Blog
News

Association of Serb-majority Municipalities by the end of year

Kosovo chief negotiator in technical dialogue with Serbia, Avni Arifi, says the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities will be established by the end of this year at latest, if the entire process will be in compliance with the Constitution and applicable laws of Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
News

EU urges Kosovo to review the Kosovo Liberation Army veterans’ issue

Economic growth was noted as a positive achievement for Kosovo supported by strong export growth and investment, while major structural obstacles to growth and competitiveness were underlined as a challenge, by representatives of the EU Member States, the Western Balkans and Turkey, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, …

Read More
News

Kosovo Police arrests Serbian man wanted by Interpol

The Kosovo Police have arrested on Friday a Kosovo Serb who was in the wanted list of Interpol. Original post Here

Read More
News

EU wants Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to start in June, says Blerim Shala

Blerim Shala, political advisor to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, said that western powers have agreed on principles of the final phase of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. Original post Here

Read More
News

Thaci met Head of EULEX to discuss mission’s mandate

President Hashim Thaci met today head of EULEX, Alexandra Papadopoulou, when they discussed conclusion of the current mandate of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo is wasting time with Association of Serb Municipalities, says chief negotiator

Kosovo chief negotiator in technical talks with Serbia, Avni Arifi, says that establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities should not be among top priorities of Kosovo saying that Kosovo is “wasting time” with the Association. Original post Here

Read More
News

Germany against giving Thaci a leading role in dialogue with Serbia

Germany is opposing Hashim Thaci’s plans to take a leading role in dialogue with Serbia. This was reflected also during a meeting that Thaci had with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on 9 May. Reportedly Merkel was not happy with the way Kosovo authorities have arrested and deported Head …

Read More
News

Kosovo court convicts two people of human trafficking, organised crime

The Basic Court in Pristina has on Thursday convicted urologist Lutfi Dervishi, owner of the Medicus clinic, and anaesthetist Sokol Hajdini, after they were found guilty of carrying out illegal transplant of kidneys. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo hopes to renew bid to join Interpol this year

Veton Elshani, from the Kosovo Ministry of Interior who heads a working group on applying for Interpol membership said on Wednesday that he believes that by November Kosovo will reach an agreement with Europol and join Interpol. Original post Here

Read More
News

Kosovo PM Haradinaj has private audience with Pope Francis, asks Vatican to recognise Kosovo

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj was at a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome on Wednesday. Haradinaj’s cabinet announced that the Prime Minister asked Vatican to recognise Kosovo’s independence. Original post Here

Read More
News
Albanian Parliament Under Cyberattack Linked to Iran

Tirana Times, March 10, 2026 – A cyberattack targeting Albania’s Parliament has revived one of the country’s most serious national security concerns, underscoring the return of a threat that Albanian institutions have come to associate with Iran linked retaliation. The breach, confirmed by Parliament on Tuesday, involved unauthorized access to …

News
Belinda Balluku: Albanian PM’s Loyal Ally at Centre of Political Firestorm

The criminal charges facing former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku have dominated headlines in Albania for months – prompting her boss, Edi Rama, to pick a fight with the judiciary. Original post Here

News
Parliament Blocks Arrest Bid for Former Deputy Prime Minister Balluku

Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …

News
Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity

Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here

News
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 9, 2026

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
Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

News
Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

News
Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

News
The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

News
Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …

News

Albanian Parliament Under Cyberattack Linked to Iran

Tirana Times, March 10, 2026 – A cyberattack targeting Albania’s Parliament has revived one of the country’s most serious national security concerns, underscoring the return of a threat that Albanian institutions have come to associate with Iran linked retaliation. The breach, confirmed by Parliament on Tuesday, involved unauthorized access to …

News

Belinda Balluku: Albanian PM’s Loyal Ally at Centre of Political Firestorm

The criminal charges facing former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku have dominated headlines in Albania for months – prompting her boss, Edi Rama, to pick a fight with the judiciary. Original post Here

News

Parliament Blocks Arrest Bid for Former Deputy Prime Minister Balluku

Shielding Balluku Could Cost Albania More Than a Court Case. Tirana Times, March 09, 2026 – Albania’s ruling Socialist majority moved Monday to block the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, in a decision expected to be ratified by parliament this week and one that is rapidly becoming …

News

Albanian Ruling Party Refuses to Support Lifting of Former Deputy PM’s Immunity

Ahead of a vote in parliament on Thursday, the ruling Socialists reject a prosecution request to support lifting the immunity of dismissed former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 9, 2026

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

Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place with respect to the Balkans. I think the two most important are these: The Trump Administration is abandoning state-building and instead wants local people to make the basic …

News

Marx on the Beach

By Zef Preci Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – Two centuries ago, Karl Marx offered a blunt description of how capitalism is sometimes born and consolidated: through what he called “primitive accumulation,” a historical process—often violent—by which people are separated from their land and productive assets, while wealth is concentrated …

News

Week in Review: Friends, Foes and Chocolate Thieves

From European Union accession hopes to ongoing corruption investigations, our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the political wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes in the region. Original post Here

News

The Biblical Dog and our chances for full EU membership 

by Genc Pollo Let’s start with the dog. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly,” says the Old Testament (Proverbs 26:11), offering a blunt metaphor for stupidity and the stubborn repetition of mistakes. That proverbial dog may be the right analogy for Prime Minister Edi …

News

Albania Must Not Mirror Serbia’s EU Rejection

By Augustin Palokaj Tirana Times, March 03 2026 – EU enlargement does not lack ideas; it lacks political will. That is why the recent joint opinion piece by Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, published in the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is troubling not so …