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Veseli says Vucic wants Ujman Lake belongs to Serbia

Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, and Speaker of Parliament, Kadri Veseli, in a Facebook post confirmed that Serbia wants to take over the Ujman Lake located in the Serb-controlled northern part of Kosovo. Original post Here

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KFOR: Nobody is threatening Vucic in Kosovo

After Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who during his visit to Kosovo was banned from visiting the Drenica region, has reacted KFOR saying that is working in coordination with Institutions in Kosovo and Kosovo Police to ensure the safety of the President of Serbia. Original post Here

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Kosovo Police stops Serbia’s President Vucic from visiting Drenica

Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, who is visiting Kosovo, on Sunday morning tried to visit the village Banja of Skenderaj which is inhabited by Serbs, but he was turned back by the Kosovo Police. Vucic decided to continue with the planned visit despite Kosovo Government’s order and protests of local Albanians …

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Vucic: Happy to be in Kosovo, I feel great

“I am very happy to be here, I feel great,” these are the first words of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic after he kicked-off his two-day visit to northern part of Kosovo. Original post Here

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Serbia’s Vucic to visit Kosovo tomorrow

Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic in his addressing to nation confirmed he will go ahead with his planned visit to Kosovo on Saturday despite announcements of authorities in Pristina that he would be barred from entering Kosovo territory of he insists visiting the Gazivoda Lake in the north. Vucic challenging Kosovo …

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Veseli tells Thaci not to negotiate Kosovo borders

Parliament Speaker Kadri Veseli urged President Hashim Thaci not to negotiate change of borders during dialogue with Serbia. He said territorial integrity of the state is unnegotiable. The PDK chairman made the statements a day ahead of Thaci’s visit to Brussels when he is expected to meet his Serbian counterpart …

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Minister of Trade and Industry dissmissed at his party’s request

Social-Democratic Initiative – NISMA, a party represented in ruling coalition, asked the Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to release from duties their member Bajram Hasani as Minister of Trade and Industry. The Government’s spokeswoman Donjeta Gashi confirmed the news to media. Original post Here

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KSF ready to become Kosovo army, says PM Haradinaj

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, met today General Salvatore Farina, Italian Army Chief of Staff. During the meeting Haradinaj said the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is ready to become army. Original post Here

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Opposition says land swap between Kosovo and Serbia means tragedy

Chief of the parliamentary group of the opposition party of LDK, Avdullah Hoti, attending a debate on Wednesday hosted by Jeta Xharra dubbed “Game with Borders: War or Solution in Balkans?” said the LDK is against opening such a discussion. Hoti also said the idea on swpaing lands has its …

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Gazivoda Lake and North will not be discussed with Serbia, says Kosovo President

President Hashim Thaci says the idea on land swap, or as he refers “correction of borders” is the only solution to finally end the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia. But he says that there will be no partition of the northern part of the country. According to Thaci Kosovo will …

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Toxic Smoke and Broken Promises: Albania’s Waste Crisis Exposes Deep Rot in Governance

ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …

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Serbia on Edge as Vučić’s Legitimacy Crumbles

As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …

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Albanian MPs Adopt National Anti-Disinformation Strategy Amidst Opposition

Opposition parties and media unions condemn new strategy adopted by parliament, claiming the government wants to use it to exert more control over the media. Original post Here

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Week in Review: Anniversaries, Challenges and Conflicts

As BIRN celebrates two decades of work, there never seems to be a dull moment in the region, as our selection of Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

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Arrests at Bankers Petroleum Spark Questions Over Albania’s Oil Industry and Accountability

By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …

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Massive Fraud Uncovered: Bankers Petroleum Under Fire for Decades of Tax Evasion and Billions in Untaxed Oil Revenues

CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …

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Rama Rebukes Farage: Albanian PM Slams “One-in-50” Prison Claim as Post-Brexit Scapegoating

 While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …

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Skopje Summit Revives EU Enlargement Hopes — But Ignores the Democratic Erosion in the Balkans

The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …

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Albania’s ‘Lads of London’ Create Bigger Problems for Their Home Country

A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here

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The Silent Collapse of the Tower Euphoria

By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …

News

Toxic Smoke and Broken Promises: Albania’s Waste Crisis Exposes Deep Rot in Governance

ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …

News

Serbia on Edge as Vučić’s Legitimacy Crumbles

As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …

News

Albanian MPs Adopt National Anti-Disinformation Strategy Amidst Opposition

Opposition parties and media unions condemn new strategy adopted by parliament, claiming the government wants to use it to exert more control over the media. Original post Here

News

Week in Review: Anniversaries, Challenges and Conflicts

As BIRN celebrates two decades of work, there never seems to be a dull moment in the region, as our selection of Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Arrests at Bankers Petroleum Spark Questions Over Albania’s Oil Industry and Accountability

By Tirana Times Staff FIER/TIRANA, July 2, 2025 — In a stunning development that has shaken Albania’s oil sector, police arrested the current CEO of Bankers Petroleum, Chinese national Hongping Xiao, and the company’s former director, Leonidha Çobo, during a surprise raid on the company’s headquarters in Fier on Tuesday. …

News

Massive Fraud Uncovered: Bankers Petroleum Under Fire for Decades of Tax Evasion and Billions in Untaxed Oil Revenues

CEO Arrested, €4 Billion in Oil Sales Revealed, and Zero Profit Tax Paid to the Albanian State FIER/TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) — Albania’s largest oil producer, Bankers Petroleum, is at the center of a sweeping scandal that prosecutors say involves one of the most egregious cases of tax fraud and …

News

Rama Rebukes Farage: Albanian PM Slams “One-in-50” Prison Claim as Post-Brexit Scapegoating

 While Turning UK Migration Debate into Personal Stagecraft TIRANA TIMES — July 2, 2025 — A fiery public exchange between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and British right-wing populist Nigel Farage has brought the issue of Albanian migration into the political spotlight once again — but this time with a …

News

Skopje Summit Revives EU Enlargement Hopes — But Ignores the Democratic Erosion in the Balkans

The participants of the Growth Plan Summit, 1 July 2025, Skopje; Photo: European Commission By Tirana Times SKOPJE, July 2, 2025 — The European Union’s renewed enthusiasm for enlargement took center stage at this week’s Growth Plan Summit in Skopje, where EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos joined the leaders …

News

Albania’s ‘Lads of London’ Create Bigger Problems for Their Home Country

A social media row between British right-winger Nigel Farage and Albania’s premier Edi Rama over the level of crime committed by Albanians in the UK misses the main point. Original post Here

News

The Silent Collapse of the Tower Euphoria

By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …