Blog
News

Kosovo’s Haradinaj resists US national security officials advice to suspend tax

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and President Hashim Thaci hosted Wednesday US national security officials, John Erath and William Berkley, who urged Kosovo to suspend tax on Serbian and Bosnia Herzegovina goods. Haradinaj in a Facebook post indicated that the tax will not be revoked despite US officials call. But …

Read More
News

Pacolli calls on Serbian President Vucic to recognise Republic of Kosovo

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, in an open letter to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic urged him to recognise the Republic of Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo counts on American-Albanians, says PM Haradinaj

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, hosted Wednesday an American-Albanian delegation, headed by Mark Gjonaj, who is New York Council member, and said that Kosovo counts on the help of Ameircan-Albanians. Original post Here

Read More
News

Belgrade attacks Kosovo Serb minister for 'working against Serbia’s interests’

Director of Serbia’s Government Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, said after meeting Kosovo Serb political representatives that they don’t see a solution between Pristina and Belgrade is near. Original post Here

Read More
News

Theater in Belgrade: Vucic pretends like he is halting Serbs from leaving Kosovo institutions

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said Wednesday that Kosovo Serb political representatives want to leave all institutions of Kosovo, but allegedly he told them to wait at least 45 days with until he met the world leaders. Vucic hosted today in Belgrade representatives of Srpska List, a political entity which is …

Read More
News

Kosovo supports territorial integrity of Ukraine

On fifth anniversary of annexation of Crimea by Russia, Kosovo unequivocally supports territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Original post Here

Read More
News

High-level delegation of MEPs to visit Serbia, Kosovo

The EP will send a delegation of MEPs to Belgrade and Pristina from 27 February to 2 March to take stock of the political situation and assess the EU’s relations with Serbia and Kosov, the EU Office in Pristina confirmed. Original post Here

Read More
News

Anti-Government protest in Albania turns violent

Albanian police clashed in Tirana with protesters staging a demonstration against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Original post Here

Read More
News

Tax prevented agreement on Kosovo’s partition, says Haradinaj’s advisor

Erolld Belegu, advisor to Ramush Haradinaj, says the Prime Minister is persistent in keeping the 100 percent tax on Serbian and Bosnia-Herzegovina goods. Original post Here

Read More
News

No secret talks with Serbia, says advisor to Kosovo President

Ardian Arifaj, advisor to Kosovo president Hashim Thaci, says a potential agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is of benefit for the region. Original post Here

Read More
News
Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News
Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News
BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News
Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News
NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News
Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News
Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News
Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News
Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News
The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

News

Week in Review: Boom and Bust

From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive

When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here

News

BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News

Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News

NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News

Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News

Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News

Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News

Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News

The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …