President Begaj host Lord Stuart Peach
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, received today the Special Envoy of the British Government for the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach. President Begaj praised the great attention that the British government pays to the Western Balkans region, as well as hailed Lord Peach’s role in promoting strong democratic …
Sentenced to 8 years in prison, an Albanian is arrested in Italy
In Rinas, it has become possible to capture an Albanian sentenced to eight years in prison in Italy for several crimes. The police inform that the arrested person is Dritan Hyka (Asimaj), from Vlora. The procedures to extradite him to Italy will now begin. Internationally wanted, sentenced to 8 years …
SPAK won’t adjudicate January 21 protest killings’ lawsuits
Lawsuits on the “January 21” murders by the Minister of Justice, Ulsi Manja and the Socialist Party (SP), will be reviewed by the Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana. Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) declared incompetence and transferred the reports to the Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation. The …
Albanian FA troops in Turkey rescue a 5-year-old child
The Albanian search and rescue forces in Turkey are working against the rubble and the freezing weather. It is reported that the Albanian FA troops saved the life of a 5-year-old child and pulled out 6 dead bodies from the ruins. “Or FA troops have been working for hours, non-stop, …
Number of Albanians with residence permits in Greece falls
Greek Ministry of Immigration and Asylum published data on the issuance of residence permits for foreign immigrants living in Greece, most of whom are immigrants from Albania. According to official data in the month of December 2022, there are 285,842 Albanian immigrants with residence permits in Greece, which make up …
Albanian arrested in Italy for cocaine shipment
Over 60 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a container of bananas have been discovered in Italy. Local media write that the shipment of bananas, in which the narcotic substance was found, came from Ecuador. An Albanian citizen, whose identity is not known, ended up in handcuffs for the shipment. He …
SPAK officially investigates Fatmir Mediu for “Gërdec”
The Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime submitted the request for trial for the former minister, Fatmir Mediu. Mediu is accused of the criminal offense “Abuse of duty” committed in cooperation, as well as for the commission of the criminal offense “Abuse of duty” in cooperation with a …
Another lawsuit? Shkëlzen Berisha in SPAK
15 years after the tragedy with 28 victims in Gërdec, Shkëlzen Berisha, the son of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, seems to be facing a new lawsuit, from the new justice. While SPAK decided to send for trial Fatmir Mediu, at that time Minister of Defense, the Special Prosecutor’s Office …
Ukraine War Increases Media Freedom Violations in Europe: Report
Media freedom violations continued to increase in central and south-east Europe in 2022 with increasing pressure from governments, threats of violence and defamation lawsuits, said a new report by Media Freedom Rapid Response. Original post Here
ABC News in Turkey/ After the earthquake, the two countries are engulfed by snow, chaos at the Istanbul airport
After the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria the day before, causing thousands of deaths, a cold storm with snowfall has plunged Istanbul into chaos. The situation is conveyed to ABC News by the journalist Arlind Isa, who today traveled to Turkey to bring the situation to the areas …
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