Albania hosting ‘Defender Europe 2023’
Albania welcomes for the second time the “Defender Europe 2023” military exercise.During his speech, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that today Albania is higher than ever in terms of international respect. The head of the government said that the development of the exercise with the presence of American military troops …
Vehicle burned down on Arbri road
A car burned down this Sunday on Arbri Road. As can be seen from the images, the car is completely burnt. The event happened near the By-Pass of Murriz. According to the data, the Audi type vehicle caught fire in a mountainous area. Sources from the scene said that there …
A 39-year-old convicted of murder is arrested in Durres
A 39-year-old man in Manzë was arrested by the police after the decision of the Court of First Instance of the General Jurisdiction of Durrës, for his sentence of 18 years in prison. Citizen Afrim Kila, was recently under “House Arrest” security measures and was convicted for the murder of …
Elections in Greece, Malaj: Albanians should vote for their rights
The Albanian candidate Fatos Malaj from PASOK, one of the 7 Albanian candidates in the Greek elections, in an interview with ABC News stated that he expects the Albanians to vote for him. In his speech, Malaj expressed that it is important for Albanians to go to the polls and …
CEC approves results of May 14 elections in Tirana, Durrës
The Central Election Commission has approved the results of the May 14 elections for the Municipality of Tirana and that of Durrës. Thus, the chief commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi declared that Erion Veliaj is officially the winning candidate for the Municipality of Tirana, showing the valid votes that each of the …
OTP Bank Albania: Establishing a firm foundation to serve Albania’s dynamic economy and society
OTP Bank Albania CEO Bledar Shella Hungary’s largest OTP Bank Group entered Albania’s market four years ago, and its subsidiary OTP Bank Albania has recently grown further through a merger, positioning itself to to serve a greater portion of Albania’s economy, which it sees as a dynamic and promising. The …
Is Albania’s new dominant-party system here to stay?
By ANDI BALLA The ruling Socialist Party scored a sweeping victory in Albania’s May 14, 2023 municipal elections. SP won 54 out of 61 municipalities, including every single large city. Socialist mayors will govern more than 94 percent of the country’s population, adding to the SP domination at the national …
Mother, daughter prosecuted for trying to smuggle EUR 40,000 through Rinas
Rinas Police has seized 40,000 euros in the airport checks, while the mother and daughter who tried to cross the border were prosecuted in connection with the incident. The police informs that the large amount of money was hidden in the body of the two citizens, while the materials were …
Jailed Himara’s mayor to appear at court, might lose mandate
Candidate of the “Together We Win” coalition for the Municipality of Himara, Fredi Beleri, was arrested a day before the elections, after being caught buying votes, but was able to win the battle for the Municipality of Himara behind jail. Vlora’s Court imposed the measure of “prison arrest”, while he …
No settlement deal between Berisha, Veliaj on defamation Trial
Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, filed a defamation lawsuit against the former Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, after the latter accused him of ties to Iran and first session with the representation of the two parties was held this Friday. This session lasted only 20 minutes, where the lawyers of Berisha …
During last week’s visit to Israel, Albania’s Prime Minister used a private jet once owned by Sam Bankman Fried, now-jailed owner of crypto exchange FTX – but it’s unclear who footed the bill. Original post Here
The suspects are among 33 people accused of involvement in shipping a cargo of dangerous industrial waste from Albania to Thailand. Original post Here
The US president’s son-in-law wants to build a tourism development in southern Albania, but residents of the unspoilt strip around Zvernec say a dispute over ownership of the land is being ignored. Original post Here
Tropojë Mayor Indicted for Illegal Roadworks Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 – In a case related to alleged abuse of office, Albania’s Special Court has sent Tropojë’s mayor Rexhë Byberi and his deputy Abedin Kërrnaja to trial on charges of “abuse of office” related to local infrastructure projects. The officials are …
The Italy-Albania asylum ‘offshoring’ scheme is being studied by other Western European governments wanting to look tough on migration. But the case of Hamid Badoui, who took his own life after being held at an Albanian migrant detention camp, highlights the human cost. Original post Here
Balkan LGBTQ+ people, both in the region and in the diaspora, are often told that their identities are incompatible. It’s time to hear a different story – and learn more about the region’s pioneers. Original post Here
Plans by relatives of U.S. President Donald Trump to build a luxury resort in the scenic coastal area of Zvërnec have sidelined local residents and their property claims, while intersecting with a long-running court battle involving controversial real estate businessman Artur Shehu. By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The Murrizi Tunnel was opened to much fanfare in March last year, not long before a parliamentary election. Now the Albanian Road Authority says it has yet been certified for use. Original post Here
Tirana Times, 01 February 2026 – The release of more than three million pages of documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case by the United States Department of Justice has expanded the scope of one of the most disturbing scandals of the past decade far beyond the United States. The …