Blog
News

Apostolova urges Kosovo leaders not to raise expectations on waving visas

Kosovo’s Ministry of European Integration launched on Wednesday an awareness campaign on visa liberalisation as the country is making final steps to get visa-free regime with the EU Schengen area. The campaign is aimed at informing citizens what they should expect in terms of rights and obligations under a visa …

Read More
News

Kosovo Democratic Party to elect its leader in December

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has started Wednesday its internal election process which will be concluded in December with election of the new leader and other bodies of this party. The news has been confirmed by the PDK deputy chairman, Enver Hoxhaj. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo man convicted of inciting terror

A Kosovo man identified as Rakip Avdyli, has been convicted Wednesday by the Court in Peja to one-and-a-half years in prison found guilty of distributing in Facebook materials in support of ISIS, as well as for inciting the other accused Kreshnik Podvorica to carry out suicide attacks. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo U19s draw 0-0 with Austria in first game of European Qualifiers

The Kosovo U19 national team opened the European Qualification adventure with a goalless draw against the U19 national team of Austria. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo’s PM Haradinaj met Quint ambassadors, discuss visa liberalisation

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj met on Wednesday ambassadors of Quint and Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo holds gay pride parade

Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday in Kosovo’s capital – Pristina to attend a gay pride parade for the second straight year in the capital. The event held in Pristina’s main square was followed by music and participants held rainbow flags and banners reading “In the Name of Freedom,” which was …

Read More
News

Kosovo’s President visit to the north to provoke partition, says PM Haradinaj

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said Tuesday the only way to keep alive President’s proposal on correction of border with Serbia, is provoking unrest in the northern part of the country inhabited by Serbs. He made the comments a day after President Hashim Thaci urged the Prime Minister to “correct” …

Read More
News

Serbian Police arrest attackers on two Albanians in Novi Sad

Four people have been arrested in Serbia’s northern city of Novi Sad suspected of attacking two young Albanians over the weekend. Original post Here

Read More
News

Land swap proposal has exposed deep rift of Kosovo President, Prime Minister

Kosovo’s President and its prime minister are in sharp disagreement over the proposal on “correction of border” which is put forward by the President and is strongly opposed by Prime Minister. PM Ramush Haradinaj said Monday the correction of border idea “is dead’ and expressed “his condolences” to all supporters …

Read More
News

Kosovo defends KLA values through a special law

Parliament’s Committee on Education has approved on Monday the Draft Law on defending the values of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war which fought Serbian forces during 1998-99 liberation war of Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
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 …

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 …