Put to Bed by Albania, ‘Open Balkan’ Had Long Flattered to Deceive
After Albania declares ‘mission accomplished’, experts say few will mourn the apparent demise of the Open Balkan initiative. Original post Here
Op/Ed: NATO Summit in Vilnius: Full of Drama, but Few Surprises
By JONATHAN TERRA Will anything that happened in Vilnius really matter in the foreseeable future? After all, in terms of diplomatic and material support, training, logistics, intel-sharing, and coordinated strategic goals, Ukraine is already a de facto member of the alliance. The 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius is over. In …
Reduction of police forces resumes in Northern Kosovo
Kosovo Police has started to reduce its troops in municipal facilities in the north of the country, after accepting the Government’s decision, as reported this Thursday. Reduction of police forces happened before midnight last night, while these movements were developed in parallel by the municipalities of Leposaviq, Zveçan and Zubin …
Former mayor of Fushe-Arrez arrested for abuse of duty
Former mayor of Fushë-Arrëz Municipality, Fran Tuci, has been arrested by order of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) this Thursday. He is accused of the criminal offense of “abuse of duty”, after he allowed some residents to clean a road of about 1 kilometer in a …
Kosovo’s PM attacked in parliament by opposition MPs
Physical clashes happen in the Assembly of Kosovo during the session of this Thursday, at the moment when Prime Minister Albin Kurti was talking about the recent situation in the North. The opposition MPs threw water at the Prime Minister. At that moment, the majority deputies and ministers surrounded Kurti …
Police checked Fushe-Kruja suspected killer’s house
Police conducted by order of the Tirana prosecutor’s office, a search in the apartment of Valter Bami in Nikla village, who was arrested after the assassination attempt on Gentian Bejtja in the courtyard of the apartment, where his brother-in-law Ramazan Sino was killed and his two minor sons were injured. …
Clashes in the Assembly of Kosovo, Rama stands in solidarity with Kurti
Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has condemned today’s clash in the Assembly of Kosovo. He stated that such act degrade the country’s image in the international arena. The head of the Albanian government says that he hopes that the opposition of Kosovo will discuss with ideas and not violence. …
Begaj in Slovenia: Communication between the two countries is at a high level
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj was in Slovenia for an official visit. The head of state said that the relations between the two states are good and that the political dialogue is at a high level. He said that Albania considers Slovenia as a partner, not only regionally, …
‘Brother, Tiger!’ SMS Exchanges Reveal Disgraced Albanian Politician’s Ties to Fugitive Businessman
Data from the investigation file obtained by BIRN shows Albania’s former Deputy PM Arben Ahmetaj – charged with corruption and money laundering – had a close relationship with Mirel Mërtiri, a controversial businessman now on the run, at least since 2012. Original post Here
AIIS hosts Foreign Policy Forum with UAE Ambassador
TIRANA – On July 6, 2023, the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS) organized its signature Foreign Policy Forum welcoming as a keynote speaker H.E. Sulaiman Hamed Salem Almazroui, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Hellenic Republic and nonresident ambassador to Albania. The forum, entitled “The UAE between the …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has officially announced a change in of Albania’s Interior Ministry, with Besfort Lamallari leaving the post and Ervin Demo taking over as minister. During a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, Rama said the move was part of a reshuffle within the government team. Lamallari will …
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced changes to his government, with Ervin Demo taking over as Interior Minister as of Friday. Demo had served as Minister of State for Local Government since September 2025. As part of the latest government changes, the Ministry of State for Local Government will be …
Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted after the Administrative Court issued a decision unblocking salaries for the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) and the Durrës Court. In a post on X, Rama criticized the speed with which, according to him, the court acted on the issue of judges’ …
Historical narratives, political systems, institutions and economies across the region are being put to the test as old problems collide with new pressures, our selection of Balkan Insight’s Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced a change at the helm of the Interior Ministry. Besfort Lamallari will leave the post and move to the Prime Minister’s Office, while Ervin Demo will take over the ministry. Rama announced the move while presenting changes to the government. He said Lamallari would …
The Ministry of Defense reported 40 wildfires across Albania in the past 24 hours. Six remain active, nine are under monitoring and 25 have been fully extinguished. A total of 492 local personnel and 36 firefighting vehicles are supporting operations. The Armed Forces have deployed 133 personnel, one helicopter, two …
Klodiana Spahiu has been sworn in as Minister of Health and Social Welfare at the Presidency. President Bajram Begaj appointed her following Prime Minister Edi Rama’s proposal, after Evis Sala resigned from the post. Spahiu is a cardiologist and holds a medical degree from the University of Tirana. She later …
An exhibition dedicated to one of Albania’s leading 20th-century artists, Ibrahim Kodra, will open in Tirana on September 23. “Ibrahim Kodra – The Sea and Music” will be held at the Bank of Albania and will remain open until November 23. The exhibition features 41 works created between 1947 and …
Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja announced the launch of a national campaign to register artisans across Albania. The campaign aims to identify, assess and promote traditional crafts and the people who preserve them. Gonxhja said the campaign would give greater visibility to artisans and their work. It will …
Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj has announced a new National Housing Fund to support not only vulnerable groups, but also professionals, young people and newly formed families. Speaking after a government meeting, Ibrahimaj said the programme will make 7,000 apartments available. Around 2,000 will be offered through interest-free loans …