CEC head’s letter on electoral crimes’ prevention to law enforcement
Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Ilirjan Celibashi has addressed a letter to the Prosecutor General, Olsian Çela, the head of the Special Prosecution against Organized Crime and Corruption (SPAK), Altin Dumani, as well as the Director General of the State Police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku. In his letter, Celibashi requests …
Mayor Veliaj meets Tirana suburbs’ residents ahead of local polls
Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj and socialist MP, Xhemal Qefalia, met this Thursday with the residents of Tufina, Fresk, Dajti, Zall-Herri, Shëngjergji and Zall Bastari, from where he thanked everyone who joined the Socialist Party’s (SP) the electoral campaign. During the gathering, Veliaj said that this was indeed a model …
SPAK seeks halt of drugs probe on Selim Çekaj
Special Prosecution against Organized Crime and Corruption (SPAK) has demanded this Thursday the suspension of the investigation for Selim Çekaj, accused of trafficking 49 kg of cocaine from Ecuador to Albania. Çekaj is the father of Arbër Çekaj, convicted for trafficking 613 kg of cocaine that entered Albania through his …
At least six injured in Tirana bus-car crash
An accident has been recorded this Wednesday morning in the Sauk area of the Albanian capital, where a Tirana-Petrela line bus was hit by an “Audi” vehicle. Due to the accident, 6 people were injured, while the driver of the “Audi” and a passenger are currently receiving treatment at the …
“Vote buying”, Kim appeals to institutions to do their job
The Ambassador of the United States of America, Yuri Kim, reacted this Wednesday regarding the political situation created in our country before the May 14 elections. In a statement to journalists, Kim also commented on the latest information about vote buying a few days before Election Day. The American diplomat …
Fishermen saved after crash with ferry on Durres shore
Three fishermen have been rescued in the early hours of this Wednesday morning after they were left in the open sea, after the vehicle they were sailing with was damaged as a result of the collision of a Bari ferry on the coast of Durres. Fishermen have been identified as …
Tirana, two punished on vote-rigging charges
One person has been arrested and another has been prosecuted this Wednesday morning during the police operation coded “The Promiser”. Citizen K.A., 52 years old, was put in handcuffs and the 61-year-old citizen A.D. was processed in a free state, because in cooperation with each other, they communicated about buying …
Socialist candidate’s car for Has municipality burned
Vehicle of the Socialist Party (SP) candidate for municipality of Has, Beqir Mulaj, has been burned inside his garage during the initial hours of this Wednesday morning. Initial suspicions are in place that Mulaj’s car was accidentally burned. This event has taken place comes 4 days before the elections, so …
Begaj: We should guarantee justice, through the correct implementation of the judicial map
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, this Wednesday participated in the conference on the topic “Judicial practice of the Supreme Court, from national identity to universal values”. Begaj requested that the new judicial map be properly implemented, where he emphasized that it is important that the reform in the …
Albania’s PM endorses President Erdogan in upcoming Turkish elections, raising concerns at home over breaking protocol
TIRANA, May 9, 2023 – Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has released a video in which he addresses the Turkish people ahead of the May 14 presidential elections, voicing support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is running for reelection in a tightly contested race. Speaking in Albanian with Turkish …
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
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
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
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
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 …
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
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 …
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 …
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
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 …