Blog
News

Erdogan supporters march in Pristina on anniversary of failed coup in Turkey

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan marched Sunday in Pristina to commemorate the anniversary of 2016 year’s failed coup in Turkey. Original post Here

Read More
News

Serbs continue building wall near the Mitrovica Bridge

Kosovo Serbs continued Sunday building a long wall in the northern part of Iber Bridge in Mitrovica. The wall is being built in the “Kolasinska” street near the “King Petar” square and will be long 37.5 meters with the height up to 70 centimetres. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo’s aspiration is UN membership, don’t discuss statehood with Serbia

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, on 18 July is set to meet in Brussels his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, in the framework of EU-facilitated dialogue. Thaci will be accompanied by a high level delegation composed of the state leaders including Speaker of Parliament Kadri Veseli, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj who will …

Read More
News

Kosovo leaders set to meet Mogherini on 18 July in Brussels

Leaders of ruling coalition parties have reached an agreement on Friday on representation of Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia. The leaders of the main coalition parties have decided to travel to Brussels on 18 July to meet the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, who is facilitator of the …

Read More
News

Kosovo Parliament Speaker presents a platform on dialogue with Serbia

Kosovo Assembly Speaker and chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Kadri Veseli, has presented Friday a draft document aimed at reaching a consensus in the dialogue with Serbia. He presented the new plan during a meeting that leaders of ruling coalition held today with President Hashim Thaci. …

Read More
News

Delawie urges Kosovo leaders to create an inclusive, expert team in dialogue with Serbia

US Ambassador to Pristina, Greg Delawie, urged Kosovo to focus on creation of an inclusive, expert, consensus team in dialogue with Serbia. Original post Here

Read More
News

Haradinaj ‘respects’ the initiative conditioning dialogue with visas

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, said that he respects a draft resolution initiated by his party, AAK, who ask halting dialogue with Serbia until Kosovo gets visa liberalisation. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo coalition partners agree on principles of dialogue with Serbia

Coalition partners gathered on Thursday to discuss a draft document on how Kosovo should be represented in the dialogue with Serbia. The coalition leaders reportedly disagree on who should lead the dialogue, after one of the coalition partners Nisma headed by Fatmir Limaj is against President Hashim Thaci to take …

Read More
News

Serbian MPs sit along ruling coalition in Kosovo Parliament

The meeting of Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj on Thursday with the heads of Srpska List, Goran Rakic and Milan Radojicic, resulted with the return of Srpska MPs in the ruling coalition’s seats implying that they are returning in the Haradinaj-led coalition after months of boycott. Original post Here

Read More
News

Hoxhaj to meet US Secretary of Defence, James Mattis

US Defence Secretary, James N. Mattis, will visit Zagreb on Friday in his first visit to the Balkan region. Mattis will meet with defence ministers of the US-Adriatic Charter to reinforce U.S. support to southeast Europe. Original post Here

Read More
News
Week in Review: Surprises in Store

Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week brings some surprises – some good, some less so – while continuing to look back on 20 years of BIRN. Original post Here

News
Albania’s Anti-Disinformation Strategy Could Target Critical Media, Opponents Fear

The Albanian parliament has adopted a national strategy to combat foreign interference and disinformation – but the opposition claims it could be used against domestic media that expose government failings. Original post Here

News
Veliaj in Legal and Political Limbo: High Court Confirms Detention, Rule-of-Law in Question

Tirana Times, TIRANA July 9, 2025— Albania’s High Court on Tuesday upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, marking a decisive moment in both the judicial handling of the high-profile case and in Veliaj’s political unraveling. The ruling, which confirms the March 13 decision of the Court of …

News
Greece Inaugurates New Consulate in Korça to Boost Bilateral Ties

By Tirana Time staff KORÇA, Albania ,Tirana Times,  July 9 , 2025 — Greece inaugurated a new building for its Consulate General in the southeastern Albanian city of Korça on Sunday, in a ceremony that highlighted the deepening diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries and renewed Athens’ focus on …

News
Albania’s Youth Exodus: Emigration as a Security Threat

Tirana Times. July 8, 2025. Albania is shrinking—demographically, economically, and institutionally. A once-youthful country on the edge of Europe is now in the grip of a mass exodus that analysts warn is no longer just a social or economic crisis, but a growing threat to national security. In a nation …

News
Vidovdan: A Dangerous Myth Turned Political Weapon

By Syle Ukshini For more than a century, the Serbian state and Church have mythologized the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as a defining moment of Serbian identity—a narrative culminating each year in the celebration of Vidovdan, Serbia’s national and religious holiday observed on June 28. Originally linked to the …

News
One Man’s Rule: Governance by Ultimatum

by Vilson Blloshmi From the way it was announced to its substance, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest ultimatum to “clear public spaces within 2 weeks” is neither a law, nor a public policy, nor a government decision. It is a personal order, a voice over the phone that, in any …

News
“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 …

News
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

News
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 …

News

Week in Review: Surprises in Store

Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week brings some surprises – some good, some less so – while continuing to look back on 20 years of BIRN. Original post Here

News

Albania’s Anti-Disinformation Strategy Could Target Critical Media, Opponents Fear

The Albanian parliament has adopted a national strategy to combat foreign interference and disinformation – but the opposition claims it could be used against domestic media that expose government failings. Original post Here

News

Veliaj in Legal and Political Limbo: High Court Confirms Detention, Rule-of-Law in Question

Tirana Times, TIRANA July 9, 2025— Albania’s High Court on Tuesday upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, marking a decisive moment in both the judicial handling of the high-profile case and in Veliaj’s political unraveling. The ruling, which confirms the March 13 decision of the Court of …

News

Greece Inaugurates New Consulate in Korça to Boost Bilateral Ties

By Tirana Time staff KORÇA, Albania ,Tirana Times,  July 9 , 2025 — Greece inaugurated a new building for its Consulate General in the southeastern Albanian city of Korça on Sunday, in a ceremony that highlighted the deepening diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries and renewed Athens’ focus on …

News

Albania’s Youth Exodus: Emigration as a Security Threat

Tirana Times. July 8, 2025. Albania is shrinking—demographically, economically, and institutionally. A once-youthful country on the edge of Europe is now in the grip of a mass exodus that analysts warn is no longer just a social or economic crisis, but a growing threat to national security. In a nation …

News

Vidovdan: A Dangerous Myth Turned Political Weapon

By Syle Ukshini For more than a century, the Serbian state and Church have mythologized the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as a defining moment of Serbian identity—a narrative culminating each year in the celebration of Vidovdan, Serbia’s national and religious holiday observed on June 28. Originally linked to the …

News

One Man’s Rule: Governance by Ultimatum

by Vilson Blloshmi From the way it was announced to its substance, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest ultimatum to “clear public spaces within 2 weeks” is neither a law, nor a public policy, nor a government decision. It is a personal order, a voice over the phone that, in any …

News

“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 …

News

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

News

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 …