Deputy PM Balluku Suspended as SPAK Probe Widens
By Tirana Times Staff Tirana 20, November 2025.The suspension of Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime marks one of the most consequential judicial interventions against a senior government official since the creation of SPAK. The court accepted the Special Prosecution’s request …
Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Visit Signals a New Middle East Order
By Dr. Arben Ramkaj The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington may emerge as one of the defining diplomatic moments of this decade. Nothing about this trip was improvised. For weeks, senior Saudi officials travelled to the U.S. capital to prepare the ground, defense …
Digital Rights Review: Journalists and LGBTQ+ Groups Targeted Online
BIRN’s monitors registered a series of digital attacks on media content, online harassment of journalists and threats against LGBTQ+ groups across the Balkans and Southeast Europe in September and October. Original post Here
Albania Opens Last Negotiation Cluster With EU
As Albania begins its last cluster of topics in its EU accession talks in Brussels – only one year after starting negotiations – Prime Minister Edi Rama expresses pride in his country’s achievement. Original post Here
Week in Review: Stuck in the Status Quo
Whether it’s political crises, corruption or political monopolies, our Balkan Insight Premium stories this week highlight the stalemates that so often hold the region back. Original post Here
Opposition Aghast at Albanian PM’s Public Backing for Indicted Deputy
Analysts and opposition MPs say Prime Minister Edi Rama’s public backing for his indicted deputy is a direct challenge to the fight against organised crime and corruption. Original post Here
Tirana Mayor Set to Run Albanian Capital from Prison Cell
Mayor Erion Veliaj looks on course to continue governing the city from his jail cell – after the Constitutional Court annulled his dismissal and PM Edi Rama said he will not call early elections in Tirana. Original post Here
Letter From Brussels: Judgment Day for the Balkan Hopefuls
In the first of her monthly dispatches from the heartland of the European Union, Gjeraqina Tuhina looks at which Balkan states have been getting gold stars – or black marks – from the enlargement commissioners. Original post Here
Multigenderism’s Curious Impact
1. The Last Cycle of Extremist Ideologies in the Old Continent – Council of Europe In 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the final version of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), which contained many useful provisions. However, Article 3(c), which …
Balluku Charges Test PM Rama’s Power
TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) November 11, 2025. The criminal charges filed against Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku over the Llogara Tunnel project have pushed Albania’s flagship justice reform into uncharted territory, bringing prosecutors closer than ever to the core of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The Special …
Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari met today with the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Lamallari briefed the delegation on Albania’s progress in implementing recommendations and strengthening democratic standards. “Albania has also made steady progress toward the EU. We have concrete reforms and results recognized by international …
President Vjosa Osmani hosted a farewell reception as she left office. Among the guests was Eva Palatova, acting head of the EU office in Kosovo. The EU office in Kosovo said Palatova attended the reception and thanked Osmani for her years of cooperation. “As Kosovo’s most trusted partner, the EU …
On World Autism Day, celebrated every year on April 2, the Parliament building lit up blue. Blue is the international color for autism awareness. Each year, state institutions join this global initiative. It shows their commitment to raising awareness for this social cause. World Autism Day aims to increase public …
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said institutions and society must stand with children with autism and their families. She stressed the need for understanding, support, and love for this group. “Every child deserves to be heard and supported,” she said. Osmani called for greater inclusion and ongoing care for children with …
The Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) held an awareness event today for World Autism Day. The event was organized with the National Club of Parents of Children with ASD & P.A.K. and the “Asim Vokshi” Linguistic High School. The goal was to raise public awareness and promote inclusion of …
Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha joined a virtual meeting called by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Over 40 countries attended. They discussed the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed it amid ongoing conflict. Hoxha said countries coordinate through diplomacy and politics to …
EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato said fighting disinformation requires promoting independent and professional media. It also requires strengthening freedom of expression. Gonzato said independent media forms a key pillar of EU rule-of-law principles. It also shows a country’s readiness to join the European Union. He said, “Disinformation affects public …
Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said Albania faces a historic opportunity to join the European family. He told the Socialist Assembly in Unit 14 that major powers now support Albanians concretely. He said Albania has never had such a clear chance to become a full EU member. …
Albania remembers actress Margarita Xhepa on her birthday. She remains an undisputed icon of the stage and screen. Her legacy continues to inspire generations. She was born on April 2, 1932. She became one of the brightest figures in Albanian theater and cinema. She performed dozens of roles that shaped …
The leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), Ali Ahmeti, reacted through an open letter on social media regarding recent developments in North Macedonia, emphasizing that the issue of the Albanian language cannot be put into question. In his message, Ahmeti underlined that a stable state is built on …