Ramazan Rraja to remain in prison
The Special Court has left in prison Ramazan Rraja, who was arrested for the assassination of former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja and his friend, Aleksandër Laho. The session took place behind closed doors, while ABC News journalist Ermal Vija reports that Rraja has denied any connection to the event. Today, five …
Tirana Mayor’s appeal on Eid al-Fitr day
Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj has called Friday for unity and love as he wished all Muslim believers a happy Eid al-Fitr. On the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, Veliaj said that today Tirana is more united than ever, while expressing the desire that the spirit of cooperation …
Wanted Elbasan man caught on drugs, weapons charges
A 30-year-old wanted for narcotics and military ammunition was handcuffed by the Elbasan police this Friday. According to the police, the 30-year-old with the initials D.B. was declared wanted two years ago after the court of Elbasan had given the security measure “Arrest in prison, for the criminal offenses “Production …
Albania Moves to Establish Local Arbitration Court to Replace ICSID
Despite warnings that it could deter investment, Albania is pushing ahead with plans to establish a local commercial court to replace the World Bank-funded international arbitration body. Original post Here
PM’s congratulatory message on last day of Ramadan Month
Prime Minister Rama started this Thursday morning with a greeting for all Muslim believers, accompanying it with images of last night’s Iftar. Head of Government released this congratulatory message as today is the last day of the blessed month of Ramadan, which also means the last day that Muslim believers …
Ibrahimaj: We approved several draft decisions on salary increases
Albanian government has approved the salary increase for some sectors, specifically in health, education and in the field of security. The Minister of Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, said that the government made the decision to increase the salaries of support employees of the public administration. “We approved an important draft law, …
Justice minister seeks solving of Lezha businessman’s assassination
Minister of Justice Ulsi Manja has underlined Thursday that the murder that happened on Wednesday in Lezha, where businessman Ardian Nikulaj was shot to death must be solved and the killer must be put to justice. After the government meeting regarding the salary increase, he was asked about the accusations …
Tirana businessman kidnapped by brothers
Two brothers are accused of having taken hostage and violated businessman Gjergji Fela, 47 years old, on Wednesday evening in Tirana. Police announced this Thursday that 35-year-old Alban Bejo has been arrested and his 28-year-old brother Fatmir Bejo hasbeen declared wanted. Everything took place in Kombinat area of the capital, …
Turkish cryptocurrency boss is extradited to Turkey
This Thursday morning, the specialists of Interpol Tirana, those of the Elite Force RENEA and the services of the General Directorate of Prisons, handed over the citizen Faruk Ozer, 29 years old, to the counterparts of Interpol Ankara, with the aim of extraditing him to Turkey. The 29-year-old was arrested …
“Democratic Party in abnormal situation”, Alibeaj talks about the meeting with Glover
In the studio of Tirana Live on ABC News, the commanding head of the PD, Enkelejd Alibeaj commented, among other things, on the meeting held with the head of the OSCE-ODIHR mission, Audrey Glover. Alibeaj said that he informed Glover on the violations encountered according to him in the electoral …
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