Veliaj in Legal and Political Limbo: High Court Confirms Detention, Rule-of-Law in Question
Tirana Times, TIRANA July 9, 2025— Albania’s High Court on Tuesday upheld the pretrial detention of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, marking a decisive moment in both the judicial handling of the high-profile case and in Veliaj’s political unraveling. The ruling, which confirms the March 13 decision of the Court of …
Greece Inaugurates New Consulate in Korça to Boost Bilateral Ties
By Tirana Time staff KORÇA, Albania ,Tirana Times, July 9 , 2025 — Greece inaugurated a new building for its Consulate General in the southeastern Albanian city of Korça on Sunday, in a ceremony that highlighted the deepening diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries and renewed Athens’ focus on …
Albania’s Youth Exodus: Emigration as a Security Threat
Tirana Times. July 8, 2025. Albania is shrinking—demographically, economically, and institutionally. A once-youthful country on the edge of Europe is now in the grip of a mass exodus that analysts warn is no longer just a social or economic crisis, but a growing threat to national security. In a nation …
Vidovdan: A Dangerous Myth Turned Political Weapon
By Syle Ukshini For more than a century, the Serbian state and Church have mythologized the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as a defining moment of Serbian identity—a narrative culminating each year in the celebration of Vidovdan, Serbia’s national and religious holiday observed on June 28. Originally linked to the …
One Man’s Rule: Governance by Ultimatum
by Vilson Blloshmi From the way it was announced to its substance, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s latest ultimatum to “clear public spaces within 2 weeks” is neither a law, nor a public policy, nor a government decision. It is a personal order, a voice over the phone that, in any …
“Wherever I travel, Greece wounds me.”
Ὅπου κι ἂν ταξιδέψω, ἡ Ἑλλάδα μὲ πληγώνει. Jerina Zaloshnja This is what Giorgos Seferis wrote — and thus, before I even truly knew who Seferis was, I began to love Greece. That verse — simple, clear, ablaze with love and pain — was, for me, once a gateway to …
Digital Rights Review: AI-Driven Violations Go Unchecked in South-East Europe
Across south-east Europe last month, BIRN’s digital rights monitors documented how AI is being used for protest surveillance, election manipulation, enabling digital sexual abuse and committing fraud, sparking calls for urgent action. Original post Here
Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans
Saudi Ambassador Faisal Ghazi Ismail Hifzi, Highlights Kingdom’s Commitment to Global Educational Ties through Balkan Alumni Gathering Tirana Times Sunday, July 6, 2025, The Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Albania Faisal Ghazi Ismail Hifzi, announced that on Monday, July 7, Tirana will …
Toxic Smoke and Broken Promises: Albania’s Waste Crisis Exposes Deep Rot in Governance
ELBASAN, Albania, July 5,— For days, thick plumes of toxic smoke have risen from the burning landfill on the outskirts of Elbasan, one of Albania’s largest industrial cities. The stench of melting plastic, rotting waste, and scorched earth now hangs over entire neighborhoods. But this is not an isolated accident. …
Serbia on Edge as Vučić’s Legitimacy Crumbles
As Serbia grapples with one of its most volatile moments in recent political history, the warning signs of regime decay are hard to ignore. The recent student-led protests, marred by repression, nationalist hijacking, and social unrest, are more than a youth revolt—they are a reckoning. Sonja Biserko, the longtime chair …
Businessman Luan Muça has publicly responded to the conflict with Vasil Bedinaj, the owner of a hotel in Radhimë. In a statement, Muça gives his version of the confrontation, claiming that it concerns a property dispute and that he met with Bedinaj in an attempt to resolve it. Muça says …
The SafeJournalists Network expresses concern over a growing number of unexplained restrictions and account-access problems affecting media, activists and other public-interest voices on Meta platforms in Albania. On 5 September, the official Instagram account of Euronews Albania, a private main television and digital news outlet, became inaccessible. Later the same …
TIRANA, September 5 – The US Embassy and EU Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa have paid tribute to Mother Teresa, highlighting her humanitarian legacy and message of service, solidarity and inclusion. Moreira de Sousa recalled one of Mother Teresa’s best-known messages, saying that people may not all do …
TIRANA, September 5 – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha received new European Union Ambassador to Albania Sofia Moreira de Sousa for their first meeting. The two officials discussed Albania’s progress towards European Union membership. During the meeting, Hoxha stressed the importance of maintaining the pace and momentum …
The Association of Albanian Journalists (UGSH) has reacted following the blocking of access to Euronews Albania’s official Instagram page, expressing concern over the situation and calling for immediate clarification. In its statement,UGSH emphasized that the inability to access the media outlet’s account on one of the main platforms used to …
The Union of Albanian Journalists (UGSH) has reacted to the problems affecting access to Euronews Albania’s official Instagram page, describing the situation as an alarm for freedom of communication and access to information. In a public statement, UGSH said that the inability to access the media outlet’s Instagram page constitutes …
The Association of European Journalists, Albanian Section (AEJ), has condemned Meta’s closure of Euronews Albania’s Instagram page, describing the decision as unprecedented and unacceptable. In a statement, the AEJ said the page had been shut down without any official explanation from Meta. “The Association of European Journalists, Albanian Section, strongly …
TIRANA, September 5 – Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania does not necessarily need veto power to take part in European processes and discussions. He spoke about Albania’s European Union perspective and the rise of nationalist trends in several European countries. Speaking at the “Intelligence on the World, Europe and …
Euronews Albania’s Instagram page is no longer accessible, raising further alarm over what has been happening to Albanian accounts on social media in recent days. Without any prior notice or warning, Euronews Albania woke up today to find its Instagram page displaying the message: “User not found.” Just last night, …
Just hours after MEP Sandro Gozi spoke in the Euronews Albania studio about the shutdown of Albanian Instagram accounts and called for transparency from Meta, Euronews Albania’s own page is no longer accessible on the platform. Last night, appearing as a guest on the program “Review,” Gozi addressed the wave …