Albania elections, Berisha: This is “Spring of Change”
Berisha has considered Election Day the “Spring of Change”, while inviting Albanians to vote. “A call from the heart to all Albanian citizens. To speak today with their vote for local government. All those who were invited by the vicious enemy of the free vote to stay at home should …
EU ambassador invites citizens to vote
Ambassador of the European Union in Albania, Christinane Hohmann, has chosen this Sunday Elbasan to observe close-up the local polls process for the election of this municipality’s Mayor. In her speech, Hohmann stated that so far the day is calm and asked the citizens to participate in the elections and …
Fushe-Kruja, unidentified person throw opposition commissioner out of polling center
An incident has been recorded this Sunday in the voting center 1302/1 in the city of Fushë-Kruja. According to the police, unidentified persons entered this polling center and removed the opposition commissioner, Ilir Hyka from the premises. The Police Services, immediately after receiving the notification, went to the Voting Center …
Albanians head to polls to elect mayors, municipal councils
TIRANA, May 13, 2023 – Albania’s voters will head to polls Sunday to elect mayors and councils for the country’s 61 municipalities in the first competitive administrative elections in eight years. Two groupings have fielded the most mayoral candidates — the ruling Socialist Party of Albania (SPA) and the Together …
Athens Condemns Alleged Vote-Buying Arrest of Greek Politician in Albania
Police arrested Fredi Beleri, a Greek expatriate mayoral candidate in the southern Albanian municipality of Himara, on suspicion of vote-buying, sparking diplomatic protests from Athens. Original post Here
Albania, Greece spar over mayoral candidate’s arrest
TIRANA, May 12, 2023 – Albanian police have arrested the opposition’s candidate for the mayor of Himara on charges of vote buying, leading to a spat between Greek and Albanian authorities over the ethnic Greek party representative’s detention two days before the Albanian municipal elections. The arrested candidate, Fredi Beleri, …
The arrest of Fredi Beleri, the Greek ambassador emergency meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Greek ambassador in Tirana, Kostandina Kamitsi, met this morning with the director of the region at the Albanian Foreign Ministry. The Greek diplomat has expressed to the Albanian side her concern about the arrest of Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara. …
Fredi Beleri’s arrest, Dendias calls Rama
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias contacted Prime Minister Edi Rama after the arrest of Fredi Beleri for vote buying. The conversation between them comes after the Greek ambassador in Tirana, Konstantina Kamitsi, following Dendia’s instructions, held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sources told ABC News that the …
In Local Polls, Albania’s Socialists Face Opposition in Disarray
Campaign policies are in short supply ahead of Albania’s May 14 local elections, in which the ruling Socialists face a Democratic Party split in two. Original post Here
Fredi Beleri, the candidate for Himara Municipality is arrested
Fredi Beleri, the candidate of the “Bashkë Fitojmë” coalition for the municipality of Himara, was arrested. He was escorted shortly after midnight to the premises of the police department of Vlora. Sources told ABC News that Beleri was arrested on the charge of buying and selling votes. He was escorted …
A new cyberattack by Iran-linked Homeland Justice group targeting Albania’s parliament revealed the continued vulnerability of state digital systems and failures to implement basic security measures. Original post Here
Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the changing fortunes, power dynamics and neighbourly relations of countries and actors in South-east Europe. Original post Here
TIRANA, March 12, 2026 – Albania’s Parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, has refused to authorize the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, blocking a request by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime, SPAK, and triggering one of the gravest confrontations yet between …
Survey of women who gave birth recently reveals a “pervasive yet often hidden crisis of obstetric violence” and a widespread dissatisfaction with medical care. Original post Here
Ruling Socialist Party uses its majority in parliament to vote down a prosecution request to lift former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku’s immunity, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here
Brussels has already gone cold on a scheme to allow some aspirant countries like Albania and Serbia second-tier membership – but that doesn’t mean that other creative approaches to European enlargement are off the table. Original post Here
Journalists’ union welcomes ruling that says government-imposed one-year ban on social media platform was a ‘violation of freedom of expression and freedom of the press’. Original post Here
Tirana Times, March 10, 2026 – A cyberattack targeting Albania’s Parliament has revived one of the country’s most serious national security concerns, underscoring the return of a threat that Albanian institutions have come to associate with Iran linked retaliation. The breach, confirmed by Parliament on Tuesday, involved unauthorized access to …
The criminal charges facing former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku have dominated headlines in Albania for months – prompting her boss, Edi Rama, to pick a fight with the judiciary. Original post Here
Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …