Albania PM Denies Using Govt Funds to Blackmail Voters
Opposition cries foul after Prime Minister Rama warned voters in an opposition stronghold ahead of May 14 elections that his government will not ‘collaborate’ with municipalities that vote against him. Original post Here
The trial for the dismissed magistrates/ Former constitutional judge accused of concealing wealth
Today took place the trial of the former constitutional judge Fatos Lulo, who was charged with concealment and non-declaration of assets. Journalist Ermal Vija told ABC News that through the defense lawyer, Lulo asked the court to suspend the process with the argument that he has addressed the Special Appeals …
Italy, Albanian youth busted with cocaine shipment
21-year-old Albanian man has been arrested by the Italian police after he was caught with a load of cocaine in the port of Vado Ligure, in Savona. According to the Italian media, it is about an amount of 85 kilograms of cocaine divided into 75 packages. The cocaine shipment was …
Brazil bids to chair the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Brazil presented, on April 10th, the candidacy of Mrs. Thelma Krug for the presidency of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for a mandate during the Panel’s 7th assessment cycle (2023 to 2028). The IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. …
Op/ed: The Balkans are coming apart
The US and EU are failing in the Balkans. They need to change direction, writes Daniel Serwer. Bosnia faces the risk of secession In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serb member of the state presidency, Milorad Dodik, is reiterating his intention to declare independence. He nominally seeks incorporation into Serbia. His current issue is that …
Serial pharmacies’ thief arrested in Tirana
A 37-year-old man has been arrested this Wednesday in Tirana in the frwmework of police operation coded “Tracing”. Citizen with initials E.B was arrested after having committed several thefts in several pharmacies in Tirana in recent months. Specifically, on 31.01.2023 and on 19.03.2023, he stole different sums of money, in …
Romania man prosecuted for not declaring over GBP 18,000
A 32-year-old man from Romania has been criminally prosecuted, as he did not declare an amount of money after arriving in Rinas. During the physical check, citizen A.C was found to have 18,500 pounds, which he had not declared at the border, as required by law. In the meantime, the …
Kukes, young man arrested on domestic violence charges
A 37-year-old man was put in handcuffs by the Kukës police this Wednesday after being accused of domestic violence. According to the police, the citizen M. A., 37 years old, resident in the village of Topojan got arrested after having violated his uncle. Following arrest, the procedural materials were passed …
Salary increase/Rama: Great turnaround in the economy
This Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting with the government cabinet, where it seems that the economic performance and the May 14 campaign were in focus. The head of the government stated that our country has already made a big turn in terms of the economy, emphasizing …
Football academy in Durres will be assisted by Manchester United
Manchester City, is the Academy which will assist the football academy established in Durres. Rama will travel today to Britain, accompanied by the mayor of Durres, Emiriana Sako and the Minister of Education and Sports Evis Kushi, to sign an agreement with the Albanian government. The agreement envisages the construction …
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