Kosovo-Serbia dialogue: Its implications for bilateral relations and domestic affairs of Albania
This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post Kosovo-Serbia dialogue: Its implications for bilateral relations and domestic affairs of Albania appeared first on Tirana Times. Original post Here
Albania Legalizes Cannabis Amid Crime and State Capture Fears
Albanian police during an anti-cannabis operation. Photo: State Police. TIRANA, 4 June 2025 , (TT) — The Albanian government has approved the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, issuing licenses covering 29,000 hectares of land stretching from the north to the south of the country — a move …
Makeover of Communist-Era Albanian Jail as Film Set Angers Survivors
The decision to use the former Spac labour camp to shoot a film – and repaint some of the buildings – has enraged former inmates and activists who say the works threaten to alter history. Original post Here
‘I’m Both’: Film Explores Experience of ‘Generation B’ Albanians in Greece
In Albgreko, a short documentary, the children and grandchildren of Albanians immigrants in Greece speak of feeling both Albanian and Greek in ways that those who came in the 1990s never could. Original post Here
Spectacle Over Substance: How Albania’s “War on Money Laundering” Ignores the Towers That Tell the Truth
At first glance, the Albanian government’s latest initiative to combat money laundering appears bold: an investigation into 400 luxury vehicles purchased by individuals with no declared income. Authorities have stated that if the owners fail to justify the source of funds used to purchase these high-end cars, the vehicles will …
The Book “The Journey of the Najdi Boy” as a Literary Bridge Between Saudi Arabia and Albania – The First Saudi Novel in the Albanian Language
By Jerina Zaloshnja The Albanian edition of “The Journey of the Najdi Boy” (Tirana Times, 2025) appears to mark an important milestone in the cultural history between Saudi Arabia and Albania: it is the first work of Saudi literature to be translated into Albanian. This publication results from the collaboration …
Albania-Italy Crime Nexus: Power, Profit, and Corruption
By | Tirana Times | May 29, 2025 ROME — Albanian criminal networks have entrenched themselves across Italy, forging strong alliances with the country’s most powerful mafia syndicates, according to a sweeping new report by Italy’s anti-mafia directorate (DIA), presented this week to the Italian parliament. The 424-page report—among the …
Share Your Experience: Ukrainian Refugees’ Integration in the Balkans, Spain, Poland, Italy
Did you leave Ukraine after the full-scale invasion started in February 2022? Did you find refuge in one of the Balkan countries? Did you manage to integrate? Tell us your story. Original post Here
Former President Meta Faces Corruption Charges in Politically Sensitive Case
TIRANA, Albania — Former Albanian President Ilir Meta and his former wife, current MP Monika Kryemadhi, have been formally indicted by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) on charges of corruption, money laundering, and concealment of assets—marking one of the most politically explosive cases since the country’s post-communist transition. Meta, a …
Western Powers Push to Turn Balkans into Migrant Buffer Zone, Stirring Rights Alarm
TIRANA TIMES, May 27, Albania — A growing wave of Western efforts to outsource the handling of rejected asylum seekers is turning the Western Balkans into what rights groups now describe as Europe’s “human warehouse.” At the center of the plan are proposals to build migrant detention centers in countries …
Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …
As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …
Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here
By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …
Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …
Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here
Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …
Tirana, Tirana Times, 19 December 2025 – International Arabic Language Day was commemorated in Tirana through a festive ceremony organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Albania, bringing together a broad representation of Albanian state institutions, the diplomatic corps, universities, the academic community, cultural …