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Kosovo’s Minister calls on EU to keep its word on visa liberalisation

Kosovo’s Minister of the European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, called as ‘irrational’ dilemmas of some of the EU members related to visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. She said that such dilemmas seriously harm EU’s credibility. Original post Here

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Kosovo’s Parliament Speaker to ask Finland's support on visas, Interpol membership

Speaker of Kosovo Parliament, Kadri Veseli, has travelled on Tuesday to Finland as part of his lobbying tour in the EU member countries to get support on visa liberalisation and country’s membership in Interpol. Veseli in Finland is expected to meet highest state officials. Original post Here

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Serbia should support Kosovo’s Interpol membership, says opposition leader

Isa Mustafa, leader of the biggest opposition party in Kosovo, LDK, says it would be good for Serbia to support Kosovo’s membership in Interpol. Original post Here

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Kosovo Parliament urgent session postponed

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Xhavit Haliti, has decided to call off Tuesday’s extraordinary session of Parliament due to procedural issues. Original post Here

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UN Security Council to discuss Kosovo report tomorrow

The UN Security Council will convene on Wednesday in New York to discuss regular report on Kosovo by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres despite request of some of the permanent countries the quarterly report on Kosovo be removed from regular agenda. Original post Here

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EP Rapporteur: Apartheid with visas in Kosovo should not be allowed

Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for Kosovo, Igor Solted, said that “apartheid with visas for Kosovo should not be allowed.” Original post Here

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Kosovo’s PM admits he was invited to become part of Serbia’s partition plot

Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, says President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is luring politicians in Pristina to consider giving Serbia northern part of Kosovo populated mainly by Serbs, in exchange of recognition of country’s independence. Original post Here

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Kosovo asks Germany’s support on visa liberalisation, dialogue with Serbia

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, has travelled to Berlin, when he will meet senior German officials to discuss visa liberalisation for citizens of Kosovo. Original post Here

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No official confirmation on Thaci-Putin meeting, according to Russian news agency

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in a Tweet on Monday announced that he held a brief conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Paris. But Russian news agency Tass reports that the Kremlin made no announcements about the meeting. Original post Here

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Kosovo’s Thaci publishes a photo with German Chancellor Merkel

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci took social media on Monday to publish a joint photo with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Thaci spent his weekend in Paris where he attended commemorations of the end of World War I. In addition to joint photo with Merkel, Thaci also published photos with other …

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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 …