The European Parliament agree on EU visa liberalization with Kosovo
This Tuesday, the European Parliament said yes to the liberalization of visas for citizens of Kosovo. The members of the European Parliament voted in favor of visa liberalization for Kosovo, and on April 19, the ceremony for signing the legal act is expected. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta …
Electronic voting is tested, head of CEC: The device is 100% safe
In three municipalities, namely in Kamëz, Vorë and Elbasan, voting will be done electronically in the May 14 elections. The head of the CEC, Ilirjan Celibashi, guaranteed from Elbasan that the device ensures 100% secrecy of the vote, so he invited the citizens not to hesitate to vote on May 14. …
Q&A: Emigration is a regional issue and long-term effort is needed to address it, says Croatian Ambassador to Albania Zlatko Kramaric
Tirana Times interviews the Ambassador of Croatia to Albania, Zlatko Kramaric, on Croatia’s decade in the EU, relations with Albania and Western Balkans integration prospects. Q: Albania and Croatia enjoy a very good bilateral relation with collaboration in many fields. How do you find the relations at the moment of …
Albanian court rules Turkish crypto scam kingpin can be extradited to his homeland to face trial
TIRANA, Apr. 18, 2022 – Albania’s High Court has court ruled to allow the extradition of Fatih Ozer to face a trial in his homeland of Turkey, where he is wanted for allegedly scamming nearly 400,000 people out of millions dollars through a cryptocurrency exchange. Ozer was arrested last year …
Albania Economists Slate PM’s ‘New Salaries’ Pledge as ‘Unrealistic’
PM Rama’s promise to hike wages, starting in the public sector, has been deemed totally unrealistic by a range of economic experts. Original post Here
Confidence Tricks: Tirana’s Place in an International ‘Investment’ Scam
Fake ‘call centres’ across Albania were part of a lucrative stock market investment scam operating across Europe; the suspects include an Albanian man with significant political connections. Original post Here
Svetlana Timofeeva: ‘My Passion for Ruins Landed me in Albanian Prison’
Through a written interview from her cell in the Ali Demi prison in Tirana, the Russian blogger accused of espionage tells about her ill-fated adventure in Gramsh, her months spent in isolation – and her fear of possible extradition to Putin’s Russia. Original post Here
How Fear of Albanians Went Mainstream in 1990s Italy
The anti-Albanian campaigns in the British media today are all too reminiscent of the targeting of Albanians in Italy and Greece 30 years ago – and need to be fought, not indulged. Original post Here
Society for Albanian Studies calls for nominations for the annual Stavro Skendi Book Prize
TIRANA, April 12, 2023 – Nominations are being sought for the Stavro Skendi Book Prize for Achievement in Albanian Studies, the organization that governs the award said in a statement. Awarded by the Society for Albanian Studies – an affiliate organization of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian …
Isolation is not a joke: Leaving the ICSID would be a bitter mistake
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL Albania’s troubles with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) seem to be expanding well beyond the infamous case of settling over the closure of Agon Channel and the hefty fine of 120 million euros that the country has to pay up to Italian investor …
Balkan members of the Catholic Church have praised “broad-minded, spontaneous” Pope Leo XIV for his education, experience and openness. Original post Here
Tirana Times, May 8,– On May 11, 2025, Albania will hold its tenth parliamentary elections since the fall of communism in 1991 – a moment expected to be decisive not only for the political fate of the main parties but also for the democratic future and European orientation of the …
The Socialists and Democrats are still likely to dominate the Albanian political landscape after elections on May 11, but a cluster of new parties and the introduction of diaspora postal votes are threatening to shake things up. Original post Here
The Democratic League of Kosovo has filed 17 lawsuits in a fresh legal challenge against the outgoing prime minister, Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, and his ministers. Original post Here
Anonymous social media accounts, a lack of financial transparency and the unethical use of AI could have an impact on voter opinion ahead of Albania’s May 11 parliamentary election, BIRN has found. Original post Here
In an interview with BIRN, Zef Mazi, Albania’s former chief negotiator with the EU, poured cold water on Prime Minister Edi Rama’s election promise of EU accession by 2030. Original post Here
TIRANA, Albania , May 6th (Tirana Times ) — On May 11, Albanians will head to the polls for parliamentary elections marked by a crowded field of contenders: 53 political parties and over 2,000 candidates will vie for 140 seats in the national legislature. While this diversity may signal political …
President Begaj welcomes His Majesty Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with a solemn ceremony. May 2, 2025 | TIRANA, Albania Tirana Times In a visit marked more by symbolism than substance, Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein arrived in Tirana on Friday for …
Tirana Times | May 2nd | Prishtina, Kosovo — A unique cultural bridge between Kosovo and Saudi Arabia was inaugurated on Thursday with the opening of the “Urat” exhibition in central Prishtina, showcasing the Kingdom’s rich Islamic and cultural heritage. Organized in partnership between the Islamic Community of Kosovo and …
The involvement of individuals with criminal backgrounds or ties to the underworld among Albania’s so-called strategic investors must be examined in a broader context. Politically, this phenomenon represents one of the clearest signs of the symbiosis between crime and politics — and of the state being effectively captured by organized …