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EU Office to politics: Keep your hands off the Kosovo Accreditation Agency

The EU Office in Kosovo in a statement issued Monday supporting the Kosovo Accreditation Agency, an independent body that guarantees the quality of educational and scientific research work in Higher Education Institutions in Kosovo. Head of EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, said their commitment to their mission is impressive …

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Haradinaj: If Serbia says it will never recognise Kosovo, we will never remove the tax

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told AFP in an interview that a deal between Serbia and Kosovo is possible this year but cannot include border changes, warning that territory swaps could revive old demons in the war-scarred Balkans. Original post Here

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Kosovo mulls fresh bid to join Interpol

Kosovo Police is working on renewing its bid to join Interpol following a failure to join this international police organization last year. Original post Here

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EU reiterates call for Kosovo to rescind tax, resume dialogue

European Union reiterated its stance that Kosovo should revoke the decision on imposing 100 percent tax on Serbian goods, and resume the dialogue with Serbia. Original post Here

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Kosovo Serb Minister about to resign, says Prime Minister

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj when asked Friday whether he will dismiss Minister of Agriculture, Nenad Rikalo, as requested by the opposition party of PSD in exchange of their vote for adoption of budget 201, said that he will honor the agreement with the PSD. Original post Here

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US Embassy urges Kosovo to suspend tax and restore dialogue with Belgrade

US Embassy to Kosovo urged again on Friday Ramush Haradinaj’s Government to immediately suspend the tariff on imports from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and resume the dialogue. Original post Here

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Kosovo vows full reciprocal measures against Serbia

Kosovo will take full reciprocal measures against Serbia if Belgrade continues its aggressive campaign, says Speaker of Parliament and leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK. Original post Here

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Land swap idea risks Kosovo-Serbia final agreement, says Hajredin Kuci

Hajderin Kuci, a senior member of the biggest political party in Kosovo, PDK, in an interview with Gazeta Express considers as ‘shocking’ the idea on exchange of territories between Kosovo and Serbia, saying the land swap ambitions led to bloody wars in Balkans. Original post Here

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Kosovo’s Olympic Champion claims gold at Grand Prix in Israel

Rio 2016 Olympic champion and former world champion from Kosovo Majlinda Kelmendi won golden medal after claiming four match wins with ippon at the the International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Prix in Israel. Original post Here

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Warrant issued for Kosovo Serb politician suspected of killing Oliver Ivanovic

Kosovo authorities issued a warrant for Kosovo Serb politician Milan Radojicic, suspected of being involved in killing of another political leader of Serbian community in Kosovo, Oliver Ivanovic, in January 2018. Original post Here

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 …

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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

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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 …

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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 …

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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

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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 …