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Arrested for abuse of duty, doctors released

The court of Tirana has released the doctor and technician of the imaging service at QSUT (Mother Teresa Hospital), who were taking bribes from patients to do scans. The court has ordered suspension from duty for three months. Nazmi Metaliu and Astrit Mansaku were arrested on charges of corruption and …

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Rama shares images of works in Llogara tunnel

Prime Minister Edi Rama started this Saturday morning with a view from the newly opened Llogara tunnel. He published a video from the tunnel on social networks and wished all the citizens a good weekend. “GOOD MORNING. And with these exclusive footages along the entire length of the newly opened …

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Three Charges against former official, Alda Klosi

The prosecution has filed three charges against Alda Klosi. The police arrested Alda Klosi on the evening of Friday, February 3, after it is suspected that in December, more than 120 thousand euros and 30 thousand dollars were stolen from Rozeta Dobi, who worked as a sanitary worker in Klosi’s …

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Traffic jam at border with N. Macedonia as system Hacked

Long queues of cars are reported at the Qafe Thana border crossing this Saturday since 6:00 am. The cause seems to be the malfunction of the system at the Macedonian Customs, which has caused delays. It is reported that this was a result of the hacking of the system on …

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Prying Eyes: Illegal Cameras Reveal Crime’s Hold on Albania

Albanian police have recently dismantled some 451 illegally erected CCTV cameras, which experts see as a worrying sign of the power of organised crime structures. Original post Here

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Rama: “Formula 1” races in the future might be held in Albania

Prime Minister Edi Rama has participated in the international competition of the “Auto Moto Park Albania” project that will be built in the city of Elbasan. The 5 best design studios of such structures, authors of the most popular Formula 1 tracks, have expressed interest in this Albanian investment. It …

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Tirana doctors arrested on corruption charges

A doctor and an imaging technician who worked at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center have been arrested this Friday by Tirana police on corruption charges. Doctor Nazmi Metali and imaging technician Astrit Mansaku had taken money from patients to avoid the standard hospital procedure about their scannings. Investigations showed …

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Navy helicopter squadron completes rare training in Albania

US Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, conducted ground training in Albania recently. “The U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, conducted inland training in Albania recently. The rare training …

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Young motorbike rider crashed to death in Tirana

A road accident that led to the death of a young man was recorded a few minutes before Friday midnight, in the Fresku area of Tirana. Police revealed that a car and a motorcycle were involved in the accident, and as a result the collision proved fatal for the citizen …

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Over 20 illegal cameras busted in Vlora

Police of Vlora have uninstalled this Friday 26 illegal cameras located on the streets of the coastal city, as it is suspected that they were put up by people involved in the world of crime. Authorities have criminally prosecuted four people and work is underway to discover the elements suspected …

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Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

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Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

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Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

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The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

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Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …

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Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France

Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here

News
The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order

by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …

News
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 2026

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

News
Balkan Govts Scramble to Safeguard Citizens in Middle East Conflict Zone

Some Balkan countries are planning to evacuate stranded citizens from the conflict zone around Iran, others have already managed to fly people out – although some have only issued security warnings. Original post Here

News
Albanians Pay Price of Legal Row over Wastewater Treatment Project

For decades, sewage from the Albanian capital has been discharged untreated into the waters of the Lana River in Tirana. Original post Here

News

Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

News

Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

News

Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

News

The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

News

Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …

News

Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France

Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here

News

The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order

by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 2026

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

News

Balkan Govts Scramble to Safeguard Citizens in Middle East Conflict Zone

Some Balkan countries are planning to evacuate stranded citizens from the conflict zone around Iran, others have already managed to fly people out – although some have only issued security warnings. Original post Here

News

Albanians Pay Price of Legal Row over Wastewater Treatment Project

For decades, sewage from the Albanian capital has been discharged untreated into the waters of the Lana River in Tirana. Original post Here