The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership
by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …
Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection
By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …
Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France
Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here
The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order
by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 2026
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Balkan Govts Scramble to Safeguard Citizens in Middle East Conflict Zone
Some Balkan countries are planning to evacuate stranded citizens from the conflict zone around Iran, others have already managed to fly people out – although some have only issued security warnings. Original post Here
Albanians Pay Price of Legal Row over Wastewater Treatment Project
For decades, sewage from the Albanian capital has been discharged untreated into the waters of the Lana River in Tirana. Original post Here
Albania Aligns With U.S. and Israel on Iran
Albania also voices solidarity with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners after Iran’s missile attacks. Tirana Times, March 1, 2026 – Albania threw its support behind U.S. strikes on Iran in the opening hours of the latest Middle East escalation, with Prime Minister Edi Rama declaring that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary …
Albania Backs U.S. Strikes on Iran
Kosovo and North Macedonia join support for Washington. Tirana Times, February 28, 2026 – Albania threw its support behind U.S. strikes on Iran on Friday, with Prime Minister Edi Rama declaring that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should be officially designated a terrorist organization and saying Tirana would move to …
Albanian Prime Minister Under Pressure Dismisses Deputy Accused of Corruption
After months of defending his deputy and Minister of Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, who faces allegations of manipulating public tenders, Edi Rama finally dismissed her on Thursday night. Original post Here
Ukraine welcomes Albania’s ‘demonstration of solidarity’ in blocking the ‘Hanuman’ tanker, whose operator, it believes, is linked to Kremlin allies. Original post Here
The 13th edition of “KoKo Fest,” the International Comedy Festival, has closed in Korçë after ten days of theatre, comedy and artistic performances. The festival brought together nine theatre companies from Albania and the region, which filled the southeastern city with performances, humor and artistic energy. Throughout the festival, audiences …
Preparations for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Albania have entered another important phase. Today, UEFA representatives began inspecting the stadiums that will host matches during the tournament. They started their tour at “Loro Boriçi” Stadium in Shkodër. The delegation will then visit “Elbasan Arena” before continuing to Tirana. …
President Bajram Begaj has signed a decree dismissing Evis Sala as Minister of Health and Social Welfare, appointing Klodiana Spahiu as her successor. “Today, the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, decreed the dismissal of Ms. Evis Sala as Minister of Health and Social Welfare. He also decreed the appointment …
Albania will see stable weather conditions on Tuesday, with clear skies across the country. High atmospheric pressure will continue to dominate, keeping skies mostly clear and temperatures relatively high across most areas. According to MeteoAlb, clouds will increase slightly in the afternoon and later in the day. They will be …
Albanian footballers enjoyed another positive week in international leagues. Several national team players played key roles for their clubs, scoring goals and delivering strong performances. Rey Manaj, Kristjan Asllani, Ernest Muçi, Taulant Seferi, Cristian Shpendi and Bujar Pllana all found the net. Their goals helped their teams secure important results. …
The rich heritage of local traditions and folklore is drawing growing interest at the Ethnographic Museum this early autumn. Local and foreign visitors are showing particular interest in the area’s history, traditions and way of life over the years. Tour guides say interest in the city’s museums continues to grow. …
Apollonia attracts visitors throughout the year, while summer brings its largest tourist crowds. Around 92,000 tourists visited the Apollonia Archaeological Park from January through August. The figure marks a 5% increase compared with the same period last year. Visitors now come from every corner of the world, although Europeans make …
Kruja Castle remains one of Albania’s leading cultural tourism destinations. Every day, it attracts both domestic and international visitors. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage Monday morning showing “daily life at Kruja Castle.” The images show tourists exploring one of Albania’s most important historical heritage sites. The castle stands on …
Tirana offers plenty of options for visitors even on rainy days. From museums and cultural venues to New Bazaar and the cafés and restaurants of Blloku, visitors can explore the Albanian capital through indoor activities that combine history, culture and gastronomy. French travel media Generation Voyage highlighted these options in …