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 …
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
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 …
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 …
Share Your Experience: Child Support Payments After Divorce in the Balkans, France
Do you live in the Balkans or France, and have you been awarded child support payments after divorce? Was the process easy – and did you receive the money as the court ordered? Original post Here
The War in Iran and Albania in a Fragmenting International Order
by Dr. Arben Ramkaj Tirana Times, February 28 2026 – At the very moment when diplomacy appeared to be moving toward a fragile agreement, the United States and Israel launched a unilateral strike against Iran, shifting the region from tense negotiations to open confrontation. The targets included strategic infrastructure and …
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: March 2, 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
Balkan Govts Scramble to Safeguard Citizens in Middle East Conflict Zone
Some Balkan countries are planning to evacuate stranded citizens from the conflict zone around Iran, others have already managed to fly people out – although some have only issued security warnings. Original post Here
Albanians Pay Price of Legal Row over Wastewater Treatment Project
For decades, sewage from the Albanian capital has been discharged untreated into the waters of the Lana River in Tirana. Original post Here
Albania Aligns With U.S. and Israel on Iran
Albania also voices solidarity with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners after Iran’s missile attacks. Tirana Times, March 1, 2026 – Albania threw its support behind U.S. strikes on Iran in the opening hours of the latest Middle East escalation, with Prime Minister Edi Rama declaring that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary …
Edi Rama accuses opposition of trying to ‘pull Albania down’ after a second night of violence saw government buildings and businesses attacked and set on fire amid clashes between student protesters and police. Original post Here
French media outlet Notre Temps has highlighted Albania as an attractive destination for summer 2027, offering visitors a mix of cultural heritage, mountain scenery and Mediterranean beaches. The coverage comes as Transavia opens bookings for its summer 2027 flights. The airline plans to launch a new route between Marseille and …
Albania is taking new steps to promote the cultural and natural heritage of Theth through specially designed tourist routes. In Shkodër, around 20 representatives from cultural heritage institutions, local government, civil society, academia and local guides from Theth took part in a knowledge-sharing session under the project “From Mountainscapes to …
The Agolli House Studio hosted a cultural evening to mark the 95th anniversary of the birth of renowned Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli. The event took place in the house where he wrote many of his works and coincided with the second anniversary of the museum’s opening to the public. For …
“Wonders of Arbëria” brought Albanian folklore, traditions and cultural heritage to the stage of the National Theatre of Opera, Ballet and Folk Ensemble in a vibrant celebration of the country’s cultural identity. Artists from the National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble joined the Gurra e Kurbin Ensemble for an evening …
Protests by pupils and students continued today, with tensions escalating in Tirana. Demonstrators threw stones at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Pupils and students have boycotted classes and taken to the streets in Tirana, Shkodra, Korça and Durrës. They are calling for change and marching through …
On the third day of protests, the State Police has urged pupils and parents to stay away from violence. It warned against involvement in situations that could endanger life and health. In a public message, police called on young people to leave areas where clashes are taking place. Parents were …
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has told Reuters he will not resign over student-led protests that entered their third consecutive day. Police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who smashed windows and damaged property in the capital. The unrest also forced parliament to cancel its plenary session. Students are protesting …
Albania’s average monthly disposable income per capita reached 56,487 lek in 2025, up 10.5% from the previous year. Meanwhile, indicators measuring poverty risk and material and social deprivation showed improvement, according to the country’s statistics agency. The 2025 Income and Living Conditions Survey, published by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), …
More than 110 new and modernization projects worth over €15 billion will feature at Balkan Summit 2026. The event will take place in Pristina on October 19–20. The projects cover Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia. Organizers aim to unite the three markets and attract international investors, financiers and development institutions, …