EU integration/Varhelyi: European Union must keep the promise
After the meeting of the EU-Albania Association Stabilization Council, European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said that the EU must keep their promise for Albania’s integration into the European bloc. During his speech at the joint conference with Prime Minister Rama and Josep Borrell, he said that Albania has made progress. Varhelyi …
Tirana man arrested for attempted murder
A 48-year-old man has been arrested by the Vora police this Thursday morning after he tried to kill a person with a shotgun. This event took place in the premises of Vora area in Tirana, where the perpetrator Edmond Picari forcibly entered the bar where Ervin Picari was staying and …
Arrest warrant for Bulqiza’s mayor on corruption charges
Mayor of Bulqiza, Lefter Alla will be remanded into police custody, as he is accused of corruption and abuse of public tenders. Arrest warrant has been issued by the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bulqiza have conducted …
Albanian Opposition Faces Obstacle to Entering Local Election Race
The official opposition Democratic Party has been blocked from running in the May local elections over a legal technicality – which can only help Prime Minister Edi Rama’s governing Socialists. Original post Here
Vjosa officially National Park/Rama: We will protect forever the wildest river in Europe
The Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Tourism, Mirela Kumbaro are in Tepelena, where they are participating in an activity for the presentation of the Vjosa River as a National Park. During his speech, the head of government described the declaration of Vjosa as a National Park as …
Albania commemorates Gerdec blast victims
Albania commemorates this Wednesday 15 years since the tragedy of Gerdec, where 26 people lost their lives and more than 300 others were injured after a powerful explosion in a warehouse for the dismantling of ammunition. As a result of this explosion, hundreds of houses around the area in Gerdec …
Meeting of the Association and Stabilization Council, Borrell and Varhelyi in Tirana
The High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, will visit Tirana today. The visit will last two days, March 15 and 16. After Tirana, Skopje will be the next stop for Borrell and commissioner Várhelyi. Initially, Borrell is expected …
New temporary SPAK prosecutor appointed
Olsi Dado has been appointed this Wednesday as a temporary prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). This was confirmed by the High Prosecutorial Council (HPC), as Dado has been ordered at the request of the head of SPAK, Altin Dumani for work needs. In …
Arrested RENEA officer involved in heroin trafficking
New details have come to light this Wednesday regarding the arrest of RENEA operative Altin Morina, who yesterday was caught in his car with 113,000 EUR, 290,000 new ALL and 80 GBP. Morina is suspected of being involved in the trafficking of heroin and cocaine, with criminal groups in Tirana, …
Albania’s ‘Wild River’ Vjosa Declared a National Park
After years of campaigning by environmentalists, Albania’s Culture Minister Mirela Kumbaro declared that the free-flowing River Vjosa and the land around it are now a national park and protected by law. Original post Here
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