Kosovo is not fashionable!
By Sylë Ukshini The greatest ambassador of the Albanian nation in the world, of all time, has been and will remain, without any doubt, our world-renowned writer, Ismail Kadare. In an article written exclusively for the well-known French newspaper “Le Monde” on December 14, 1999, he recounted ten years earlier, …
Italy Sends Second Migrant Ship to Albania as Legal Disputes Continue
After an initial attempt to send refugees and migrants for processing in Albania failed, owing to Italian court rulings, a second ship with eight on board arrived in Shengjin port on Friday. Original post Here
Donald Trump’s Comeback is Bad News for Bosniaks and Kosovars
Bosniaks and Kosovo Albanians will be lucky if all Washington does is ignore them under Donald Trump’s new administration, while Serb leaders and populists like Hungary’s Viktor Orban will feel emboldened. Original post Here
Central and Southeast Europe’s Populists Celebrate Trump Win
The region’s populists could hardly contain their glee at the return of the former president to the White House. Original post Here
Bosnian Serb Leaders Hold Cocktail Party to Toast Trump Victory
The US-sanctioned president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, threw a cocktail party in honour of Trump’s victory in the American presidential elections, saying his win “symbolises a return to values we hold dear”. Original post Here
‘Like Prison’: How African Migrant Workers Suffer Exploitation in Albania
Migrant workers from Africa have told BIRN about having to surrender their passports on arrival in Albania, working unpaid overtime and facing deportation once they are no longer required. Many are left with debts to the agencies that act as middlemen. Original post Here
How Allocation of EU Rapporteur Jobs Might Impact Western Balkan Accession Hopes
The names of the new EU rapporteurs for each of the six Western Balkan countries will emerge over the coming weeks. The relative strength of the various party groupings in the European parliament indicates how some countries might fare better than others. Original post Here
Baku hosting Global Summit of Religious Leaders within the framework of COP29
Baku, Azerbaijan – On November 5-6, 2024, the city of Baku is hosting the Global Summit of Religious Leaders within the framework of COP29, a highly significant event that brings together religious leaders and prominent figures from around the world to discuss the challenges of the climate crisis and the …
Albanian Premier Edi Rama’s Diaspora Tour: Outreach or Electioneering?
From New York to Thessaloniki, Prime Minister Edi Rama has been travelling the world to hold meetings with Albanian diaspora communities ahead of next year’s elections. Opponents say he’s trying to avoid discontent at home. Original post Here
UNED Campus in Gjirokastra: A European Hub in the Western Balkans
By Jerina Zaloshnja It is a beautiful, joyous day in Gjirokastra. October 30, 2024. The sun shines brightly in the warm, clear blue air. From the loudspeakers at the campus of UNED, Spain’s new university in the country, Spanish music reverberates slowly. Young students dressed in traditional Gjirokastra costumes …
By Marjana Doda, This feature draws on exclusive insights from an interview with Ambassador Tayyar Kagan Atay, the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Tirana. On the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of diplomatic relations, Ambassador Atay reflects on the unique depth of Albanian–Turkish ties—links shaped by shared history …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The courtroom killing of a judge in Tirana has prompted calls from Albanian judges and prosecutors for authorities to get serious about their ‘almost non-existent’ security. Original post Here
The Rama–Kurti clash over the war crimes tribunal highlights deeper structural tensions, from unimplemented agreements to competing regional agendas. The latest clash between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kosovo’s Albin Kurti is more than another exchange of political insults. It reflects the fragile state of relations between Albania and …
Hundreds of protesters rallied in the Albanian capital on Friday demanding justice for former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) on trial in The Hague, denouncing the proceedings as an attack on the wartime struggle against Serbian forces. The demonstrators, many waving KLA flags and chanting slogans such as …
Protesters in the Albanian capital expressed anger at the ongoing trial of wartime Kosovo Liberation Army officers at the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, saying the defendants were freedom fighters, not criminals. Original post Here
By Bernd Fischer It is becoming increasingly difficult to justify yet another book dealing with some aspect of World War II. Of all the armed conflicts of past centuries, World War II has engendered the most interest as well as an exhausting amount of written material. The opening of the …
Albania’s Second National Airport Sparks Concerns for National Security and NATO The opening of Albania’s second international airport in Vlora, celebrated as a milestone in the country’s infrastructure modernization, has quickly become embroiled in controversy. Reports in Albanian media suggest that the concession holder, businessman and former Kosovo president Behgjet …
By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania,October 16,2025. Behind brightly lit kiosks advertising euros, dollars and pounds, prosecutors say a hidden financial system is moving millions in illicit cash for some of Albania’s most powerful drug-trafficking groups. Recent investigations by the Special Anti-Corruption Structure, or SPAK, reveal that certain licensed currency …
A protest planned for Friday in Tirana – against the Hague war crimes court’s trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci – has reignited feuding between Albania’s premier Edi Rama and the biggest party in Kosovo. Original post Here