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Saranda, wanted man arrested on drug charges

Police arrested this Saturday a 26-year-old man from Saranda, sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison, for the criminal offense “Production and sale of narcotics”. It is about Edlor Omeri, who was declared wanted after the Saranda Judicial District Court sentenced him in absentia, following his arrest in …

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49-year-old wanted by Britain arrested in Tirana

A 49-year-old man declared internationally wanted, with the aim of extradition to Britain, has fallen into the hands of the Tirana police. It is about the citizen M.C, who was involved in a criminal organization for the purpose of drug trafficking. “This citizen was declared internationally wanted, after Stevenage Magistrates’ …

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Kruja, five arrested for setting up weed farm in army tunnel

Police officers have discovered this Friday a weed house inside an army tunnel in Krasta protected area of Kruja.  Law enforcement revealed that five people have been arrested, two of whom are OSHEE employees, while two others have been declared wanted. During the control, 390 suspected cannabis sativa narcotic plants, …

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Hearing on russian spy’s extradition postponed again

Court hearing against Russian citizen Svetlana Timofoeva, accused of espionage, has been postponed again this Friday, as the final conclusions will be discussed. Next session will be held on April 4 at 14:00, when the decision is expected to be taken.  In August 2022, Timofeeva was arrested along with two …

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Kruja’s mayor summoned at SPAK

Mayor of Kruja, Artur Bushi has appeared this Friday morning at the premises of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Against him have been filed several reports for abuse of office and violation of the equality of tenders.  Bushi has presented himself as a person who …

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PM Rama: Minimum salary 40,000 ALL

Prime Minister Edi Rama, during the meeting with businesses, also answered the critics that the increase in the minimum wage is done to win the elections. As Prime Minister Edi Rama pointed out, he said that the salary has not been increased within the campaign while adding that they do …

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Amendments on Start-ups’ law approved

Minister for Entrepreneurship Protection in the Albanian government, Edona Bilali has spoken this Friday about some changes in the law of Start Ups, underlining that this is an innovation of a very good result of the investment that started last year by the government. Bilali also spoke about the construction …

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Albania Lifts Bar on Democratic Party Running in Elections

A decision not to allow the opposition Democratic Party to compete in the local elections has been overturned, in a small victory for the divided party’s official leader, Enkelejd Alibeaj Original post Here

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Albania Has Paused ‘Golden Passports’ Scheme, Rama Assures EU

Bowing to criticism from the EU, Albania’s PM on Thursday said Tirana was temporarily scrapping its ‘golden passports’ scheme, in a meeting with Commission vice president Josep Borrell. Original post Here

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Meeting of Stabilization-Association/ Borrell in Tirana: Albania’s clear commitment to EU accession

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, is today in Tirana where he will participate in the Stabilization-Association Council. Glad to start my day in Tirana where we will hold the Stabilisation & Association Council with PM @ediramaal – historically for the 1st …

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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 …

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 …

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 …