Albania’s Political Absurdity:Doomsday – The Day Albania “Lost” Its Deputy PM
O tempora, o mores. After Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku faced criminal charges, and after the court suspended her from office and banned her from leaving the country, what one would normally expect is either her immediate resignation or her immediate dismissal by Prime …
The Limits of Spectacle Diplomacy in the UK–Albania Migration Row
The clash between Edi Rama and Shabana Mahmood over the fate of 700 Albanian families in the UK exposes a deeper truth about modern diplomacy: visibility is not the same as influence. When the Home Secretary singled out Albanian families while announcing sweeping asylum reforms, she was not improvising. She …
Albania: Between Reform Dynamics and Democratic Fragility
Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transformation, reflecting the promise of political renewal while exposing the challenges of durable consolidation. In this context, the May 2025 parliamentary elections stand out as a test …
Opposition Rejects EU Commissioner’s “Free and Fair” Assessment of Elections
By Tirana Times Staff TIRANA, Albania , November 22, (Tirana Times). Albania’s main opposition party sharply criticized European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos for describing the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections as “free and fair,” arguing that her assessment contradicts the findings of international election monitors. In a statement delivered …
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
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
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
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 …
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 …
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
TIRANA, September 2 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said inspections must pass the “Besa” test and that authorities should no longer conduct checks without prior notice. Speaking at an extended meeting with inspectors, attended by Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj and General Inspector Dashnor Sula, Rama called for a …
TIRANA, September 2 – President Bajram Begaj received the new European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, who presented her credentials. The president wished de Sousa success in her new role and praised the EU Delegation’s contribution to strengthening relations between Tirana and Brussels and supporting Albania’s European …
TIRANA, September 2 – Albania has been highlighted as Europe’s top travel destination by Europexplores in an Instagram post. The travel platform describes Albania as one of the most talked-about destinations for European getaways. It highlights the turquoise beaches of the Albanian Riviera and Ksamil, along with the historic streets …
A new chapter in the European Union’s diplomatic representation in Albania begins this Wednesday. Sofia Moreira de Sousa officially takes office as the EU Ambassador to Tirana, following the end of Italian diplomat Silvio Gonzato’s mandate. The Portuguese diplomat’s first institutional engagement will be at the Presidency of the Republic, …
Former U.S. envoy for the Balkans Richard Grenell has reacted to the latest political developments in Kosovo, expressing support for six MPs from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) who have said they will not vote for Bekim Sejdiu as president. Grenell posted a photo of the six MPs on …
The urban bus fleet is expected to return to normal operations starting today, following a meeting between the Urban and Interurban Transport Association and government representatives. Infrastructure Minister Enea Karakaçi and Economy Minister Delina Ibrahimaj attended the meeting. According to transport representatives, the parties reached an agreement to subsidize public …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced changes to the way inspections and checks on businesses will be carried out. In a video message posted on Facebook, Rama said there would no longer be routine inspections without prior notice, stressing that inspections should aim to help businesses comply with the law …
President Bajram Begaj received today the new Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, on the occasion of the presentation of her credentials. The Presidency’s Press Office announced that the Head of State expressed confidence that cooperation between Albanian institutions and the EU Delegation in …
“Fan S. Noli” University in Korçë is expanding its cooperation with foreign universities. As part of mobility programs, 42 international students have come to Korçë this year, while 14 Albanian students have gone abroad. “We are in the process of internationalization. We have mobility agreements with several foreign universities. Among …
The Council of Ministers approved a series of draft laws and decisions during its latest meeting concerning fiscal agreements with Germany and Lithuania, the administration of confiscated properties, environmental protection, the development of the mountain economy, reconstruction, and the criteria for awarding the Public Order Service Medal. One of the …