New Slovak Prime Minister says his country will not change its stance on Kosovo
New Slovak Prime Minister, Peter Pellegrini, said in Parliament in Bratislava ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit of Sofia set to be held on 17-18 May, that nobody is asking Slovakia to recognise the independence of Kosovo. Original post Here
Kosovo ending last mile to visa free regime, says DPM Hoxhaj
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, has concluded his official visit to Brussels when during meetings with the EU senior officials discussed visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Original post Here
Kosovo Foreign Minister Joins FIDE’s President Team Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, has decided to join the team of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) head Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who in the west is known as controversial Russian politician, and close ally of Russian President, Vladimir Putin. Original post Here
Kosovo Serb acquitted of killing Albanians during the war
Zoran Vukotic, accused of killing four Albanian civilians on 5 May 1999, has been acquitted of committing war crimes due to lack of evidence. Original post Here
Serbian President confirms receiving a Western plan for Kosovo
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in Sofia on Wednesday that he received a plan the West prepared as a proposal to solve the Kosovo issue. Original post Here
Kosovo President Thaci arrives in Sofia
President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, has arrived today to Sofia when he joined other leaders of the EU and Western Balkans who are gathered in Bulgarian capital to attend the EU-WB summit set to be held on 17-18 May. Original post Here
President’s Advisor: QUINT meeting in Washington about final phase of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue
Blerim Shala, political advisor to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, has confirmed that a meeting of the QUINT representatives (U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Italy) held in Washington last week was held to discuss final phase of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and coordination on Kosovo’s membership into international organisations. Original post Here
Spanish PM will not attend EU-Balkans summit over Kosovo
Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy has decided not participate in the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, due to his country’s position on Kosovo. Spain is one of the five EU member countries which have not recognised Kosovo’s independence. Original post Here
Haradinaj urges Kosovo Serbs to support creation of Army
Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj after meeting foreign ambassadors accredited in Pristina said that time has come for transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into Armed Force of Kosovo. He said that establishment of the Kosovo Army is well accepted by Kosovo Serbs, and urged Srpska List to vote …
Hoxhaj after meeting Hahn: Kosovo expects positive recommendation on visas from the EC
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, is visiting Brussels when he met the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn. Original post Here
Forty-one environmental organisations from 28 countries have called for a halt to the planned development by Jared Kushner of Albania’s Sazan island as a luxury resort, saying it threatens the valuable biodiversity of the area. Original post Here
Kosovo, Bulgaria and Turkey have signed the Board of Peace Charter, under Donald Trump’s auspices, but several other Balkan countries are still pondering whether to join the initiative. Original post Here
Balkan countries are continuing to sacrifice their remaining clean river stretches to development and pollution, a new assessment warns. Original post Here
The Bulgarian mystic’s doomy predictions continue to grab headlines in Albania and elsewhere – even though many seem fabricated and sometimes appear to serve Russian geopolitical narratives. Original post Here
Tirana, 21.01.2026 – Research on disability has increasingly moved into the centre of international scientific and policy discussions, reflecting broader debates about inclusion, quality of life and access to public space. Against this wider backdrop, the King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) has opened nominations for the 4th cycle of …
While Albania’s Edi Rama welcomed an invitation to join Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania and Greece merely confirmed that they had received invitations. Original post Here
When the “Choo Choo” Train Never Came It begins with a scene that now feels almost surreal. In 2022, during a staged media event in Tirana, Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku enthusiastically explained to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the Tirana–Durrës–Rinas railway would be completed by 2024. …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The United States has once again issued an unusually clear and public warning about the threat posed by Albanian organized crime groups and their links to Latin American drug cartels, framing the issue not only as a criminal challenge but as a direct risk to Albania’s national security and economic …
As the new year gets off to a cold start in the region, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories takes a look at the high expectations and sobering realities of what 2026 holds in store. Original post Here