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Kosovo opposition wants snap election after ruling parties lose majority

Chief of parliamentary group of the opposition party, LDK, Avdullah Hoti, called as scandalous the decision of Kosovo authorities to deport the six Turkish nationals who wre arrested on Thursday suspected of their links with the Gulen movement. Original post Here

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Parliament Speaker slams Kosovo PM, President over deportation of Turkish teachers

Kosovo Parliament Speaker and chairman of the ruling party, PDK, Kadri Veseli, said that the Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and President Hashim Thaci are to be held responsible for the arrest and deportation Turkish nationals for their alleged connection to Fethullah Gulen’s movement. Original post Here

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Kosovo PM dismisses Interior minister, intelligence chief over Turkish arrests

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj dismissed on Friday the minister of Internal Affairs Falmur Sefaj, and the director of the Intelligence Agency, Driton Gashi, after the arrest and extradition to Turkey of six Turkish nationals due to their alleged links to a network run by Fethullah Gulen. Original post Here

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Turkish President Erdogan spoke over the phone with Thaci, Vucic

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday spoke over the phone with his counterparts in Serbia and Kosovo to discuss the detention of a Serb politician, Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency (AA) is reporting. Original post Here

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Serbian Government refers to Kosovo DPM Hoxhaj as ‘terrorist’

Serbia’s Government Office for Kosovo, has issued a statement targeting Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj, calling him “terrorist.” Original post Here

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Kwai Hong Ip succeeds David Schwendiman as acting Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor

Kwai Hong Ip succeeds David Schwendiman to become the Acting Specialist Prosecutor of the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) as of midnight on 31 March 2018. Ip’s term as Acting Specialist Prosecutor will last until a new Specialist Prosecutor is appointed. He has exactly the same authorities as a Specialist Prosecutor …

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Kosovo PM reacts after arrest and deportation of Turkish nationals

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in a Facebook post criticized the arrest and deportation of the Gulen-linked suspects. Six Turks working with a network of schools owned by Gulen who Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago, were arrested on Thursday by the Kosovo …

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Kosovo Parliament Speaker against arbitrary arrest of Gulen-linked suspects

Kosovo Parliament Speaker, Kadri Veseli, has asked those involved on arrest and deportation of the six Turkish nationals to Turkey due to their alleged links to a network run by Fethullah Gulen, be held responsible before the law. Original post Here

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Albania and Greece foreign ministers meet in Tirana

The Foreign Ministers of Albania and Greece, Ditmir Bushati and Nikos Kotzias respectively, met Thursday in Tirana in the wake of intensive dialogue between the two countries to resolve bilateral issues. Original post Here

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Albanian 'drone-flyer' spared extradition to Serbia

Albanian citizen Ismail Morina, wanted by Serbian authorities for flying a drone with flag depicting ‘Greater Albania’ during an international football match has been spared extradition to Serbia by a court in Croatia after being arrested in June 2017 at Serbia’s request. Original post Here

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BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

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Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

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NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

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Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

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Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

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Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

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Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

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The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

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Korça Revives Historic Ties with France Through Culture and Vision

By Tirana Times  As the cobblestone streets of Korça echo with French music, scent of Alpine cuisine, and the laughter of children discovering animated French classics, the southeastern Albanian city reaffirms a timeless connection with France—one rooted in history, education, and enduring cultural admiration. From June 14 to 24, Korça …

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Albania’s Demographic Time Bomb: A Silent National Emergency

By Lutfi Dervishi For decades, the most pressing keywords in Albania’s political lexicon were democracy, corruption, and justice. Today, however, the most dangerous threat to the country’s future may lie elsewhere—hidden in plain sight and dangerously underdiscussed: demography. According to the most recent official census, Albania’s population stands at approximately …

News

BIRN Reality Check: Albanian Prosecutors Still Can’t Identify ‘Hazardous Waste’ Cargo

In October 2024, a shipment of containers with suspected hazardous waste was returned to Albania. But prosecutors haven’t yet managed to analyse their contents because they say they’re unable to find the necessary laboratory services. Original post Here

News

Expensive Lesson: Italy Weighs Costs of Offshore Migrant Centres in Albania

Already repurposed due to legal challenges, Italy’s asylum centres in Albania cost more than originally planned and much more than similar facilities in Italy itself, offering a potential lesson for other European governments tempted to take the same route. Original post Here

News

NATO Summit in The Hague Reaffirms Alliance Unity

Tirana announced as host city for 2027 NATO Summit The Hague, June 25, 2025 — NATO leaders convened today in The Hague for a pivotal summit that reaffirmed the Alliance’s unity amid intensifying global security threats and adopted a transformative new commitment to defense investment, resilience, and innovation. In a …

News

Activists Condemn Secret Migrant Deportations from Albania

Activists have condemned as “illegal” the deportation back to Egypt of five people from an Italian-run migrant holding camp in Albania. Original post Here

News

Albania Aligns Firmly with U.S. in Iran Standoff, Reflecting Decades-Long Strategic Alliance

June 23, 2025 – Tirana Albania has expressed unequivocal support for the United States following its militar.y strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, marking a rare moment of bipartisan consensus among the ruling Socialist majority and the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Prime Minister …

News

Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK

By Tirana Times TIRANA, Albania  20 June, 2025— A sophisticated Iranian cyber group has claimed responsibility for a major attack on the official website of Tirana Municipality, disabling online services and disrupting the city’s public registration system for kindergartens and nurseries, authorities confirmed Friday. The hacking group “Homeland Justice,” believed …

News

Week in Review: SLAPPs, Surveillance and Smuggling Networks

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more. Original post Here

News

The Israel – Iran conflict in our perspective

by Genc Pollo President of the Pan-Europe Albania   Former Minister and MP 18 June 2025 In the Albanian public debate on the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, a prevailing notion has been the contrast between Israel, a democracy where state power is under constitutional constraints and accountable to …

News

Korça Revives Historic Ties with France Through Culture and Vision

By Tirana Times  As the cobblestone streets of Korça echo with French music, scent of Alpine cuisine, and the laughter of children discovering animated French classics, the southeastern Albanian city reaffirms a timeless connection with France—one rooted in history, education, and enduring cultural admiration. From June 14 to 24, Korça …

News

Albania’s Demographic Time Bomb: A Silent National Emergency

By Lutfi Dervishi For decades, the most pressing keywords in Albania’s political lexicon were democracy, corruption, and justice. Today, however, the most dangerous threat to the country’s future may lie elsewhere—hidden in plain sight and dangerously underdiscussed: demography. According to the most recent official census, Albania’s population stands at approximately …