Blog
News

Veseli in Skopje assures land swap idea is not backed by Kosovo institutions

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli visiting Skopje on Thursday assured his Macedonian counterpart Talat Xhaferi that Kosovo has no territorial pretensions to its neighbours, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

Read More
News

Austrian EU minister Gernot Blümel visits Kosovo

Gernot Blümel, Austrian Federal Minister for the EU, Arts, Culture and Media, who is visiting Pristina on Thursday, has met Kosovo’s EU Minister Dhurata Hoxha when they discussed visa liberalisation for citizens of Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
News

Another Kosovo MP arrested for intimidating prosecutor

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) MP, Shkumbin Demaliaj, has been arrested on Thursday for allegedly intimidating former special prosecutor, Elez Blakaj, who was investigating alleged wrongdoings during the verification of war veterans status. This is the second Kosovo MP arrested within days after MP Milaim Zeka was arrested …

Read More
News

Kosovo President says the US supports ‘slight correction’ of border with Serbia

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci says the US supports “slight correction” of border between Kosovo and Serbia, Gazeta Express reports. Original post Here

Read More
News

Thaci-Trump posed for the traditional photo

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci published on Wednesday a photo with the US President Donald Trump accompanied by respective first ladies. The President and First Lady Melania Trump hosted all heads of the UN General Assembly delegations on Monday night as part of the annual event held ahead of the UN …

Read More
News

Kosovo MP arrested for threatening prosecutor

The Kosovo Police have arrested on Wednesday a Member of Parliament for threatening a prosecutor. Zeka has been indicted for alleged involvement in a visa scam. In a televised interview he said that he will deal legally and privately with the special prosecutor of the case for as he said …

Read More
News

Kosovo war veterans to protest on Wednesday

Association of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) War Veterans of the Dukagjini region has announced organising a protest on Wednesday in Pristina in defence of the war values and dignity of the KLA veterans. Original post Here

Read More
News

Strong winds cause damage in Pristina

Trees were knocked down and roofs were damaged on Monday by powerful winds ripped through Kosovo’s capital, Pristina. Original post Here

Read More
News

No more unregistered vehicles in northern Kosovo

On Monday, the Kosovo Police have started implementation of an operation plan to stop participation in traffic of all unregistered vehicles in the northern part of Kosovo inhabited by Serbs. Pristina authorities have never extended their full authority in the north and this has created a heaven for local Serbs …

Read More
News

LDK does not support Vetevendosje’s protest

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is not intending to support the protest called by the Vetevendosje movement set to be held on 29 September against President Hashim Thaci’s plan to discuss land swap with Serbia. Chief of parliamentary group of LDK, Avdullah Hoti, says they will decide on their …

Read More
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

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