Albanians ‘Deliberately Forgetting’ Horrors of Communist Past, Writer Says
In his new book, political scientist Ermal Hasimja says Albanians have deliberately decided to ‘forget’ the criminal nature of the country’s former communist regime, as a kind of defence mechanism. Original post Here
Freed Albanian Opposition Leader Demands New Govt Ahead of Elections
After being freed from house arrest, the opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha demanded the formation of a new ‘technical’ caretaker government to steer the country ahead of 2025 elections. Original post Here
Robert Budina: Filmmaker Whose Risky Escape from Albania Shaped His Work
The son of an army general in communist Albania, Robert Budina was part of the student protests that helped bring down the regime, only to flee to Italy on an overcrowded boat. The experience has informed his work ever since. Original post Here
Albania Drug Trafficking Probe Targets Top Policeman, Ex-Judge, Journalists
Prosecutors are investigating an Elbasan-based organised crime group that trafficked drugs from Latin America and whose suspected members and associates include a former judge, a senior police official and two journalists. Original post Here
Hundreds of Albanians Still Waiting for Homes, Five Years After Earthquake
The state promised everyone left homeless by a 2019 earthquake a new home in 2020. Some are still living in squalor. Original post Here
THE HISTORY OF AN ART GALLERY
ON THE OCCASION OF 10th ANNIVERSARY OF GALERIAKALO With the exhibition titled PROMENADE organized last week, FONDACIONI KALO ART and GALERIAKALO celebrated their 10th anniversary. A selected number of artworks by Masters, and other well-established artists were displayed on that occasion. GALERIAKALO was founded in November 2014 to support …
Environment Paying Price of Albania’s Failure to Rehabilitate after Mining
A law requiring mining companies to rehabilitate the environment after their operations shut down is being almost completely ignored, and the state has failed to step in. Original post Here
Albania joins SEPA, marking tangible step in economic integration with the EU
TIRANA, Nov. 22, 2024 – Albania’s application to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) has been approved, and the country will join on Jan. 1, 2025, alongside Montenegro, the central bank announced Thursday. SEPA membership is particularly important because it is a rare tangible measure of EU integration at …
Albania Condemns ‘Passivisation’ of Albanians’ Addresses in South Serbia
Albania joined Kosovo in criticising Serbia’s practice of marking ethnic Albanians’ addresses as ‘inactive’, describing it as a “violation of human rights and standards for the protection of minorities”. Original post Here
Western Balkans’ Biodiversity Threatened by Development and Mismanagement, Report Warns
German-based EuroNatur Foundation report highlights escalating threats to ecosystems im Western Balkans, saying development pressures, policy gaps and poor enforcement of rules jeopardise their future. 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