U.S. designates Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations
Saudi Arabia welcomes Washington’s decision and reaffirms joint stance against extremism Tirana Times, January, 14, 2026 – The United States has officially designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as terrorist organizations, marking a major shift in Washington’s approach toward political Islamist movements. The announcement immediately drew …
Washington suspends visas for Albania
Albania included among weak or failing states despite being a NATO member Tirana, Tirana Times, 14 January 2026 – Washington’s decision to suspend U.S. visa processing for Albania, effective January 21 and for an indefinite period, marks one of the strongest diplomatic signals sent to Tirana in years. Albania has …
NATO Values as Security Infrastructure: Evidence From Student Conversations
In the Western Balkans, “security” is rarely an abstract concept. It is encountered as a lived condition, shaped by memory, geography and a persistent awareness that stability can erode when trust is thin. Security, in this context, is not discussed only in strategic documents or institutional language, but reasoned through …
‘Fiscal Peace’: Albanian Amnesty for Tax-Dodging Businesses Branded Unfair and Opaque
Albania’s government is poised to waive business tax debts more than a decade old, as part of what it says is a reset in relations between the tax authorities and businesses. Critics say it is unfair on those who have played by the rules. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: January 12, 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
How Albanian Organized Crime Conquered Europe’s Cocaine Market
On a locked down November afternoon in 2020, as Europe grappled with Covid 19 restrictions, two Albanian men based in Belgium exchanged a handful of encrypted messages. Deciphered years later from the Sky ECC platform, their words captured a watershed moment in Europe’s cocaine trade. A shipment measured not in …
Port-to-Port: How Albanians Conquered the European Cocaine Market
BIRN reporters trace the rise of Albanian crime gangs to the top of the European cocaine trafficking ladder, from remote parts of Paraguay to European Union ports. Original post Here
Albania in 2026: Battles With Anti-Graft Prosecutors Risk Slowing EU Progress
Political polarisation and government pressure on the judiciary – sparked by investigations of top politicians – could hinder Albania’s rapid progress towards European Union membership. Original post Here
Heavy Rains Cause Evacuations and Discontent in Albania
Dramatic situation reported in several towns, while some locals complain of being abandoned. Original post Here
Albania Under Water: A Return to a Hobbesian State of Nature
TIRANA TIMES, December 6, 2025 – Albania is once again under water. Torrential rains over the past days have triggered massive flooding across almost the entire country, exposing not only the fragility of urban infrastructure but, more fundamentally, the long-term failure of governance. From the northern plains to the southern …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha reacted to the protest of Albanian students in North Macedonia. They demand the right to take exams in Albanian. In a post on X, Hoxha said the use of the mother tongue is a fundamental right. The Constitution and the Law on …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha spoke about the Fourth Diaspora Summit in a TV interview. This year’s summit will focus on economic, social, and cultural issues. It will include discussions on integrating the diaspora into Albania’s development. Hoxha said the three previous summits strengthened ties with the …
After week 30 of the Abissnet Superiore, national youth team coaches picked the best lineup and coach of the week. They used a 1-4-4-2 formation. Goalkeeper: Romeo Harizaj (Vora) kept a clean sheet against Teuta. Defenders: Faton Neziri (Dinamo City), Eljon Sota (Egnatia), Elmando Gjini (Vllaznia), Luciano Vera (Tirana). Midfielders: …
Prime Minister Edi Rama released a new book. It is called At the Moon’s Table. The book collects his speeches from iftar dinners. Moreover, Rama said he wrote it out of love for the Albanian language. “I love my language. Therefore, I write. Printing it in a book preserves it,” …
The Directorate for the Investigation of Cyber Crimes at the State Police has raised the alarm this Monday about the circulation of fraudulent SMS messages, which falsely appear as notifications from postal services regarding package deliveries. According to the official announcement, these messages contain suspicious links and urge citizens to …
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, after a two-hour meeting with the leader of Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, confirmed that there was nothing new from the meeting. However, Kurti remains optimistic that through meetings they can reach an agreement, though not from today’s meeting. “While we no …
Today in Skopje, hundreds of Albanian law students in North Macedonia staged a large protest, demanding the use of their mother tongue in graduation exams—a right that exists in practice only on paper. With chants such as “Albanian language is our right,” “We speak Albanian,” and “There is no state …
Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, reacted to the protest of Albanian students in North Macedonia, emphasizing that the use of one’s mother tongue is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution and the Law on the Use of Languages. In a post on X, Hoxha underlined …
The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, stated this Monday on Euronews Albania, in an interview with Thimi Samraxhiu, that Albania’s EU accession process has not been blocked by any country and, according to him, the process is continuing. The minister also emphasized that the process is demanding …
Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, gave an exclusive interview to Euronews Albania with moderator Thimi Samarxhiu regarding the country’s EU integration process and its international relations. In the interview, Hoxha also focused on relations with Greece, which, according to him, are currently among the best they …