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Multigenderism’s Curious Impact

1. The Last Cycle of Extremist Ideologies in the Old Continent – Council of Europe   In 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the final version of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), which contained many useful provisions. However, Article 3(c), which …

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Balluku Charges Test PM Rama’s Power

TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) November 11, 2025. The criminal charges filed against Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku over the Llogara Tunnel project have pushed Albania’s flagship justice reform into uncharted territory, bringing prosecutors closer than ever to the core of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The Special …

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Albanian Political Giants’ Electoral Reform Deal is a Sham, Rivals Suspect

Albania’s smaller parties believe the country’s two main political forces unexpectedly agreed to work together on electoral reform in order to fix the system to maintain their dominance. Original post Here

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Western Balkans Remains Key Smuggling Corridor in Europe: Report

The Western Balkan countries remain important corridors in Europe for drug and human trafficking and migrant smuggling, says the 2025 Organised Crime Index, produced by an anti-graft NGO. Original post Here

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: November 10, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

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Ambassador Tsao: lets focus cooperation on technology and AI

Tirana Times sat with the Head of the Taipei Representative office in Italy, Ambassador Vincent Tsao on his recent visit to Albania to talk about cooperation and exchange in technology, development, education and more… Your Excellency, Taiwan is known globally for its advanced technology and innovation sectors. What specific areas …

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Albania’s Gender Equality Law: Now Let’s See It Implemented

Online disinformation from opponents of the new gender equality law shouldn’t obscure the real issue: this vital legislation has been adopted by parliament, but now we need it to work in practice, not just on paper. Original post Here

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Albania Gender-Equality Law Draws Praise and Condemnation

Women’s rights groups hailed adoption of the new equality law as a historic move – while the opposition Democratic Party and ‘pro-family’ groups called it an attack on traditional values. Original post Here

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Leaked Albanian Investigation Implicates Deputy PM in Tender-Rigging

A leaked file, apparently from an anti-corruption prosecutors’ probe, suggests deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku played an active role in predetermining the winner of a major construction tender. Original post Here

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Rama: Albania Has No Fear of Russia

Tirana Times | November 5, 2025 Berlin/Tirana – Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has downplayed growing Western fears of a possible Russian expansion of aggression in Europe, declaring that Moscow would “not attack Albania or any other European country” and that NATO remains fully capable of deterring any threat. In …

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Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …

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Opposition Takes to the Streets Over State Capture and Blocked Justice

Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …

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Albanian Opposition Rallies for Premier’s Resignation Over Indicted Deputy PM

Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here

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Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability

Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …

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Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

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A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case

Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …

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Tirana Marks International Arabic Language Day with a Festive Ceremony

Tirana, Tirana Times, 19 December 2025 – International Arabic Language Day was commemorated in Tirana through a festive ceremony organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Albania, bringing together a broad representation of Albanian state institutions, the diplomatic corps, universities, the academic community, cultural …

News
Albanian MPs Clash in Parliament Amid Tensions Over Corruption Cases

Opposition MPs hurled bottles and clashed with guards as the new ruling party-backed Ombudsman took his oath amid heightened tensions sparked by high-level graft cases. Original post Here

News
Visiting Thaci in Hague Jail, Albania PM Slates ’Shameful’ War Court

Albania’s Edi Rama lashed out at the Hague-based Specialist Chambers war crimes court following a visit to Kosovo’s ex-President Hashim Thaci in detention, calling it a ‘theatre of shame’. Original post Here

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Stability Has a Schedule: What NATO’s Hague Pledge Means for the Western Balkans

In late August 2022, Montenegro’s government digital infrastructure was hit by what officials called an “unprecedented” cyberattack. The disruption was serious enough that parts of the public sector had to fall back on manual workarounds while authorities tried to isolate affected systems. In a region where state capacity is often …

News

Former Foreign and Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka Questioned by SPAK

By Tirana Times Tirana, December 23, 2025 – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Olta Xhaçka appeared on Tuesday at the premises of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK), where she remained for approximately two hours before leaving without making any statement to the media. Xhaçka declined to …

News

Opposition Takes to the Streets Over State Capture and Blocked Justice

Tirana Times, December 22, 2025 – Tirana witnessed a major opposition-led protest on Saturday, as Albania’s main opposition force, the Democratic Party, together with allied groups, demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government. The demonstration was framed not as a routine political rally, but as a …

News

Albanian Opposition Rallies for Premier’s Resignation Over Indicted Deputy PM

Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency. Original post Here

News

Security Beyond Soldiers: NATO’s Role in Strengthening Western Balkans Stability

Security in the Western Balkans is no longer defined only by borders and armies, but by the strength of institutions, public trust and the ability to withstand modern pressure. In an interview with the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Arjan Starova, former Albanian foreign minister and President of the …

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: December 22, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here

News

A Structured Criminal Group Inside a National Security Institution: The AKSHI Case

Tirana, Tirana Times, 20 December 2025 – The investigation launched by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution has revealed the existence of a structured criminal group operating within the leadership of the National Agency for Information Society, AKSHI. At the center of the case stand the agency’s director and deputy director, accused …

News

Tirana Marks International Arabic Language Day with a Festive Ceremony

Tirana, Tirana Times, 19 December 2025 – International Arabic Language Day was commemorated in Tirana through a festive ceremony organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Republic of Albania, bringing together a broad representation of Albanian state institutions, the diplomatic corps, universities, the academic community, cultural …

News

Albanian MPs Clash in Parliament Amid Tensions Over Corruption Cases

Opposition MPs hurled bottles and clashed with guards as the new ruling party-backed Ombudsman took his oath amid heightened tensions sparked by high-level graft cases. Original post Here

News

Visiting Thaci in Hague Jail, Albania PM Slates ’Shameful’ War Court

Albania’s Edi Rama lashed out at the Hague-based Specialist Chambers war crimes court following a visit to Kosovo’s ex-President Hashim Thaci in detention, calling it a ‘theatre of shame’. Original post Here

News

Stability Has a Schedule: What NATO’s Hague Pledge Means for the Western Balkans

In late August 2022, Montenegro’s government digital infrastructure was hit by what officials called an “unprecedented” cyberattack. The disruption was serious enough that parts of the public sector had to fall back on manual workarounds while authorities tried to isolate affected systems. In a region where state capacity is often …