The Silent Collapse of the Tower Euphoria
By Klodian Tomorri The history of the global economy is filled with well-documented episodes of collective madness. Often, these episodes have culminated in crises that brought even the greatest empires to their knees—such as the Mississippi Bubble or the South Sea Bubble. In other cases, they have devastated the lives …
Balkan Investigative Reporting Highlights: 20 Stories from 20 Years
As BIRN marks its 20th anniversary, here’s a diverse selection of investigations picked from two decades of in-depth reporting on one of Europe’s most complex and challenging regions. Original post Here
Rama Forces UK’s Farage Onto Backfoot Over Albanian Criminals
British far-right leader fails to land a punch with Albania’s prime minister in fiery row on social media over the number of Albanians held in UK jails. Original post Here
NATO’s Defence Spending Plan Poses Challenge for Balkan States
The Western military alliance’s new national spending benchmark on defence and security may cause problems for smaller and poorer NATO member states in the Balkans who cannot afford 5 per cent of GDP. Original post Here
Rule of Law or Rule by Law? Albania’s EU Path Faces a Crisis of Credibility
Jerina Zaloshnja As Albania accelerates the formal process of European Union accession—opening negotiation chapters at a pace that seems to outstrip democratic reforms—it faces an urgent and unavoidable truth: a country cannot genuinely integrate into the EU without first building a functioning rule-of-law society. No volume of technical chapters opened …
Balkan Countries ‘Failing to Enforce Freedom of Information Laws’: Report
Freedom of Information laws in the six Western Balkan countries may look robust, but public institutions all too often find ways to obstruct transparency, a new BIRN report has found. Original post Here
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: June 30, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
Leaving Albania, the Country’s Youth Seek a More Stable Future
An inability to plan for the future is driving many young, educated Albanians to leave their homeland; experts say the government will have to address the trend sooner or later. Original post Here
Week in Review: Boom and Bust
From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
Battling Graft Charges, Tirana Mayor Stages Online Charm Offensive
When Tirana mayor and Socialist Party rising star Erion Veliaj was arrested on corruption charges, he lashed out against the judiciary. Now he’s running a social media PR campaign to charm the public. Can it work? Original post Here
Albania will face San Marino on Tuesday evening in their second Group C1 match of the UEFA Nations League. The Red and Blacks are clear favorites to win the game. Head coach Rolando Maran appeared at the pre-match press conference alongside captain Berat Djimshiti. He stressed the importance of taking …
Minister of Interior Ervin Demo met today with the European Union Ambassador to Albania, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, to discuss stronger cooperation in security and Albania’s priorities in the European integration process. The meeting focused on EU support for strengthening the capacities of the State Police, combating organized crime and …
Albania is showcasing its innovation ecosystem at Bits & Pretzels 2026, one of Europe’s leading startup and innovation events, in Munich, Germany. This year, Albania is participating as the partner country. The country is represented by 17 startups from Albania, Kosovo and the diaspora. They are presenting their success stories …
The World Bank, through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will provide a $3 million grant to prepare an integrated tourism ecosystem development project in Albania. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja announced today that the government had approved the grant agreement with the World Bank. …
Representatives of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) met with Baba Mondi, the World Leader of the Bektashi Order, at the World Bektashi Headquarters. The meeting focused on institutional cooperation to preserve, conserve and restore cultural heritage sites associated with the Bektashi community. During the talks, the participants focused …
Monsignor Rrok Mirdita, a prominent figure of the Albanian Catholic clergy, was born on September 28, 1939, in Klezna, near Ulqin, Montenegro. He studied theology and philosophy in Zadar and Zagreb, Croatia. He was ordained a priest on July 5, 1965. Mirdita later moved to New York to serve the …
Albania offers visitors far more than typical tourist souvenirs. Traditional flavors, handmade crafts and historical objects allow travellers to take home a piece of the country’s culture and identity. French travel media outlet “Generation Voyage” highlights several authentic products that visitors can discover in Tirana and Kruja. At Tirana International …
Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu met Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Yohei Wakabayashi during his visit to Tirana. Wakabayashi became the first senior Japanese Defense Ministry official to visit Albania, according to the Japanese Embassy in Tirana. At the start of the meeting, he expressed regret over the damage caused …
Lake Prespa has received 500,000 carp fingerlings produced in Zvezda, Korça. The initiative aims to strengthen the aquatic ecosystem, protect biodiversity and support local fishing. Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Andis Salla said the fingerlings would help restore aquatic fauna and enrich Prespa’s natural resources. Meanwhile, the initiative aims to …
The Shiroka–Zogaj road along Lake Shkodër forms part of Albania’s efforts to improve tourism infrastructure. The government investment strengthens links between tourism offerings in Albania and Montenegro. It also facilitates travel between the two countries. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared images of the road on Monday morning. He described the …