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Thaci: No Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in Paris

President Hashim Thaci confirmed on Friday that he will be in Paris to attend the 100th anniversary of the truce signed between Allied Forces and Germany, hosted by Frnech President Emmanuel Macron adding that no dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia will take place in this event. Original post Here

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Kosovo Government proposes 2019 budget

Kosovo Budget 2019 will be 2.3 billion euro which is expected to be highest ever for Kosovo. This was stated by Minister of Finances, Bedri Hamza, during Government’s meeting on Friday. Original post Here

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Kosovo President, Government vow not to discuss change of border with Serbia

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dardan Gashi, says the Government and President’s Office have agreed on Thursday not to talk on borders with Serbia delegation during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels. Gashi said the accord was reached during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj and the President Hashim Thaci. …

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Haradinaj in Montenegro: Redrawing borders in Balkans caused tragedies

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, during his visit to Montenegro met his counterpart Dusko Markovic and the Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, to discuss recent political developments in Kosovo, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

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Ex-KLA commander convicted of war crimes granted conditional release

Kosovo’s Supreme Court has granted conditional release to former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander, Jahir Demaku, who is convicted of mistreating civillians during the war in Kosovo in 1998-99. The Conditional Release Panel within the Supreme Court has rejected the request for conditional release of the other war crimes convict …

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Kosovo expects visa liberalisation by year’s end, says EU Minister

Kosovo Minister of the European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, who on Thursday attended the debate “association of the European Parliaments” in Strasbourg, asked the EU members to liberalise visas for Kosovo citizens by the end of this year, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

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European Investors Council condemns Thaci’s attack against insurance company director

The European Investors Council (EIC) has reacted after the physical attack against the director of private insurance company “Illyria”, Gianni Sokolic. Original post Here

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Kosovo man found guilty of war crimes against Albanians

The Basic Court in Pristina on Thursday found Skender Bislimi guilty of war crimes against Albanians civilians and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Original post Here

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Kosovo President’s brother involved in fight

Gani Thaci, the brother of Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci, has on Wednesday physically assaulted the director of the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (KIB), Blerim Pushkolli, as well as the director of the insurance company “Illyria”, Slovenian citizen Gianni Sokolic. Original post Here

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Montenegro officially joins NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo

Montenegro has on Tuesday joined the KFOR mission in Kosovo as the 29th troop contributing nation, which is the longest peacekeeping mission in NATO history. Original post Here

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Week in Review: TikTokcracy, Labyrinths and an Anniversary

New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here

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Albanian PM Condemns Deputy’s Suspension by Court as ‘Brutal Interference’

Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here

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Albanian Special Court Suspends Deputy Prime Minister: Source

The special anti-corruption court suspended Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who is under investigation for violating tender procedures, and barred her from travelling abroad, a source told BIRN. Original post Here

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Deputy PM Balluku Suspended as SPAK Probe Widens

By Tirana Times Staff Tirana 20, November 2025.The suspension of Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime marks one of the most consequential judicial interventions against a senior government official since the creation of SPAK. The court accepted the Special Prosecution’s request …

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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 …

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

News

Week in Review: TikTokcracy, Labyrinths and an Anniversary

New leaders, old challenges, the threat of ‘TikTokracy’ and – not least – a look at the Dayton Peace Accords thirty years later, are all themes that preoccupy our selection of Premium stories this week. Original post Here

News

Albanian PM Condemns Deputy’s Suspension by Court as ‘Brutal Interference’

Edi Rama slated the court decision suspending Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku while she faces a graft probe – and threatened to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. Original post Here

News

Albanian Special Court Suspends Deputy Prime Minister: Source

The special anti-corruption court suspended Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who is under investigation for violating tender procedures, and barred her from travelling abroad, a source told BIRN. Original post Here

News

Deputy PM Balluku Suspended as SPAK Probe Widens

By Tirana Times Staff Tirana 20, November 2025.The suspension of Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime marks one of the most consequential judicial interventions against a senior government official since the creation of SPAK. The court accepted the Special Prosecution’s request …

News

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 …

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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