Week in Review: Opportunities and Setbacks
This week’s Balkan Insight Premium stories reflect the region’s ongoing push-and-pull between hopes of peace and the bitter weight of history. Original post Here
Week in Review: Failures and Flops
From Kosovo’s parliamentary stalemate to Montenegro’s rocky tourism season, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week sees several countries across the region failing to meet up to public needs. Original post Here
Airport Ordeal Sheds Light on Plight of Migrant Workers in Albania
Long hours, low pay and confiscated passports. Albania’s treatment of migrant workers bears all the hallmarks of modern slavery, experts say. Original post Here
Tirana Mayor Indicted in Corruption Probe
TIRANA, Albania , Tirana Time, July 23, 2025— Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office (SPAK) has officially indicted Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, on multiple corruption charges in a sweeping criminal case that also implicates his wife, a ruling party lawmaker, two businessmen, and a prison official. The announcement, made …
Bankers Petroleum Threatens Arbitration Amid Fraud Probe in Albania
By Tirana Times | July 23, 2025 Albania’s most lucrative oilfield has become the epicenter of what could be the country’s most consequential investor-state confrontation to date, after Bankers Petroleum — its largest oil producer — threatened to sue the Albanian government in international arbitration courts. The company claims its …
Women Journalists in Albania Unprotected in Face of Online Abuse
As Albanian online portals spread falsehoods to discredit women in the media, a culture of silence and weak legal protections leave women journalists increasingly vulnerable. Original post Here
Albania’s Public Broadcaster Paying Price of Former Head’s Firing Spree
The former head of Albania’s public broadcaster abruptly fired some 150 of its employees; they went to court, and many are winning, at a growing cost to RTSH. Original post Here
UAE President’s Surprise Visit to Albania Underscores Strategic Diplomacy Beyond Friendship
TIRANA, Albania — July 17, 2025 Tirana Times. In a rare and tightly scheduled diplomatic mission, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan made an unannounced visit to Albania on the evening of July 16, marking his second trip to the Balkan country in less than …
Week in Review: Surprises in Store
Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week brings some surprises – some good, some less so – while continuing to look back on 20 years of BIRN. Original post Here
Week in Review: Opportunities and Setbacks
This week’s Balkan Insight Premium stories reflect the region’s ongoing push-and-pull between hopes of peace and the bitter weight of history. Original post Here
Eric Wendt presents credentials in Tirana as Albania and the United States look to the next phase of their strategic relationship Tirana Times, September, 27, 2026 – Eric P. Wendt, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former commander of NATO’s Special Operations Headquarters, has formally taken up his post …
Kosovo-born, Austria-based artist honored for a career that has turned memory, displacement and identity into a bridge between cultures Tirana Times, September 29, 2026 – Kosovo-born Albanian painter Gazmend Freitag, who has built his artistic career in Austria, has been awarded the title “Painter of the Year 2025”, receiving the distinction …
Authorities have approved three new permits for tourist complexes in a protected area in Zvernec – where a project backed by Jared Kushner triggered the ‘Flamingo Revolution’ protests. Original post Here
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(–header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”request-WEB:4c373d13-a52f-4222-9521-ffa1122dc669-40″ data-turn-id-container=”request-WEB:4c373d13-a52f-4222-9521-ffa1122dc669-40″ data-testid=”conversation-turn-16″ data-turn=”assistant”> div:has([data-free-thinking-preview-answer=true])+:is(.text-message,.relative:has(>.text-message))]:-mt-2 grow”> Albania’s Minister of the Interior, Ervin Demo, met Italian Ambassador Marco Alberti on Tuesday to discuss strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries in the field of security. In a post on social media, Demo said the cooperation …
Prime Minister Edi Rama said Albania is attracting investors who can expand luxury tourism and generate higher revenues for the country. He spoke at the Euronews Tourism Summit 2026 in Brussels, where he discussed the future of tourism, investment and Albania’s growing potential. Rama argued that tourism built mainly on …
Albania’s General Directorate of Archives is expanding its international partnerships through new contacts with archival institutions abroad. Director General Auron Rrokaj hosted the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Albania, Rana Abu Sibae, to discuss potential cooperation between Albania’s General Directorate of Archives and the Palestinian Archives Institute. The …
The ballet companies of Albania and Kosovo will perform together on the same stage for the first time, marking a significant cultural milestone for both countries. The production “Neighbours / From Motherland”, created by choreographers Brigel Gjoka and Rauf “RubberLegz” Yasit, will open the fifth edition of the International Dance …
An exhibition showcasing the traditional architecture of communities around Lake Shkodra opened on Albania’s National Cultural Heritage Day, highlighting the shared history, craftsmanship and architectural identity of regions connected by the lake. The exhibition, titled “Traditional Architecture Along the Lake Shkodra Basin,” is the result of a collaboration between the …
The Ancient Amphitheatre of Durrës has entered a new phase of conservation and archaeological research as authorities step up efforts to preserve one of Albania’s most important cultural heritage sites. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja announced the start of the Conservation and Archaeological Excavation Plan, an initiative …
“Coffee at Noon,” a comedy by Croatian playwright Miro Gavran, took the stage at the Kujtim Spahivogli National Experimental Theatre in Tirana as part of Croatian Cultural Week. The play, performed by Mladena Gavran and Vedran Komerički, tells the story of a mother and her son and follows their relationship …