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Kosovo President Thaci draws red lines in talks with Serbia after all

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said on Thursday that Kosovo has “red Lines” when it comes to the final phase of the dialogue with Serbia. Thaci drew the “red lines” in talks with Serbia after criticism from opposition parties. Earlier this month Thaci, who leads the political dialogue with Serbia, said …

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Fajon expects EC report on visas for Kosovo be published before summer break

Tanja Fajon, the European Parliament rapporteur on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, said that she expects the European Commission report on whether Kosovo has fulfilled all the criteria on visa liberalisation, be published before summer break. Media have reported that the EC is delaying publication of the report due to be …

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Kosovo PM wants ‘political truce’ with Serbia

Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, said at the end of the Western Balkans Summit in London that he expressed his concerns during his meetings in London over Serbia’s continuous pressure on Kosovo Serbs to leave the Kosovo Security Force. Original post Here

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Journalist who is investigating Ivanovic’s murder assaulted in Serbia

Serbian Journalist, Stefan Cvetkovic, who has investigated killing of the Kosovo Serb politican Oliver Ivanovic killed in January in Mitrovica North, was physically assaulted in front of a cafe in his home town of Bela Crkva on Monday evening. The Serbian police have arrested a man suspected of assaulting Cvetkovic, …

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Avramopoulos confirmed to Thaci that there will be no delays on visas

Kosovo President, Hashim Thaci, said that he got confirmation from the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, that Kosovars will expect soon a “good news” on visas. Original post Here

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Pacolli in London: Time for final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia

The dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia facilitated by the European Union has brought positive results, but time has come to talk on reaching a final agreement, which is for the benefit of both countries, said Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli in his addressing attending the EU-Western Balkans Summit in London. …

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Kosovo President Thaci meets Russian PM Medvedev

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci met on Monday Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The meeting was held in Ankara, when many state leaders are gathered to attend the inauguration of Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Original post Here

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Belgrade is blackmailing Kosovo Serb members of KSF, Çeku says

Around 40 members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) of Serbian community have left the force. This came after pressure exerted on them by Belgrade, says Agim Çeku, deputy minister of KSF. Original post Here

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Decision on visas for Kosovo before summer recess, says Hahn

The EU Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that decision on visa liberalisation for Kosovo will be taken soon. He promised that there will be no delays in this process noting that the EU will keep its promises. Original post Here

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Thaci, Hahn speak by phone on ‘next EU steps on visas’

Kosovo President, Hashim Thaci, said Monday that he had spoken with EU’s Commissioner Hahn over phone to discuss on visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Original post Here

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Tirana’s Construction Boom and the Flow of Dirty Money

TIRANA, December 26, 2025 – Albania’s decade-long construction boom, long portrayed as a sign of growth and urban renewal, is increasingly being scrutinized as a vehicle for laundering illicit capital. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, combined with years of investigative reporting and analysis by Tirana Times, points …

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Secret tenders, violence and kidnappings, BIRN: The staggering profits of AKSH contractors 

Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …

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Saudi Arabia Leads AI Readiness in MENA, Emerges as Global Governance Power

As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …

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New Chief of Albania’s Anti-Graft Prosecution Vows ‘Tough Approach’

Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here

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Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …

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Opposition Takes to the Streets Over State Capture and Blocked Justice

Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …

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Albanian Opposition Rallies for Premier’s Resignation Over Indicted Deputy PM

Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here

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Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability

Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 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

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A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case

Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …

News

Tirana’s Construction Boom and the Flow of Dirty Money

TIRANA, December 26, 2025 – Albania’s decade-long construction boom, long portrayed as a sign of growth and urban renewal, is increasingly being scrutinized as a vehicle for laundering illicit capital. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, combined with years of investigative reporting and analysis by Tirana Times, points …

News

Secret tenders, violence and kidnappings, BIRN: The staggering profits of AKSH contractors 

Tirana Times, 25 December, 2025 – On September 15, 2023, Ergys Agasi, 36, founded a company with a capital of 1 thousand lek (10 euros) with activity in the field of information technology. Under the name EA Solutions, the company had a rapid activity. In the balance sheet filed with …

News

Saudi Arabia Leads AI Readiness in MENA, Emerges as Global Governance Power

As artificial intelligence reshapes economic competitiveness and state capacity, indexes like the Government AI Readiness Index serve not merely as technical rankings, but as indicators of national strategic priorities. In this sense, Saudi Arabia has moved decisively from regional ambition toward global relevance, even as the global hierarchy of AI …

News

New Chief of Albania’s Anti-Graft Prosecution Vows ‘Tough Approach’

Despite political tensions sparked by high-profile corruption cases, Klodjan Braho tells BIRN that his main priority will be to guarantee Albanians that “no one is above the law”. Original post Here

News

Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …

News

Opposition Takes to the Streets Over State Capture and Blocked Justice

Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …

News

Albanian Opposition Rallies for Premier’s Resignation Over Indicted Deputy PM

Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here

News

Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability

Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 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

News

A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case

Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …