rama has launched a campaign targeting the judiciary in a bid to turn the tables ahead of May’s elections, experts say. Original post Here
Justice and Realpolitik: Trump, Thaci and the Kosovo Special Court
Donald Trump’s sympathy for Hashim Thaci – and his propensity to take bold action – could end the ordeal of Kosovo’s former president before the Hague court, over which the US has significant leverage. Original post Here
Albania’s Special Prosecution has issued 20 arrest warrants and seized over 100 million euros in assets as it maps out alleged drug money flowing into major construction projects across Albania, including a resort promoted by relatives of Donald Trump. Original post Here
Albania hosted the 42nd EYCA Conference and General Assembly for the first time. The event focused on international youth cooperation, the exchange of ideas, and stronger youth policies. The conference brought together representatives from different countries to discuss opportunities and challenges facing young people. Among the participants were Erjona Ismaili …
Toni Gogu met with Mattias Guyomar in Strasbourg. During the meeting, the two officials discussed the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. They also reviewed the execution of rulings issued by the European Court of Human Rights and the progress of Albania’s justice reform. Furthermore, Gogu described the …
Silvio Gonzato took part in an event marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. UNHCR Albania, Albania’s Ministry of Interior, and other partners organized the event in Tirana. During his remarks, Gonzato stressed that the Refugee Convention remains a cornerstone of international protection for people fleeing persecution, violence, …
Justice Minister Toni Gogu took part in the informal meeting of the Council of Europe’s Justice Ministers. He spoke during a panel on the role of financial intelligence in combating money laundering and financial crime. During his remarks, Gogu stressed that the main challenge today is not collecting financial information. …
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Albania has recently made significant progress on its path toward European Union membership. According to Kos, Albania met the Interim Benchmarks Assessment Report (IBAR) requirements on the rule of law. As a result, the country can now begin the process of closing …
Andreas Schieder said the European Parliament will reaffirm Albania’s strong commitment to the European Union. Speaking during a plenary session of the European Parliament, Schieder praised Albania’s progress in the accession process. He noted that the country opened all negotiation clusters within just 13 months. In addition, Albania recently achieved …
Kosovo and the European Commission held the annual meeting of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Monitoring Committee. The meeting focused on the implementation of EU financial and technical support for Kosovo. In addition, participants reviewed reforms that support Kosovo’s path toward European integration. Since 2007, the European Union has …
Ferit Hoxha met with Günter Krichbaum during his visit to Luxembourg. The two officials discussed Albania’s path toward European Union membership. They also reviewed the current momentum of the EU enlargement process. Furthermore, Hoxha said they exchanged views on the opportunities created by the renewed focus on enlargement across Europe. …
In Albania, real civic society is no longer in donor-funded conference rooms. It is in the streets. By Mrika Temali Tirana Times, June 16, 2026 – Thirty-five years after the fall of communism, Albania offers a bitter paradox. The European Union, Western governments and international foundations have spent millions indeed …