Protest of Democratic Party, 3 detained and 1 officer injured
The national protest called by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha has ended without major incidents. The only moment when the situation heated up was after Berisha finished his speech. At that moment, the protesters threw Molotov cocktails towards the prime minister’s building. The journalist of ABC News, Xhensila Kodra, informs …
Protests/ About 1,000 officers on standby
The Tirana police have determined the plan of measures for the protest called today by the opposition, at 12:00, on the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” boulevard. About 1,000 police officers, law enforcement, FNSH and RENEA will be on the road. The police announces that starting at 06:00 on Saturday, parking of …
U.S Embassy warns citizens in Tirana: Avoid gathering
As in every protest and gathering in Tirana, even today the American embassy warns its citizens to be careful. In an announcement on the official website of the American embassy in Tirana, it appeals to its citizens to avoid the gathering. “A protest is planned to take place on Dëshmorët …
Protest of Democratic Party, the first images
The opposition led by the former prime minister, Sali Berisha, is holding the national protest on the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” boulevard. ABC News brings views from above the Boulevard. Along with Berisha in the square is the head of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta. Meta just came out of his …
Berisha: We are starting today the democratic revolution
From Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, while taking the floor at the protest, Sali Berisha said where the democratic revolution starts. “Dear people present in this popular tsunami of the democratic revolution. Albanians and Albanians, wherever you are, who have been waiting impatiently for this day, the great day of the …
Money laundering and part of a criminal group / SPAK demands 16 years in prison for two associates of Rezart Taçi
The Special Prosecutor’s Office requested 16 years in prison for two associates of businessman Rezart Taci. It is about Artur Balla, against whom SPAK demands a sentence of 8.8 years in prison, and Bledar Lilo, for whom 8 years in prison is demanded. The charges brought against them are “Cleaning …
Weed houses dismantled in Vlora and Selenica, several Arrested
Police of Vlora have conducted an operation in several villages in the municipality of Selenica and in Vlora in closed premises for shepherds’ houses. According to police sources, the action started at noon on February 9 and continued until the early hours of this Friday morning. Police sources in Vlora …
Vlora director informs on Anti-drug operation
VLora Police Director Ermal Muçaj has given details regarding the anti-drug action in Vlora, which led to the discovery of two “grow houses”, in which 6 people were arrested and two were declared wanted. The operation started at 11:00 on 09.02.2023, at the same time, in the neighborhood “10 Korriku” …
Gjiknuri in SPAK: Tirana-Elbasan among the most abusive projects
The General Secretary of the Socialist Party, Damian Gjiknuri, stated that he has appeared in SPAK to testify about one of the biggest abuses on the Tirana-Elbasan road, which according to him was contracted to be built with a value that started with 240 million euros and ended with 400 …
Earthquake tremors in Albania
Earthquake tremors were recorded a few moments ago in Albania. It is learned that the epicenter of the earthquake was in the village of Mjekës, about 7 km from Elbasan, while the tremors were recorded with a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale. The tremors were felt in several …
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