Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Visit Signals a New Middle East Order
By Dr. Arben Ramkaj The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington may emerge as one of the defining diplomatic moments of this decade. Nothing about this trip was improvised. For weeks, senior Saudi officials travelled to the U.S. capital to prepare the ground, defense …
Digital Rights Review: Journalists and LGBTQ+ Groups Targeted Online
BIRN’s monitors registered a series of digital attacks on media content, online harassment of journalists and threats against LGBTQ+ groups across the Balkans and Southeast Europe in September and October. Original post Here
Albania Opens Last Negotiation Cluster With EU
As Albania begins its last cluster of topics in its EU accession talks in Brussels – only one year after starting negotiations – Prime Minister Edi Rama expresses pride in his country’s achievement. Original post Here
Week in Review: Stuck in the Status Quo
Whether it’s political crises, corruption or political monopolies, our Balkan Insight Premium stories this week highlight the stalemates that so often hold the region back. Original post Here
Opposition Aghast at Albanian PM’s Public Backing for Indicted Deputy
Analysts and opposition MPs say Prime Minister Edi Rama’s public backing for his indicted deputy is a direct challenge to the fight against organised crime and corruption. Original post Here
Tirana Mayor Set to Run Albanian Capital from Prison Cell
Mayor Erion Veliaj looks on course to continue governing the city from his jail cell – after the Constitutional Court annulled his dismissal and PM Edi Rama said he will not call early elections in Tirana. Original post Here
Letter From Brussels: Judgment Day for the Balkan Hopefuls
In the first of her monthly dispatches from the heartland of the European Union, Gjeraqina Tuhina looks at which Balkan states have been getting gold stars – or black marks – from the enlargement commissioners. Original post Here
Multigenderism’s Curious Impact
1. The Last Cycle of Extremist Ideologies in the Old Continent – Council of Europe In 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the final version of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), which contained many useful provisions. However, Article 3(c), which …
Balluku Charges Test PM Rama’s Power
TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) November 11, 2025. The criminal charges filed against Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku over the Llogara Tunnel project have pushed Albania’s flagship justice reform into uncharted territory, bringing prosecutors closer than ever to the core of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The Special …
Albanian Political Giants’ Electoral Reform Deal is a Sham, Rivals Suspect
Albania’s smaller parties believe the country’s two main political forces unexpectedly agreed to work together on electoral reform in order to fix the system to maintain their dominance. Original post Here
TIRANA, August 31 – Albania plans to provide more than 5,700 learning packages for children in the diaspora during the 2026–2027 school year. The packages contain around 17,000 textbooks. They will reach 15 European countries, the United States and Canada. The materials include the joint textbooks “Albanian Language” and “Albanian …
TIRANA, August 31 – President Bajram Begaj received the new Dutch ambassador to Albania, Marleen Monster, on Monday. The ambassador presented her credentials during the meeting. Begaj reaffirmed Albania’s commitment to stronger relations with the Netherlands. He described the country as an important European partner and a trusted NATO ally. …
TIRANA, August 31 – Finance Minister Petrit Malaj met regional leaders of the tax and customs administrations to discuss priorities for the coming period. The talks also focused on improving services for citizens and businesses. Malaj met the general directors of the Tax Administration and Customs Administration. They discussed efforts …
TIRANA, August 31 – Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has called for stronger cooperation between central institutions and municipalities to address the needs of minority communities in Kosova. Kurti made the call at a meeting with heads of municipal offices for communities and return. Kurti said challenges vary among communities …
TIRANA, August 31 – The Institute of GeoSciences has warned of a high fire risk in several Albanian counties this afternoon and on Tuesday, September 1. The institute expects high risk levels in Lezha, Tirana and Fier. Other counties will face moderate risk. Some areas in Shkodra, Kukës, Dibra, Durres, …
TIRANA, August 31 – The Self-Determination Movement and the Democratic League of Kosova have agreed on professor Bekim Sejdiu as their joint candidate for president. Self-Determination leader Albin Kurti and Democratic League leader Lumir Abdixhiku presented Sejdiu at a joint news conference. Abdixhiku said the negotiations had not been easy. …
TIRANA, August 31 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Monday that 20 schools in Tirana now have smart cameras under the Smart City project. The investment aims to strengthen security in schools. Rama said the government decided to invest in new security technology after a 14-year-old boy was fatally …
Cash outside Albania’s banking system reached a record 5.6 billion euros, last month. Tirana Times, August 30, 2026 – The amount of cash circulating outside Albania’s banking system has reached a record high, raising fresh concerns over the scale of the informal economy, the possible presence of illicit money and …
Thousands honor the convicted Bosnian Serb commander as reactions from Belgrade to Podgorica and Skopje reveal how deeply the wars of the 1990s still shape the region’s European future. Tirana Times, August 31, 2026 – PALE, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Candles burned and flares lit the Olympic Park as several thousand …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here