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Reports of a change in US policy on partition of Kosovo are simply wrong, says Daniel Serwer

Daniel Serwer, a former State Department official who served as a U.S. special envoy in the Balkans, analysing the statements of the US Ambassador Greg Delawie, who was asked whether Washington supports partition of Kosovo, said that the Ambassador in his interview with Kosovo TV channel KTV did not mention …

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Pacolli to visit Sandzak as Kosovo Foreign Minister

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli received an official invitation to visit Sandzak in western Serbia. But Serbian Minister of Interior, Nebojsa Stefanovic, said that Pacolli has been informed that his visit has not been granted by authorities in Belgrade. However Jetlir Zyberi, advisor to Foreign Minister, says Pacolli will visit …

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Kosovo deserves visa-free regime, says President Thaci

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci says the European Commission (EC) positive recommendation on lifting visas for Kosovo is not a gift and was well-deserved by Kosovo. He made the comments during a joint press conference with the EU Commissioner on Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos in Brussels, who announced …

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It’s official: Avramopoulos confirms Kosovo fulfils all visa liberalisation benchmarks

The EU Commissioner on Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos says Kosovo has met all visa liberalisation benchmarks. He made the statements during a joint press conference with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in Brussels. Original post Here

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Commissioner Avramopoulos confirms: Kosovo has fulfilled visa liberalization benchamrks

Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner on Home Affairs and Statehood, in an op.ed sent to the Kosovo daily Koha Ditore, which will be published on Thursday, has stated that Kosovo marked progress and fulfilled all visa liberalization benchmarks. Original post Here

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Kosovo leaders united on dialogue with Serbia, says PM Haradinaj after meeting Mogherini

Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, who is visiting Brussels as part of Kosovo high level delegation, said that they confirmed to the EU’s High Representative, Federica Mogherini, that Kosovo institutions are united when it comes to the dialogue with Serbia. Original post Here

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Mogherini: Thaci and Vucic agreed to reconvene in a few weeks' time

Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, hosted a meeting of the High Level Dialogue with President Hashim Thaci of Kosovo and President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia. Original post Here

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Kosovo expects today ‘great news’ on visas, says Veseli

Parliament Speaker, Kadri Veseli, said after meeting the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini in Brussels, that Kosovo citizens today will hear “a very good news” related to visa liberalization with the EU Schengen area. Original post Here

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Kosovo President had ‘short but difficult’ meeting with Serbian counterpart

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci addressing media after meeting his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels said today’s round of dialogue was short but the most difficult one since he started negotiations with Vucic six years ago. Original post Here

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Kosovo leaders in Brussels without platform on dialogue with Serbia

Kosovo institutional leaders headed by President Hashim Thaci have travelled in Brussels today to meet with Serbian delegation in the frame of the final phase of dialogue with Serbia. The leaders are in Brussels without a clear platform on talks with Belgrade and without reaching an internal consensus on who …

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Albania’s Anti-Corruption “Success”: A Manufactured Illusion

By Zef Preçi What kind of political system are we living in today? Even though we have a weak state, authoritarian tendencies in governance have become more pronounced, and in a synthesized way this is reflected in the increasing number of MPs of the ruling party from one mandate to …

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Week in Review: Surprises and Standoffs

As the year draws towards its end, our Balkan Insight Premium stories show that there is no shortage of political surprises, unexpected twists and new standoffs across the region. Original post Here

News
How Albanians in America Lobbied for Freedom Back Home

Albanian-American writer Fron Nahzi’s new book explains how the Albanian diaspora used its newfound freedom in the United States to campaign for a range of nationalist causes. Original post Here

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Rebuilt Housing Estate for Albanian Quake Survivors Hosts Just One Family

The earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 left many families homeless. But a rural housing estate built to accommodate some of them remains almost empty due to problems with infrastructure and insecure terrain. Original post Here

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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 …

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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 …

News
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 …

News
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 …

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

Albania’s Anti-Corruption “Success”: A Manufactured Illusion

By Zef Preçi What kind of political system are we living in today? Even though we have a weak state, authoritarian tendencies in governance have become more pronounced, and in a synthesized way this is reflected in the increasing number of MPs of the ruling party from one mandate to …

News

Week in Review: Surprises and Standoffs

As the year draws towards its end, our Balkan Insight Premium stories show that there is no shortage of political surprises, unexpected twists and new standoffs across the region. Original post Here

News

How Albanians in America Lobbied for Freedom Back Home

Albanian-American writer Fron Nahzi’s new book explains how the Albanian diaspora used its newfound freedom in the United States to campaign for a range of nationalist causes. Original post Here

News

Rebuilt Housing Estate for Albanian Quake Survivors Hosts Just One Family

The earthquake that hit Albania in November 2019 left many families homeless. But a rural housing estate built to accommodate some of them remains almost empty due to problems with infrastructure and insecure terrain. Original post Here

News

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 …

News

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 …

News

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 …

News

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 …

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