Letter From Washington: The US Just Blasted Balkan Authoritarians – Or Did It?
The recently-passed Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act shows that some US lawmakers still care about the region. But it doesn’t mean that Donald Trump is going to tell Aleksandar Vucic to be nicer to student protesters. Original post Here
PM Kurti claims victory in Kosovo vote, no clear majority
Tirana Times PRISTINA, Kosovo December 29, 2025. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti secured another clear electoral victory in Kosovo’s repeat parliamentary election on Sunday, with his left wing Vetëvendosje movement significantly expanding its lead over rivals but once again failing to secure the parliamentary majority needed to govern alone, according …
Deputy PM Balluku Arrest Bid Shakes Albania’s Rule of Law
Will Parliament Lift the Deputy Prime Minister’s Immunity? Tirana Times, December 28 th , 2025. Albania has entered one of the most serious institutional confrontations since the launch of its justice reform, as the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) formally requested parliamentary authorization to arrest Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of …
Tirana’s Construction Boom and the Flow of Dirty Money
TIRANA, December 26, 2025 – Albania’s decade-long construction boom, long portrayed as a sign of growth and urban renewal, is increasingly being scrutinized as a vehicle for laundering illicit capital. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, combined with years of investigative reporting and analysis by Tirana Times, points …
Secret tenders, violence and kidnappings, BIRN: The staggering profits of AKSH contractors
Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …
Saudi Arabia Leads AI Readiness in MENA, Emerges as Global Governance Power
As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …
New Chief of Albania’s Anti-Graft Prosecution Vows ‘Tough Approach’
Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here
Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK
By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …
Opposition Takes to the Streets Over State Capture and Blocked Justice
Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …
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 …