SPAK seeks halt of drugs probe on Selim Çekaj
Special Prosecution against Organized Crime and Corruption (SPAK) has demanded this Thursday the suspension of the investigation for Selim Çekaj, accused of trafficking 49 kg of cocaine from Ecuador to Albania. Çekaj is the father of Arbër Çekaj, convicted for trafficking 613 kg of cocaine that entered Albania through his …
At least six injured in Tirana bus-car crash
An accident has been recorded this Wednesday morning in the Sauk area of the Albanian capital, where a Tirana-Petrela line bus was hit by an “Audi” vehicle. Due to the accident, 6 people were injured, while the driver of the “Audi” and a passenger are currently receiving treatment at the …
“Vote buying”, Kim appeals to institutions to do their job
The Ambassador of the United States of America, Yuri Kim, reacted this Wednesday regarding the political situation created in our country before the May 14 elections. In a statement to journalists, Kim also commented on the latest information about vote buying a few days before Election Day. The American diplomat …
Fishermen saved after crash with ferry on Durres shore
Three fishermen have been rescued in the early hours of this Wednesday morning after they were left in the open sea, after the vehicle they were sailing with was damaged as a result of the collision of a Bari ferry on the coast of Durres. Fishermen have been identified as …
Tirana, two punished on vote-rigging charges
One person has been arrested and another has been prosecuted this Wednesday morning during the police operation coded “The Promiser”. Citizen K.A., 52 years old, was put in handcuffs and the 61-year-old citizen A.D. was processed in a free state, because in cooperation with each other, they communicated about buying …
Socialist candidate’s car for Has municipality burned
Vehicle of the Socialist Party (SP) candidate for municipality of Has, Beqir Mulaj, has been burned inside his garage during the initial hours of this Wednesday morning. Initial suspicions are in place that Mulaj’s car was accidentally burned. This event has taken place comes 4 days before the elections, so …
Begaj: We should guarantee justice, through the correct implementation of the judicial map
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, this Wednesday participated in the conference on the topic “Judicial practice of the Supreme Court, from national identity to universal values”. Begaj requested that the new judicial map be properly implemented, where he emphasized that it is important that the reform in the …
Albania’s PM endorses President Erdogan in upcoming Turkish elections, raising concerns at home over breaking protocol
TIRANA, May 9, 2023 – Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has released a video in which he addresses the Turkish people ahead of the May 14 presidential elections, voicing support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is running for reelection in a tightly contested race. Speaking in Albanian with Turkish …
Elbasan Interreligious Collaboration Center issues statement on upcoming elections
ELBASAN, May 9, 2023 – On the occasion of the elections for local government and mayor on May 14, the Interreligious Collaboration Center in Elbasan has called on all citizens of the city and all of Albania to participate “in these important elections with determination, but also calmly and in …
‘My eyes were dark, I was possessed”, the testimony of the Albanian who killed his daughter in Italy
“I couldn’t see anything. In front of me was only blackness, it was total darkness, like I had the devil in my brain”. This was the confession of the 45-year-old Albanian Taulant Malaj, the Albanian who killed the 16-year-old girl with a knife as well as the Italian citizen Massimo …
Energy suppliers in southeastern Europe are heavily politicized and sometimes nefarious. The US can aid democratic stability through energy engagement. By David J. Kostelancik When Congress passed the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), it sent a clear signal: energy security in Southeastern …
New changes to the Albanian criminal code that only partially abolish defamation as an offence have been criticised by media freedom organisations, citing concerns over freedom of speech. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 26, 2026 – Albania’s attempted entry into the Peace Board has become a revealing episode, not because of the significance of the initiative itself, but because of the way Albania’s leadership chose to stage and communicate it domestically. The Peace Board represents a new and ambitious international …
Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania has joined the Peace Board, a newly established international mechanism initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at overseeing peace agreements and post-conflict stabilization efforts, with an initial focus on the Gaza Strip. The Peace Board was formally launched during the World Economic …
The crisis deepens as the government shields Deputy PM Balluku and a criminal network emerges in AKSHI Tirana Times, January 25, 2026 – Albania’s main opposition party returned to the streets on Saturday with a second national protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, challenging the legitimacy of his fourth term …
Forty-one environmental organisations from 28 countries have called for a halt to the planned development by Jared Kushner of Albania’s Sazan island as a luxury resort, saying it threatens the valuable biodiversity of the area. Original post Here
Kosovo, Bulgaria and Turkey have signed the Board of Peace Charter, under Donald Trump’s auspices, but several other Balkan countries are still pondering whether to join the initiative. Original post Here
Balkan countries are continuing to sacrifice their remaining clean river stretches to development and pollution, a new assessment warns. Original post Here
The Bulgarian mystic’s doomy predictions continue to grab headlines in Albania and elsewhere – even though many seem fabricated and sometimes appear to serve Russian geopolitical narratives. Original post Here