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Elbasan Interreligious Collaboration Center issues statement on upcoming elections 

ELBASAN, May 9, 2023 – On the occasion of the elections for local government and mayor on May 14, the Interreligious Collaboration Center in Elbasan has called on all citizens of the city and all of Albania to participate “in these important elections with determination, but also calmly and in …

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‘My eyes were dark, I was possessed”, the testimony of the Albanian who killed his daughter in Italy

“I couldn’t see anything. In front of me was only blackness, it was total darkness, like I had the devil in my brain”. This was the confession of the 45-year-old Albanian Taulant Malaj, the Albanian who killed the 16-year-old girl with a knife as well as the Italian citizen Massimo …

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Rama’s congratulatory message on ‘Europe Day’

Prime Minister Edi Rama congratulated May 9, Europe Day. In a post on social networks, he has published a table in which it is written: “Europe is here. Albania is Europe”. Europe Day is the date when were taken the first step towards the creation of what is now known …

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Many mayor candidates undergoing in-depth probe ahead of May 14 polls; CEC’s head

Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Ilirjan Celibashi, has underlined this Tuesday that 10 candidates for mayor and 28 for council members have been sent for more in-depth investigation ahead of the May 14 local elections. In his speech, Celibashi informed that candidates who have been put under scrutiny …

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Elections Albanian Style: In Remote Town, Govt Flexes Muscles for Chosen Candidate

Dibra Municipality, in Albania’s impoverished north, has a history of manipulated elections. The polls due on May 14 are no different, as the government throws everything behind its candidate. Original post Here

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Four arrested for different crimes in Tirana

Four people have been arrested this Tuesday by the Tirana police for various criminal offences. Police revealed that the detainees were arrested for dealing cocaine and cannabis, stealing and domestic violence. “Narcotics Investigation Specialists arrested citizens: – A. C., 38 years old, resident in Tirana, after during the physical check …

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Tirana, 20-year-old goes missing

A 37-year-old woman asked this Tuesday for the help of the police to find her son, who has left his home. Concerned mother filed a report on her son’s disappearance to the police, which announced that efforts are being made to find him. Meanwhile, the materials were passed to the …

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The murder of Albanian businessman, Albania without an extradition agreement with Morocco

Yesterday, Portuguese citizen, Ruben Saraiva, who was the executioner for the murder of businessman Ardian Nikulaj in the bar owned by him in Shengjin, was arrested in Morocco, after he had traveled to this country from Greece. But regarding the extradition agreement with Morocco, the relevant authorities have in the …

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Child Pornography, Hate Speech and Cybercrime Surge in Balkans

Romania and Croatia saw a rise in child pornography cases, hate speech and discrimination were reported elsewhere in the Balkans, cybercrime and other online violations increased. Original post Here

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Veliaj filed a lawsuit against Berisha, today’s session at Special Court

The head of the Municipality of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, appeared today in the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), where he will participate in the first session of the trial against Sali Berisha. The mayor has sued Berisha for defamation for the statements he has …

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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 …

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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 …