“Wherever I travel, Greece wounds me.”
Ὅπου κι ἂν ταξιδέψω, ἡ Ἑλλάδα μὲ πληγώνει. Jerina Zaloshnja This is what Giorgos Seferis wrote — and thus, before I even truly knew who Seferis was, I began to love Greece. That verse — simple, clear, ablaze with love and pain — was, for me, once a gateway to …
Digital Rights Review: AI-Driven Violations Go Unchecked in South-East Europe
Across south-east Europe last month, BIRN’s digital rights monitors documented how AI is being used for protest surveillance, election manipulation, enabling digital sexual abuse and committing fraud, sparking calls for urgent action. Original post Here
Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans
Saudi Ambassador Faisal Ghazi Ismail Hifzi, Highlights Kingdom’s Commitment to Global Educational Ties through Balkan Alumni Gathering Tirana Times Sunday, July 6, 2025, The Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania Faisal Ghazi Ismail Hifzi, announced that on Monday, July 7, Tirana will …
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. …
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 …
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
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
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. …
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 …
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 …
TIRANA, August 24 – Acting President of Kosova Albulena Haxhiu presented citizenship decrees to former U.S. Congressman Joe DioGuardi and his wife, Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi, at a special ceremony. DioGuardi, the first Albanian-American voting member of the U.S. Congress, has been one of the strongest voices in Washington in support …
The Albanian animated film “The Fight for Life”, produced in 1981, will undergo restoration through the “Adopt a Film for Restoration” initiative. Doctors Rubin and Ilir Topi have joined the initiative led by the Central State Film Archive. They chose to restore the film in memory of their father, doctor …
Albania’s Vlora region continues to attract visitors with its rich natural landscapes, biodiversity and protected areas. From January to July, more than 494,000 people visited protected areas across the region. According to the Vlora Protected Areas Administration, 166,809 visitors were Albanian, while 327,239 were international tourists. Butrint National Park recorded …
In the heart of the Shushica Valley, Brati Bridge is attracting visitors looking for a different kind of summer getaway, away from both the sea and the mountains. From the new Vlora River Road, a scenic route offering views of the villages along the river, visitors can walk for about …
TIRANA, August 24 – Albanian internationals enjoyed another positive week in overseas leagues, with Jasir Asani, Cristian Shpendi and Etnik Brruti scoring, while Ernest Muçi and Stavro Pilo provided assists. In Turkey, Muçi returned to the starting lineup after recovering from injury. The Albania forward assisted Mohamed Salah for Trabzonspor’s …
TIRANA, August 24 – The Albanian Investment Development Agency has announced its 7th call for proposals for small projects under Specific Objective 4.6 of the Greece–Albania Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme. The call offers new funding opportunities for projects focused on development and cross-border cooperation. The total fund amounts to …
TIRANA, August 24 – The first round of Albania’s top-flight football league has ended, with all five matches played over three days. The opening round began on Friday with Vllaznia and Skënderbeu drawing 2-2. On Saturday, Partizani and Teuta played out a 0-0 draw, while Laçi and AF Elbasani finished …
TIRANA, August 24 – The number of foreigners holding residence permits in Albania continued to rise in 2025, reaching 32,163 by the end of the year. The figure was 46.6% higher than in 2024, according to the Institute of Statistics. Men accounted for 65% of residence permit holders, while women …
TIRANA, August 24 – Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a video on social media featuring an exchange with Diella, described as the “AI minister”, shortly before the start of a government cabinet meeting in Pogradec. In the video, Rama asks Diella, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, about Education …
TIRANA, August 24 – Authorities released 2 million Koran fish fry into Lake Ohrid in Pogradec this weekend as part of efforts to replenish aquatic fauna and protect the endemic species. The Koran is important to the lake’s ecosystem and the local economy. The release took place during the Koran …