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 …
Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj leaves Albania ahead of approval of arrest request on corruption charges
TIRANA, July 12, 2023 – Representatives of the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition in the Council of Mandates of Albania’s parliament reached an agreement on Wednesday to open the way for the Special Prosecutor’s request to arrest former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj on corruption charges. However, the Socialists …
Rama meets Macron in Vilnius, President of France is preparing to come in Tirana
Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a photo where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Vilnius, Lithuania. He says that the French president is preparing to come to Tirana, as part of the Albania, as a NATO member country, has proven its commitment and seriousness, taking concrete steps to …
Attack on former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja, the Court leaves in prison Ramazan Rraja
The Special Court has rejected Ramazan Rraja’s request for a change in the security measure and has not change the meausure the arrest and imprisonment decision. Rraja was arrested as the person who provided the conditions for the assassination of former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja and for carrying weapons without a …
Korca’s teachers haven’t been paid for work in June
About 200 teachers in Korca and Maliq have not yet received their salary for the month of June. According to the head of the Education Union in Korça, the reason for the delay is the treasury, which has not yet disbursed the salaries. According to him, there are also teachers …
Under Spain’s EU Presidency, the Issue of the Western Balkans Will Be Sidelined
Spain’s 6-month presidency of the Council of the EU has been upended by a snap election in July. Yet regardless of who wins that vote, prospects for progress on the issue of EU enlargement are poor. Original post Here
Albania Pressed to Act Over Currency’s Unexplained Rise
The rapid rise in the value of Albania’s currency, the lek, is alarming exporters and tourist operators – but the government is unwilling to take action. Original post Here
A 31-year-old thief arrested in Tirana
A 31-year-old man from Kamza was arrested on charges of theft this Wednesday. He was put in handcuffs, as it is suspected that on July 10 he stole work tools in two different businesses. In the meantime, the young man is expected to be interrogated about the motives that led …
Arrested for abuse of duty, former mayor of Durres will appear at court on July 18
The former mayor of Durres Vangjush Dako, arrested for abuse of duty, will appear in front of the Court of Special Appeal on July 18 at 10 am. The appeal session will be reviewed by Judge Daniela Shirka. Dako was arrested on June 6 by order of the Special Prosecutor’s …
Rama: Vilnius summit finds NATO allies stronger and more determined
On July 11 and 12, the leaders of the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will meet in Vilnius, Lithuania. They are expected to address the most urgent challenges for the alliance, to increase the defensive and preventive capacities of NATO, as well as to bring Ukraine …
by Albert Rakipi, PhD Tirana Times, September 11, 2026 – The increasingly visible re-emergence of international terrorism against the backdrop of the major conflict unfolding in the Middle East is a new development, but hardly an unexpected one. The experience of the past three decades has shown that terrorism finds its …
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 …