Before He’s Even Started, Albania’s New Police Chief Has Phone Seized in Probe
Days before he is due to officially start the role, Albania’s police chief-elect, Ilir Proda, has had his mobile phone seized by anti-corruption prosecutors over a suspected leak of information to a notorious organised crime group. Original post Here
Albanian MPs Reported to Special Prosecution over Parliament Violence
Police have accused 25 opposition lawmakers of destruction of property following violent scenes at parliament. Original post Here
E-Government in the Balkans Still a Work in Progress: BIRN Report
A new BIRN report says a lack of funds and political will means that e-government services and open data provision in the Balkans remain very limited. Original post Here
Analysis: Imprisonment of opposition MP for making public accusations sets stage for new political reality in Albania
TIRANA, Oct. 1, 2024 – The recent conviction and imprisonment of Ervin Salianji, a prominent opposition MP in Albania, has ignited intense debates about the independence of the country’s judiciary and its implications for democracy as well as radicalized opposition action in parliament and on the streets. Salianji, a member …
Albania and North Macedonia’s EU ‘Decoupling’ Causes Dismay in Skopje
Reports that the EU plans to push ahead with Albania’s EU accession talks, independently of North Macedonia, puts renewed scrutiny on Tirana’s true reform readiness, while risking deepening a sense of alienation in Skopje. Original post Here
Omnipotence for the hour
This is the story of a young man who one day was granted unlimited power for one single hour. How or why this happened is not important. What’s important is that it did happen. Now, this young man happens to live in Albania, or Tirana to be exact. Lucky coincidence, …
Albania Police Officers Feel Starved of Choice Over Food Coupons
After the government changed the way it compensates police officers for overtime, swapping cash for coupons, some complain that they are effectively forced to spend them in a single supermarket chain. Original post Here
Is appointed the prosecutor who will execute the decision for Salianji
The lot is cast in the Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana, where the prosecutor Elona Alvora has been assigned to execute the decision of the General Court of Appeal for the 1-year prison sentence of the democratic deputy Ervin Salianji. The order is expected to be delivered to the police, while …
Salianji in prison, is revealed the document for the Democratic Party deputy
The request that the prosecutor’s office of the Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana, Elona Alvora, has sent to the Assembly and the police for the execution of the decision for the democratic deputy, Ervin Salianji, is clarified, after the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the First Instance for the …
“I am a political prisoner”, Salianji before arrest: I will continue the denunciations
Democratic MP, Ervin Salianji, the last conference with journalists at the headquarters of the Democratic Party, awaiting his arrest, after the appeal upheld the sentence of 1 year in prison, for the “Babale” case. Salianji declared that he is a political convict and that he will go to prison as …
Albania continues to attract growing numbers of visitors through cruise tourism, with the Port of Saranda remaining one of the country’s main gateways for foreign tourists during the summer season. The Port of Saranda welcomed the cruise ship Seabourn Quest today, carrying 467 passengers who chose to explore the Albanian …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-3″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-3″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-8″ data-turn=”assistant”> The Albanian government has decided to temporarily suspend construction work and related activities in tourist areas during the summer season. The measure takes effect immediately and will remain in force until September 15, 2026. The announcement was made by Tourism Minister …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”1b47f020-c5ab-4529-8422-350d4c117adb” data-turn-id-container=”1b47f020-c5ab-4529-8422-350d4c117adb” data-testid=”conversation-turn-9″ data-turn=”user”> Prime Minister Edi Rama has shared new footage on social media showing the progress of construction works on the Elbasan–Qafë Thanë road, describing it as one of Albania’s most important infrastructure investments. *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-4″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-4″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-10″ data-turn=”assistant”> …
Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Saturday that excavations at a site where human remains believed to belong to people missing from the 1998–99 Kosovo war have been discovered could continue for months due to the difficult terrain and the scattered nature of the remains. Speaking to reporters …
MeteoAlb meteorologist Hakil Osmani has forecast another spell of extreme heat for Albania, warning that temperatures could climb as high as 41°C in several parts of the country during the first half of August. Speaking to Euronews Albania, Osmani said the first two weeks of the month are expected to …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-1″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:51b31d08-45ab-4324-af85-ba141333aa2f-1″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-4″ data-turn=”assistant”> More than half of Albanians cannot afford to spend one week on holiday away from home due to financial constraints. According to Eurostat data, which refers to 2025 for Europe and 2023 for Albania, around 53% of households in Albania are …
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”72f69213-2f23-4414-8091-864f914f4def” data-turn-id-container=”72f69213-2f23-4414-8091-864f914f4def” data-testid=”conversation-turn-5″ data-turn=”user”> Just 25 kilometers from the town of Maliq lies Strelcë, one of the best-known villages in the Gora region, which has experienced a revival in recent years thanks to the growth of mountain tourism. Once home to more than 300 houses …
The latest edition of the Sunny Hill Festival has kicked off in Bërnicë, Pristina, attracting thousands of music fans from Kosovo and abroad. The high turnout caused long traffic queues on roads leading to the festival grounds on the opening night. The highlight of the evening was the performance by …
The first weekend of August has brought a surge of visitors to Vlora, with the city’s beaches packed with both domestic and international tourists enjoying the peak of the summer season. The start of the month has seen a significant influx of holidaymakers, many of whom have chosen the Albanian …
Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at Washington’s shifting foreign policy priorities in the Balkans, a suspicious drug trawl, surging property prices and more. Original post Here