Blog
News

Head of EU Office: Abrogating Specialist Chambers Law appalling and extremely damaging

Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, has reacted to surprise efforts of Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Speaker of Assembly kadri Veseli, and Prime Minister Ramushj Haradinaj, to abrogate the Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecution Office. Original post Here

Read More
News

British Ambassador: This could be the most dangerous night for Kosovo since the war

British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, said at the Assembly building “that tonight could be the most dangerous night for Kosovo since the war.” He made these statements after Kosovo Assembly’s initiative to abrogate the Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecution Office. Original post Here

Read More
News

US Ambassador Delawie: You are destroying the future of Kosovo

US Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, says the idea of changing the Special Court Law could globally isolate Kosovo. “Terrible idea. Don’t turn back the clock,” Delawie wrote on his Twitter account. Original post Here

Read More
News

Veseli asks urgent meeting on abrogation of the Kosovo war crimes court

43 Kosovo MPs have asked for an extraordinary Assembly session on abrogation of the Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. Original post Here

Read More
News

MPs initiative to abrogate Specialist Chambers Law supported by top Kosovo leaders, according to sources

Gazeta Express has learned that Kosovo MPs have started collecting signatures to call an extraordinary session of the Assembly next Tuesday, in a desperate effort to abrogate the Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. Sources told Gazeta Express that this initiative is being supported also by Kosovo top …

Read More
News

Kosovo opens new highway section

A new section of Kosovo’s highway Pristina-Hani i Elezit leading towards Macedonia was inaugurated on Friday. Original post Here

Read More
News

The EU reminds Kosovo: Fighting organised crime, corruption is one of the outstanding criteria

Kosovo has not fulfilled one of the two remaining benchmarks concerning a track record of convictions in high-level organised crime and corruption cases. In addition Kosovo also needs to to ratify the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro in order to get visa free regime with the EU. Original post …

Read More
News

EULEX reacts to Kosovo leaders’ statement on closing of the EU Mission

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and head of the Supreme Court Enver Peci, stated that Kosovo is capable dealing with its own problems and asked the EU to close its rule of law mission in Kosovo – EULEX. But the EULEX officials told Express that the future of the mission will …

Read More
News

Thaci addressed lawmakers in key annual speech

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, in his annual state-of-the-nation speech in Assembly of Kosovo said that 2017 was successful for Kosovo despite many challenges. Thaci pledged that Kosovo will establish its Army in 2018 and called on MPs to ratify the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro which is one …

Read More
News

Archive photo shows Thaci protesting against Milosevic’s regime

Kosovo well-known photographer, Hazir Reka, has published an archive photo depicting Kosovo President Hashim Thaci holding a banner while attending a rally organised during 90s against Slobodan Milosevic’s regime in Kosovo. Original post Here

Read More
News
How “Diella” Was Used by the Russian Pravda Network to Spread Disinformation

By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – In early December, a Croatian satirical outlet published a humorous article claiming that Albania’s AI minister had been arrested after allegedly accepting a bribe worth 14 bitcoins. The satire quickly went viral online, but it was subsequently misinterpreted as factual information …

News
The Kurum Case and the Collapse of Environmental Oversight in Albania

Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Kurum waste file has exposed one of the most serious environmental and governance scandals in Albania in recent years, revealing not only the illegal export of hazardous waste but also the disappearance of tens of thousands of tons of industrial byproducts inside the …

News
Russian Propaganda in North Macedonia

by Agron Vrangalla Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – Moscow systematically uses information manipulation as an instrument of foreign policy. In North Macedonia, Russian propaganda relies on several recurring narratives that exploit domestic political tensions and social vulnerabilities. The impact of Russian propaganda in the Western Balkans is neither new …

News
Deputy Prime Minister Resuspended By Court Ruling

Parliament now expected to lift immunity. Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Constitutional Court’s decision to leave in force the suspension of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Belinda Balluku has reopened a deep institutional conflict in Albania, sharpening tensions between the executive, the judiciary, and Parliament, while placing …

News
Week in Review: Saviours, Crypto Fugitives and Unlikely Friendships

A Canadian on the run in Bosnia, an Albanian’s controversial jaunt to Israel and a Brit looking to the Balkans for possible salvation – this week’s selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories has an international flavour. Original post Here

News
Albanian PM’s Private Jet Trip to Israel Raises Transparency Questions

During last week’s visit to Israel, Albania’s Prime Minister used a private jet once owned by Sam Bankman Fried, now-jailed owner of crypto exchange FTX – but it’s unclear who footed the bill. Original post Here

News
Albania Arrests 20 for Toxic Waste-Trafficking to Thailand

The suspects are among 33 people accused of involvement in shipping a cargo of dangerous industrial waste from Albania to Thailand. Original post Here

News
As Trump’s Family Eyes Pristine Albanian Coast, Villagers Cry Foul

The US president’s son-in-law wants to build a tourism development in southern Albania, but residents of the unspoilt strip around Zvernec say a dispute over ownership of the land is being ignored. Original post Here

News
Local roads, national standards: Tropojë case tests Albania’s procurement and oversight

Tropojë Mayor Indicted for Illegal Roadworks Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 – In a case related to alleged abuse of office, Albania’s Special Court has sent Tropojë’s mayor Rexhë Byberi and his deputy Abedin Kërrnaja to trial on charges of “abuse of office” related to local infrastructure projects. The officials are …

News
Hamid’s Story: A Tale of Death and Europe’s Drift Towards Offshore Detention

The Italy-Albania asylum ‘offshoring’ scheme is being studied by other Western European governments wanting to look tough on migration. But the case of Hamid Badoui, who took his own life after being held at an Albanian migrant detention camp, highlights the human cost. Original post Here

News

How “Diella” Was Used by the Russian Pravda Network to Spread Disinformation

By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – In early December, a Croatian satirical outlet published a humorous article claiming that Albania’s AI minister had been arrested after allegedly accepting a bribe worth 14 bitcoins. The satire quickly went viral online, but it was subsequently misinterpreted as factual information …

News

The Kurum Case and the Collapse of Environmental Oversight in Albania

Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Kurum waste file has exposed one of the most serious environmental and governance scandals in Albania in recent years, revealing not only the illegal export of hazardous waste but also the disappearance of tens of thousands of tons of industrial byproducts inside the …

News

Russian Propaganda in North Macedonia

by Agron Vrangalla Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – Moscow systematically uses information manipulation as an instrument of foreign policy. In North Macedonia, Russian propaganda relies on several recurring narratives that exploit domestic political tensions and social vulnerabilities. The impact of Russian propaganda in the Western Balkans is neither new …

News

Deputy Prime Minister Resuspended By Court Ruling

Parliament now expected to lift immunity. Tirana Times, 08 February 2026 – The Constitutional Court’s decision to leave in force the suspension of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Belinda Balluku has reopened a deep institutional conflict in Albania, sharpening tensions between the executive, the judiciary, and Parliament, while placing …

News

Week in Review: Saviours, Crypto Fugitives and Unlikely Friendships

A Canadian on the run in Bosnia, an Albanian’s controversial jaunt to Israel and a Brit looking to the Balkans for possible salvation – this week’s selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories has an international flavour. Original post Here

News

Albanian PM’s Private Jet Trip to Israel Raises Transparency Questions

During last week’s visit to Israel, Albania’s Prime Minister used a private jet once owned by Sam Bankman Fried, now-jailed owner of crypto exchange FTX – but it’s unclear who footed the bill. Original post Here

News

Albania Arrests 20 for Toxic Waste-Trafficking to Thailand

The suspects are among 33 people accused of involvement in shipping a cargo of dangerous industrial waste from Albania to Thailand. Original post Here

News

As Trump’s Family Eyes Pristine Albanian Coast, Villagers Cry Foul

The US president’s son-in-law wants to build a tourism development in southern Albania, but residents of the unspoilt strip around Zvernec say a dispute over ownership of the land is being ignored. Original post Here

News

Local roads, national standards: Tropojë case tests Albania’s procurement and oversight

Tropojë Mayor Indicted for Illegal Roadworks Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 – In a case related to alleged abuse of office, Albania’s Special Court has sent Tropojë’s mayor Rexhë Byberi and his deputy Abedin Kërrnaja to trial on charges of “abuse of office” related to local infrastructure projects. The officials are …

News

Hamid’s Story: A Tale of Death and Europe’s Drift Towards Offshore Detention

The Italy-Albania asylum ‘offshoring’ scheme is being studied by other Western European governments wanting to look tough on migration. But the case of Hamid Badoui, who took his own life after being held at an Albanian migrant detention camp, highlights the human cost. Original post Here