Speaker signs Laws on transition of KSF into Army of Kosovo
Kosovo’s Parliament Speaker Kadri Veseli has signed today the laws on transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an army. On 14 December, the Parliament of Kosovo passed three laws with overwhelming numbers that it would form an army. Original post Here
Kosovo Prime Minister expects visa liberalization soon
Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj expects the European Union will liberalize visas for Kosovo soon adding that the decision has nothing to do with Kosovo Government’s decision to impose tariffs on goods from Serbia countering Belgrade’s aggressive campaign against Kosovo statehood. Original post Here
Kosovo Government approves its offer in dialogue with Serbia
The Government of Kosovo has approved on Tuesday a draft of the Comprehensive and Legally-Binding Agreement between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia. Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office, Avni Arifi, presenting the draft said the main objectives is that Kosovo and Serbia respect sovereignty and territorial integrity …
EU seeks to bypass Kosovo Government wants President Thaci in dialogue with Serbia
The European Union sent a letter to Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj reminding him that President Hashim Thaci will continue leading the high level dialogue with Serbia in Brussels. The letter was written after Kosovo Parliament approved a new negotiation team in dialogue with Belgrade. Original post Here
Situation calm in the north after Kosovo Parliament vote on Army
The Kosovo Police Deputy Director of Mitrovica North station, Besim Hoti, told Gazeta Express the situation in northern part of Kosovo is calm and the police is acting based on an operational plan drafted earlier. Kosovo Serbs gathered in Mitrovica North to protest Pristina’s decision on transforming the Kosovo Security …
EU regrets Kosovo’s move to form an army
The European Union’s foreign policy chief has expressed regret over Kosovo’s move to form a new army. The Parliament of Kosovo has passed on Friday legislation on transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an army. Original post Here
Government congratulates citizens on Kosovo Army
The Government of Kosovo has congratulated citizens after the Parliament passed a package of laws enabling transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an army stating that the army is the final step on consolidating country’s statehood ten years after declaration of independence. Original post Here
Kosovo Army serving to peace, President Thaci
President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci says newly established Kosovo Army will contribute to peace in the region and in peaceful operations all over the world. The Parliament of Kosovo voted on Friday a package of laws enabling transition of the Kosovo Security Force into an army. Original post Here
Kosovo Army will serve to all, says PM Haradinaj
Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj addressing media after Parliament’s vote on transition of the KSF into an army said that Kosovo Army will never be used against its people either it in the north or anywhere else and pledged that the newly established armed force of Kosovo will serve to all …
NATO reacts after establishment of Kosovo Army
The Parliament of Kosovo passed on Friday a package of laws initiating the process of transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an army. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a statement saying that he regrets the decision was made despite the concerns expressed by NATO. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 15, 2026 – Albania’s banking sector enters 2026 with growing caution, as banks operating in the country anticipate an increase in non performing loans despite strong demand for credit. According to the latest CESEE Banking Lending Survey conducted by the European Investment Bank for the second half …
After the US paused visa processing for 75 countries, including Albania, the opposition in Tirana has accused the government of getting the country put on Trump’s “blacklist”. Original post Here
Saudi Arabia welcomes Washington’s decision and reaffirms joint stance against extremism Tirana Times, January, 14, 2026 – The United States has officially designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as terrorist organizations, marking a major shift in Washington’s approach toward political Islamist movements. The announcement immediately drew …
Albania included among weak or failing states despite being a NATO member Tirana, Tirana Times, 14 January 2026 – Washington’s decision to suspend U.S. visa processing for Albania, effective January 21 and for an indefinite period, marks one of the strongest diplomatic signals sent to Tirana in years. Albania has …
In the Western Balkans, “security” is rarely an abstract concept. It is encountered as a lived condition, shaped by memory, geography and a persistent awareness that stability can erode when trust is thin. Security, in this context, is not discussed only in strategic documents or institutional language, but reasoned through …
Albania’s government is poised to waive business tax debts more than a decade old, as part of what it says is a reset in relations between the tax authorities and businesses. Critics say it is unfair on those who have played by the rules. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
On a locked down November afternoon in 2020, as Europe grappled with Covid 19 restrictions, two Albanian men based in Belgium exchanged a handful of encrypted messages. Deciphered years later from the Sky ECC platform, their words captured a watershed moment in Europe’s cocaine trade. A shipment measured not in …
BIRN reporters trace the rise of Albanian crime gangs to the top of the European cocaine trafficking ladder, from remote parts of Paraguay to European Union ports. Original post Here
Political polarisation and government pressure on the judiciary – sparked by investigations of top politicians – could hinder Albania’s rapid progress towards European Union membership. Original post Here