Thousands of Tons of Hazardous Waste Illegally Exported from Albania
At least 20,000 tonnes of hazardous waste have been illegally exported from Albania since 2020; experts say Albanian authorities are failing in their monitoring obligations. Original post Here
Albania Opposition Chief to Ask Trump to Review ‘Persona Non Grata’ Status
Declaring Donald Trump’s victory in the US elections “a miracle”, Sali Berisha said he will call on the new US administration to remove his ‘persona non grata’ designation, which he called a “corrupt” decision. Original post Here
Albanian PM Under Fire Over TikTok Ban in Election Year
Civil society groups in Albania have questioned the rationale behind an announced 12-month ban on TikTok in the wake of the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old. Opposition parties say PM Edi Rama’s decision is more about the upcoming election than child safety. Original post Here
Great Expectations: Trump’s Return Sparks Hope on All Sides in Divided Albania
Both the ruling Socialists and opposition conservatives spy potential dividends from a second Trump term in the White House. Original post Here
Kushner granted ‘strategic investor’ status for Sazan development ahead of Trump’s inauguration
TIRANA, Jan. 16, 2025 – Albania has officially approved Jared Kushner’s ambitious plans to transform the uninhabited Sazan Island into a luxury eco-resort. The Albanian government’s Strategic Investments Committee granted strategic investor status to Kushner’s Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC late last month, just three weeks ahead of the return to …
Albania signs €1bn deal with Italy and UAE on renewable energy, new undersea connection
TIRANA, Jan. 16, 2025 – Albania, Italy and the United Arab Emirates have signed a trilateral agreement to develop renewable energy infrastructure, marking a €1 billion investment to produce and share solar, wind and other clean energy resources. The project will include an undersea cable linking Albania’s port of Vlorë …
Emigration and Infrastructure Woes Hold Back Albania’s Olive Growers
Albania should be well-placed to take advantage of growing demand for olive oil amid rising prices, but poor roads and a lack of labour during harvest season are stifling the sector. Original post Here
Albania Greenlights Jared Kushner Plan to Develop Island as Luxury Resort
The government has granted Strategic Investor Status to a proposal by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, to build a luxury resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan. Original post Here
Albania’s Government Criticised for Pre-Election ‘Sweeteners’
Though not strictly in violation of the law, a string of generous gestures by Albania’s government appears designed to curry favour with large segments of the electorate ahead of parliamentary polls in May. Original post Here
Often Unnoticed, Albania’s Graft Prosecutors are Targeting Mayors Too
Besides targeting political figures at the state level, special prosecutors in Albania are also going after mayors at the local level where corruption is often more prevalent. Original post Here
TIRANA TIMES, March 19, 2026 – The European Union’s enlargement debate has entered a new and unusually sensitive phase. What initially appeared to be a Brussels-driven discussion about how to accelerate Ukraine’s accession has quickly evolved into a broader political reckoning inside key member states over the future shape, pace, …
Ruling Socialist Party MPs aiming to support the US on the Iran war push through resolution – but opposition MPs boycott the vote they claim was staged ‘for the personal agenda of the Prime Minister’. Original post Here
by Professor Alaa Garad Tirana Times, March 17, 2026 – There are countries you visit, and there are countries you remember. Albania is rapidly becoming the latter. I began writing this article before travelling to Albania, drawing on the country’s remarkable tourism growth and the strategic opportunities it presents. Yet …
In the final years of Albania’s communist dictatorship, the authorities shot dozens of citizens trying to flee the country – and most of the attempts to bring the killers to justice have met obstruction and incompetence. Original post Here
The theft of a shipment of cocaine that was smuggled from Costa Rica to Sweden exposed the role of Albanian criminal groups in the international logistics of the drug trade, as well as the challenges in holding them accountable. Original post Here
A new cyberattack by Iran-linked Homeland Justice group targeting Albania’s parliament revealed the continued vulnerability of state digital systems and failures to implement basic security measures. Original post Here
Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the changing fortunes, power dynamics and neighbourly relations of countries and actors in South-east Europe. Original post Here
TIRANA, March 12, 2026 – Albania’s Parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party, has refused to authorize the arrest of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, blocking a request by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime, SPAK, and triggering one of the gravest confrontations yet between …
Survey of women who gave birth recently reveals a “pervasive yet often hidden crisis of obstetric violence” and a widespread dissatisfaction with medical care. Original post Here
Ruling Socialist Party uses its majority in parliament to vote down a prosecution request to lift former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku’s immunity, allowing for her arrest. Original post Here