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Serial Vlora thief arrested

A 39-year-old man has been arrested by Vlora Police this Wednesday morning, after being accused of a series of thefts in the coastal city. According to the police, Festim Gilani was responsible for 7 thefts in apartments in various neighborhoods of Vlora. Meanwhile, the police is working on documenting other …

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Greek ambassador visits elected Himara’s mayor in prison

Ambassador of Greece in Albania, Kostandina Kamitsi, arrived this Wednesday at the detention facilities of Vlora, where Fredi Beleri, the elected mayor of Himara has been detained. Beleri that ran under the slogan of “We win together” coalition , was arrested by the police a few hours before the elections …

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Former DP head of Peqin injured by gunfire

The former head of the Democratic Party in Peqin, Diell Çela, was injured by gunfire. It is learned that Çela had a conflict with a 55-year-old man, for weak motives. Çela arrived at the hospital to receive medical help. The suspected perpetrator has been identified as Sokol Dehima. We recall …

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SPAK takes over vote-rigging probe against jailed Himara’s mayor

Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has registered this Wednesday a criminal proceeding against Fredi Beleri, candidate of “Together We Win” for the municipality of Himara, who is accused of buying votes. Beleri is accused of having bought eight votes for 400.000 ALL, while according to the official …

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Rama at the Summit of the Council of Europe: Thaçi’s judgment baseless

Prime Minister Edi Rama this Wednesday is participating in the summit of the Council of Europe that is taking place in Iceland.  Rama started his speech at this summit by bringing to attention the unfair trial that is being done to the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army in The …

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Elections/ Meta: We will start the process of legal dispute

“Together We Win” coalition warns of not recognizing the results of the May 14 elections. Ilir Meta seems to have no intention of giving up in the face of the deep defeat on May 14, as he warned that he will start the process of legally contesting the result. Meta …

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Kadare’s ‘Chronicle in Stone’ published in Polish through Marek Jeziorski translation

The book’s translator and former Polish ambassador to Albania, Marek Jeziorski. TIRANA, May 16, 2023 – One of the most famous novels of renowned Albanian author Ismail Kadare is now available to Polish readers through the translation of Marek Jeziorski, Poland’s former ambassador to Albania.  Jeziorski, who spent more than …

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Socialists leading with number of municipal council’s members in Durres

Socialist Party (SP) has gained an initial advantage regarding the number of Durres Municipality Council’s members that have been voted during the May 14 local elections. Central Elections Commission’s (CEC) data showed that in the municipality of Durres, 12 of the 342 polling stations for the municipal councils have been …

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Tirana, man arrested for extorting EUR 70,000 from businessman

A 52-year-old man has been handcuffed this Tuesday by Tirana Police, on the charge of taking large sums of money from businessmen through fraud. Within the coded operation “Architect”, it became possible to arrest 52-year-old Shpëtim Hida, who was caught in the act of deceiving a businessman to extort him …

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Assault rifles found in Vau i Dejës’ house

Police officers located and seized this Tuesday inside a house in Vau i Dejës two firearms, which are suspected to have been used in criminal events. Law enforcement said that the weapons were found hidden in an apartment, which was used by a citizen with the initials P.GJ., who was …

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Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

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Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

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BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

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Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News
NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

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Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

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Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

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Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News
Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News
The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

News

Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News

BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News

Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News

NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News

Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News

Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News

Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News

Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News

The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …