Albania will not shelter Palestinians from Gaza
The Albanian PM denies claims, provides no value statements over the proposal despite EU wide condemnation Feb 16,2025 – At the Munich Security Conference, Albanian PM Edi Rama denied any claims that Albania will shelter Palestinians from Gaza. When asked about the controversial proposal of American President Donald Trump to …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: February 17, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Mayor’s Arrest Deals Albania’s Ruling Party a Pre-Election Blow
Erion Veliaj’s arrest for alleged corruption, alongside his wife, has enraged the ruling Socialist Party – and could undermine its chances in the May elections. BIRN looks at the charges and their political impact. Original post Here
Albanian PM Accused of Undermining Special Prosecution’s Independence
After Edi Rama criticised the Special Prosecution over the arrest for alleged corruption of his political ally, Tirana’s mayor, the country’s top judicial body delivered a stinging rebuke. Original post Here
Erion Veliaj, Rising Star in Albania, Felled by Corruption Charges
The mayor of Tirana was once tipped to be Albania’s next prime minister. Now he’s behind bars after being arrested on graft charges, possibly facing a very different future. Original post Here
Public Perceptions of Corruption in Balkans Continue to Worsen: Report
Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index makes grim reading for most Balkan countries, with Kosovo and Albania as rare exceptions to a worsening trend. Original post Here
Tirana Mayor Arrested on Corruption and Money-Laundering Charges
The mayor of Albania’s capital, Erion Veliaj, a key figure in the ruling Socialist Party, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of corruption and money-laundering. Original post Here
Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj arrested on corruption charges
TIRANA, Feb. 10, 2025 – The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, was arrested Monday afternoon by order of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Judicial police officers entered Veliaj’s office at around 2 p.m. and escorted him to a detention facility. An arrest warrant has also …
Vetvendosje wins Kosovo elections, loses comfortable majority
Feb 10, 2025 The Vetvendosje Party led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti has claimed victory in the round of general elections held in Kosovo on February 9. With around 90 percent of the ballots counted, VV has reached about 41 percent whereas the opposition parties achieved lower figures of 22 …
Analysis: Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj’s arrest on corruption charges likely to have major political implications for ruling party
TIRANA, Feb. 10, 2025 – The arrest on Monday of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj on corruption charges has sent shockwaves through Albania’s political landscape, with major potential implications for the ruling Socialist Party just three months ahead of parliamentary elections. Veliaj, long regarded as a close ally of Prime Minister …
Big changes are afoot amid the heat of the summer holiday season. Our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories takes a deep dive into the motives and agendas driving these changes. Original post Here
TIRANA, August 21 – The General Inspectorate and the Financial Intelligence Agency have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation against money laundering and terrorist financing. General Inspector Dashnor Sula and Financial Intelligence Agency Director Ervin Koci signed the agreement. It aims to improve the detection and reporting of suspected illegal …
TIRANA, August 21 – Dinamo City drew 1-1 with Pafos at Elbasan Arena in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off. The result leaves the tie open ahead of the return match. Neither side scored in the first half. Pafos missed a penalty in the 36th minute before …
TIRANA, August 21 – The National Maritime Museum is taking shape at the entrance to Shkodër. The museum will tell the story of the city’s historic links with the lake, rivers and navigation. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images of the construction work on social media as the project adds …
TIRANA, August 21 – NATO says any decision to reopen the main bridge over the Ibër River to vehicle traffic must address the needs of all local communities. A NATO official told Radio Free Europe that KFOR continues to provide security support for European Union diplomatic efforts. The official said …
TIRANA, August 21 – Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to the cultural event held in Pustec on August 20. Organisers played the North Macedonian national anthem but omitted the Albanian national anthem. In a post on X, Rama described the incident as a “meaningful parody”. He said Pustec Mayor …
Albania has a diverse fruit production map, with different regions specializing in different crops. Korçë remains one of the country’s leading apple-producing areas. The municipality produced around 17,700 tonnes of apples in 2025. Maliq followed with about 17,200 tonnes, while Devoll produced nearly 13,000 tonnes. Elbasan leads the country in …
Gjirokastër Castle continues to attract growing numbers of visitors. Between January and July 2026, the historic site welcomed 161,274 visitors, marking a 13% increase from the same period last year. Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the figures. He said the castle continues to attract visitors because of …
TIRANA, August 21 – Albanian Olympic Committee President Fidel Ylli and Secretary General Gerti Shima took part in the election of Francesco Purromuto as the new president of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games. The election took place in Taranto ahead of the opening of the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games. …
The National Cinematography Center (QKK) has opened applications for its “First Feature Film” category. The call targets Albanian filmmakers and emerging talents who want to bring their first feature-length projects to the big screen. QKK aims to support new filmmakers with original ideas and distinctive stories. The initiative gives young …