Hoxhaj: Kosovo should apply for the Council of Europe membership in 2018
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, reporting on Tuesday at the Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that Kosovo should submit its Council of Europe (CoE) bid in 2018, noting that full membership of Kosovo will take two to three years. Original post Here
Pristina restricts cars from 31 January to cut pollution
Kosovo Ministry of Environment and Municipality of Pristina have decided that odd and even number vehicles will be allowed to enter the capital city centre on alternate days as of 31 January, imposing the restrictions as an effort to curb rising pollution. Also Kosovo parliament is set to hold an …
Government insists pay rise is legal after Anti-Corruption body ruled as illegal
Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency has on Monday published an opinion qualifying the decision of the Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to increase salaries of his staff as illegal. According to this opinion the decision is in violation with the Law on preventing of the conflict of interest. Original post Here
Kosovo PM’s pay rise decision challenged at the Constitutional Court
The Vetevendosje MP, Albulena Haxhiu, announced on Monday that she addressed the Constitutional Court challenging the prime minister’s decision to increase salaries of his cabinet. Haxhiu claims PM Ramush Haradinaj’s decision is unconstitutional. Original post Here
MP Ilir Deda says demarcation with Montenegro cannot be negotiated
Member of Parliament representing Alternativa, Ilir Deda, said that current version of the Agreement on border demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro cannot be renegotiated. He said that the only solution is reaching a consensus and ratification by the Parliament of Kosovo. Original post Here
Pacolli visits Sweden
Kosovo Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, is paying an official visit to Sweden, when he was received by his Swedish counterpart, Margot Wallstrom. Original post Here
PM Haradinaj visits KIA headquarters
Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj on Tuesday visited the headquarters of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA), when he was received by the director of the Agency, Driton Gashi. Original post Here
President Thaci calls on leaders to engage on granting Kosovo visa-free regime
President Thaci says time has come for Kosovo leadership to act for the interest of the state now that the European Commission is expected to publish its Enlargement Strategy on Western Balkans. The President even called on politicians to leave aside political causes and concentrate on the EU future. President …
Haradinaj: Demarcation with Montenegro cannot be negotiated
Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj says no room is left to discuss the disputable Agreement on border demarcation with his Montenegro counterpart Dusko Markovic, who is expected to visit Pristina on 6 February. Original post Here
Air Pollution: Parliament to hold extraordinary session
The Speaker Kadri Veseli has initiated an extraordinary session of Parliament to address the quality of air in Pristina, Gazeta Express reports. His reaction came after Pristina was ranked as the most polluted city in the world. Original post Here
Tirana Times, March 26 , 2026 – The Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) has awarded its prestigious annual “Jorgji Qirjako” Translation Prize for 2025 to historian and translator Ilir Ikonomi, recognizing his outstanding contribution to bringing major works of international scholarship to the Albanian audience. Ilir Ikonomi received the award …
From a political spying scandal to MAGA alignment and a brewing collision with the law, selection of BIRN Premium stories this week makes for an exciting read. Original post Here
The now-notorious hacker group Homeland Justice claimed that it had breached the computer defences of Albania’s postal service following its attack on parliament’s systems earlier this month. Original post Here
Charged with corruption, money laundering and concealment of wealth, ex-politician Monika Kryemadhi is rebranding herself as a showbiz celebrity on the Big Brother reality show, but can it keep her out of prison? Original post Here
An appeals court upheld the verdict jailing the former Socialist Party mayor of Himara, Jorgo Goro, who was at the centre of a political storm during a controversial election in 2023. Original post Here
The prime minister’s moves to shield his deputy from arrest feel like the beginning of the end of an era for Albanians’ hopes that the powerful would finally be held accountable. Original post Here
V Dem places Albania in a category dominated by African states, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina the only Western Balkan countries in the same group. Tirana Times, March 23, 2026 – Albania has been placed in the category of electoral autocracy in the latest Democracy Report 2026 by the …
As oil and gas prices surge amid the Iran war, Balkan countries are pondering ways to reduce the impact on households and businesses. Original post Here
The controversy over Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku has put the spotlight on prosecution efforts to target high-level corruption – but she is only the latest senior politician to face charges. Original post Here
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here