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Kosovo Government proposes 2019 budget

Kosovo Budget 2019 will be 2.3 billion euro which is expected to be highest ever for Kosovo. This was stated by Minister of Finances, Bedri Hamza, during Government’s meeting on Friday. Original post Here

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Kosovo President, Government vow not to discuss change of border with Serbia

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dardan Gashi, says the Government and President’s Office have agreed on Thursday not to talk on borders with Serbia delegation during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels. Gashi said the accord was reached during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj and the President Hashim Thaci. …

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Haradinaj in Montenegro: Redrawing borders in Balkans caused tragedies

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, during his visit to Montenegro met his counterpart Dusko Markovic and the Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, to discuss recent political developments in Kosovo, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

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Ex-KLA commander convicted of war crimes granted conditional release

Kosovo’s Supreme Court has granted conditional release to former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander, Jahir Demaku, who is convicted of mistreating civillians during the war in Kosovo in 1998-99. The Conditional Release Panel within the Supreme Court has rejected the request for conditional release of the other war crimes convict …

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Kosovo expects visa liberalisation by year’s end, says EU Minister

Kosovo Minister of the European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, who on Thursday attended the debate “association of the European Parliaments” in Strasbourg, asked the EU members to liberalise visas for Kosovo citizens by the end of this year, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

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European Investors Council condemns Thaci’s attack against insurance company director

The European Investors Council (EIC) has reacted after the physical attack against the director of private insurance company “Illyria”, Gianni Sokolic. Original post Here

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Kosovo man found guilty of war crimes against Albanians

The Basic Court in Pristina on Thursday found Skender Bislimi guilty of war crimes against Albanians civilians and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Original post Here

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Kosovo President’s brother involved in fight

Gani Thaci, the brother of Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci, has on Wednesday physically assaulted the director of the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (KIB), Blerim Pushkolli, as well as the director of the insurance company “Illyria”, Slovenian citizen Gianni Sokolic. Original post Here

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Montenegro officially joins NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo

Montenegro has on Tuesday joined the KFOR mission in Kosovo as the 29th troop contributing nation, which is the longest peacekeeping mission in NATO history. Original post Here

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Austrian President lobbying for Kosovo to get visa liberalisation by the end of year

Austrian President, Alexander Van der Bellen, was hosted on Tuesday by his Albanian Counterpart, Ilir Meta, Gazeta Express reports. During the meeting the two presidents discussed visa liberalisation for Kosovo. The Austrian President said that visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens should happen as soon as possible. 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 …