Kosovo’s Interpol membership bid included in the agenda
Kosovo’s bid for membership into International Criminal Police Organisation – Interpol has been included in their agenda. This has been confirmed by Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli. Original post Here
British Ambassador says return of Xhabir Zharku as a free man is shameful
British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, says the return of former Kacanik mayor, Xhabir Zharku as a free man to Kosovo, is shameful. Zharku was sentenced to three years in prison for extortion and the illegal possession of weapon, but he escaped from Kosovo evading justice. Original post Here
Once most wanted fugitive returns in Kosovo to help ‘develop the country’
Former mayor of Kacanik, Xhabir Zharku, who was sentenced in 2011 to three years in prison for extortion and the illegal possession of weapon, has returned home last week as free man after six years on the run. Upon his return to his hometown after the statute of limitations has …
Kosovo Parliament Speaker Veseli meets EP Rapporteur on Visas, Tanja Fajon
Kosovo Parliament Speaker, Kadri Veseli, met on Wednesday in Strasbourg, Tanja Fajon, the European Parliament’s rapporteur for Kosovo on the process of visa liberalization. Original post Here
Kosovo man charged over attempt to join ISIS in Syria
The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo has indicted a Kosovo Albanian man on terrorism charges, who allegedly wanted to join ISIS in Syria but was caught in Turkey and sent back to Kosovo. Original post Here
Albania asks China to recognise Kosovo as independent country
The Socialist Party of Albania asked the representatives of the Communist Party of People’s Republic of China to recognise Kosovo and support its membership into international organisations. Original post Here
Kosovo welcomes solving of name dispute between Greece and Macedonia
Kosovo leaders have welcomed reaching of a deal on the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece. Athens and Skopje say they have reached a deal to resolve their 27-year dispute over the former Yugoslav republic’s name. Original post Here
Kosovo war crimes court to file first indictments in 2019
The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office set up to prosecute alleged war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1998-2000 is expected to proceed with its first indictments next year, according to a document which the TV channel T7 got hold of. Original post Here
Kosovo marks 19th anniversary of KFOR peacekeeping mission
Today, Kosovo and NATO marked 19 years since the deployment of the Alliance’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo – KFOR. The deployment of the NATO led infantry peacekeepers in Kosovo came after 78 days of NATO bombing, aimed at ending Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic’s military campaign against innocent population of Kosovo. …
European Parliament ready to support visa liberalisation for Kosovo
Parliament Speaker, Kadri Veseli, has started his official visit to Strasbourg when he is lobbying for Kosovo to get visa liberalisation. Original post Here
By Genc Pollo The European Union’s stance on democracy in the Balkans is increasingly difficult to defend. The recent visit of EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos to Albania is a glaring example of Brussels’ selective engagement, where stability appears to take precedence over genuine democratic governance. Despite mounting evidence of …
By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania Venesday March 12th—A special appeals court in Albania has upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, rejecting his request for a more lenient security measure. The ruling, reaffirmed on Monday by Judge Engert Pëllumbi, has sparked significant controversy, with Veliaj’s legal team and …
The Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church has elected Metropolitan Joan Pelushi of Korça as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania. The 69-year-old cleric succeeds Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos, marking a historic transition for the Church after more than three decades of leadership under the Greek- born …
By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times ) The Albanian government has nearly doubled the projected cost of its “Smart City” initiative, now expected to cost $118.5 million—up from the initially planned $60 million—raising concerns over transparency, lack of competition, and the protection of personal data. The government announced the …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Appeals court dismisses plea to release the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, who is in detention as charges of corruption and money laundering are investigated. Original post Here
Albania’s communist-era military bunkers – now a tourist attraction but also a reource for experimental artists – are dotted everywhere, from beaches to mountain tops. Original post Here
By Lutfi Dervishi Sweden remains a steadfast supporter of Albania’s European Union accession, citing the importance of enlargement in the wake of geopolitical shifts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Minister for European Union Affairs and Nordic Cooperation Jessica Rosencrantz, who vizited today (March 10th) Albania,highlighted Sweden’s commitment to a merit-based …
By Valentina Leskaj Ollga, the woman with deep black eyes, who appears so elegant in an old photograph wearing a hat, often comes to my mind whenever we discuss the Women’s Movement. Her portrait, as she spoke to me in that simple but beautiful house on Rruga e Kavajës, …
This article was produced as part of the Thematic Networks of PULSE, a European initiative that supports transnational journalistic collaborations The woodlands of Albania are a verdant expanse that once covered nearly half of the country’s rugged and mountainous terrain. In these past 25 years, however, they have been …