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Kosovo Parliament fails to pass resolution banning President negotiate border with Serbia

The Parliament of Kosovo failed on Thursday to vote a resolution banning country’s President Hashim Thaci to discuss ‘correction of border’ with Serbia. The opposition-sponsored resolution was not supported by ruling coalition MPs in a vote held after two a heated debate in Parliament on who should be leading the …

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Kosovo, the best place for starting a business in 2019

Kosovo ranks as the best place in South-East Europe for starting a business in 2019, according to the latest Doing Business in 2019 report of the World Bank Group, released on Wednesday. Kosovo is ranked as 13th, followed by Moldova, 14th, Slovenia, 38th, and Serbia, 40th, according to the report. …

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Kosovo Security Force won’t replace KFOR, says PM Haradinaj

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj said the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) will not replace KFOR and is willing to cooperate with the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Original post Here

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Austrian Chancellor Kurz to visit Kosovo

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is set to visit Kosovo next week. On Tuesday he will meet President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to discuss dialogue with Serbia and the EU perspective of Kosovo. Original post Here

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Opposition says Kosovo’s President wants a deal with Serbia without US, EU

Members of Kosovo Parliament have convened on Wednesday to discuss in an extraordinary session a resolution proposed by the opposition parties in an effort to stop President Hashim Thaci from discussing potential land swap with Serbia. Original post Here

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Kosovo’s Thaci met EU Commissioner Hahn in Minsk

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, who is in Belarus attending the Munich Security Conference (MSC) met on Wednesday the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn. Original post Here

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Head of EU Office urges Kosovo leaders to stop giving timelines on visas

The Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, called on political leaders to stop giving deadlines on lifting visas for Kosovo citizens. Original post Here

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Specialist Prosecutor meets Kosovo’s Minister of Justice

Minister of Justice, Abelard Tahiri has received on Tuesday Jack Smith, the Specialist Prosecutor of the special court investigating war crimes in Kosovo. The US chief prosecutor in his first visit to Kosovo, in addition to Minister of Justice has met also international organizations, and EU representatives in Kosovo. Original …

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Kosovo Prime Minister urges political parties to unite on dialogue with Serbia

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj called on all political parties to find a common language when it comes to the dialogue with Serbia. He made the comments ahead of an urgent Parliament session expected to be held on Wednesday when MPs are expected to discuss setting red lines in the …

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Serbia promises Kosovo Serbs €50 million investments

The Government of Serbia is expected to invest over 50 million Euro in the Serb inhabited areas in Kosovo by 2020, Serbia’s Prime Minister has said on Tuesday, according to media in Belgrade. 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

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 …

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 …