United Arab Emirates ‘s Expanding Influence in Albania – Financial and Political Concerns
By Tirana Times TIRANA, March 20th (Tirana Times ) The Albanian government has nearly doubled the projected cost of its “Smart City” initiative, now expected to cost $118.5 million—up from the initially planned $60 million—raising concerns over transparency, lack of competition, and the protection of personal data. The government announced …
Serbia Angered by Defence Pact Linking Croatia, Albania and Kosovo
A defence agreement between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, calling for joint responses to common security challenges, has drawn a furious response from Serbia, which called it a threatening move. Original post Here
News or PR? In Edi Rama’s Albania, It’s Hard to Tell the Difference
Under Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist Party, Albania’s government has been bombarding the media with carefully curated PR packages that air as ‘news’. Original post Here
EU’s Democratic Blind Spot in the Balkans
By Genc Pollo The European Union’s stance on democracy in the Balkans is increasingly difficult to defend. The recent visit of EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos to Albania is a glaring example of Brussels’ selective engagement, where stability appears to take precedence over genuine democratic governance. Despite mounting evidence of …
Albanian Court Upholds Detention of Tirana Mayor Amid Corruption Investigation
By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania Venesday March 12th—A special appeals court in Albania has upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, rejecting his request for a more lenient security measure. The ruling, reaffirmed on Monday by Judge Engert Pëllumbi, has sparked significant controversy, with Veliaj’s legal team and …
Albanian Orthodox Church Elects New Archbishop Following Unanimous Vote
The Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church has elected Metropolitan Joan Pelushi of Korça as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania. The 69-year-old cleric succeeds Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos, marking a historic transition for the Church after more than three decades of leadership under the Greek- born …
Albanian Government Doubles Cost of ‘Smart City’ Project Without Transparency
By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times ) The Albanian government has nearly doubled the projected cost of its “Smart City” initiative, now expected to cost $118.5 million—up from the initially planned $60 million—raising concerns over transparency, lack of competition, and the protection of personal data. The government announced the …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 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
Albania Appeal Court Orders Tirana Mayor to Stay in Custody
Appeals court dismisses plea to release the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, who is in detention as charges of corruption and money laundering are investigated. Original post Here
Communist-Era Bunkers Leave Lasting Mark on Albania’s Landscape
Albania’s communist-era military bunkers – now a tourist attraction but also a reource for experimental artists – are dotted everywhere, from beaches to mountain tops. Original post Here
Ten people have faced criminal proceedings and 5,444 administrative fines have been issued by the Tirana Traffic Police over the past 48 hours as part of intensified checks on the capital’s roads. According to Police, the 10 individuals were prosecuted mainly for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or driving …
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha has reacted following reports in the Montenegrin media claiming that Serbia and Albania are the two countries referred to by Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić when he warned of possible attempts to destabilize the country through hybrid activities. Hoxha wrote that the …
Seven wildfires remain active across Albania, while two others are under surveillance. According to the Ministry of Defense, a total of 10 wildfires had been reported by 2:00 p.m. on August 28, one of which has been completely extinguished. The active fires are concentrated in Tirana, Dibër, Vlorë, Gjirokastër and …
Prosecutor Avni Namani has called for the conviction of acting Minister Xhelal Sveçla in his closing arguments in the trial over the use of tear gas in the Kosovo Assembly in 2018. Prosecutor Namani said that, based on expert reports, a tear gas canister is considered a weapon. He announced …
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said during a visit to Osečina that he does not trust the justice system in The Hague and that Serbia has still not received official information from The Hague regarding the death of Ratko Mladić. Vučić stressed that, in his view, Western countries want to create …
Former Albanian Prime Minister and Socialist Party MP Pandeli Majko has reacted following a report by Montenegrin media outlet “Vijesti,” according to which Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić was referring to Albania and Serbia when speaking about coordinated hybrid activities aimed at destabilizing the country. In his response, Majko called …
A technical malfunction caused air traffic control systems to shut down at 5:30 p.m. today, creating an emergency situation in Albanian airspace, Albcontrol announced to the media on Friday. According to the statement, immediately after the incident, Albcontrol experts took all necessary measures in accordance with established protocols to ensure …
Authorities in Kosovo said that at least ten bone samples recovered from three mass graves in Zubin Potok have been sent to The Hague for DNA identification. Acting Minister for Labor, Family and Liberation War Values Andin Hoti, during a visit to Kalludër, one of the locations where human remains …
Was a Key National Security Institution Penetrated by Organized Crime? Tirana Times, August 28, 2026 – The arrest of businessman Ergys Agasi has put a new focus on allegations reaching beyond corruption in public procurement, raising broader questions about possible links between political power, business interests and organized crime — and …
Tirana Times, August 28, 2026 – An extraordinary political and diplomatic controversy has emerged between Montenegro and Albania after Montenegrin media reported that Prime Minister Milojko Spajić was referring to Albania and Serbia when he warned of a coordinated hybrid operation aimed at destabilizing Montenegro and obstructing its progress toward …