Graft Probe Raises Awkward Questions for Albanian Defence Minister
Defence Minister Niko Peleshi was part of a trip to Italy in 2013 that Albanian special prosecutors say was paid for by two now fugitive businessmen right before they clinched a lucrative solar power contract. Original post Here
More than 5 thousand cannabis seedlings and plants were destroyed, 2 arrested and one wanted
About 5396 cannabis seedlings and plants were destroyed in Lezhë, Elbasan and Shkodër as part of the police operation coded “Clean Territory”. In the forest of Gëziq village in Mirditë, 500 cannabis seedlings were found in cubes. 35-year-old Maringlen Gjeta was arrested and his brother was declared wanted. For this …
Three arrested in Morina for smuggling, an police officers part of the investigation
Three people were handcuffed at the border crossing point in Morina, as they were suspected of smuggling (vehicle parts) from Kosovo to Albania. According to the police, this group carried out the transportation of vehicles by bus and sold them in Albania, while it was also arrested and a customs …
A 38 year old declared wanted by Italy, arrested in Tirana
A 38-year-old wanted by Italian justice was arrested in Tirana, as part of the coded police operation “Wanted 3”. Altianado Feimi was put in handcuffs after being declared an international wanted, after the Court of Genoa, Italy, has assigned the security measure “Arrest in prison”, for the criminal offenses “Criminal …
A 49-year-old man was arrested in Durres. Is expected his extradition to Spain
A 49-year-old announced as an international wanted man was arrested in Durrës for murder and criminal group. It is about Armando Masha, born in Durres, who is expected to be extradited to Spain. He was located by the Operational Forces as he was hiding in neighborhood no. 13, Durres. The …
EC starts investigations for “Black out”/ European Committee of OST: Verifications by a group of experts
The Committee of the European Electricity Transmission System Operators will conduct a detailed investigation after the incident that occurred on Friday in the interconnection network in the southeastern part of Europe. The committee’s official announcement states that investigations will be conducted by a group of experts in accordance with the …
Major Power Blackout Hits Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro
Authorities were working to restore power after a major outage cut off electricity in four Balkan countries amid searing temperatures across the region. Original post Here
Albania’s Power Couple, Meta and Kryemadhi, Get Divorced
Former President of Albania says he is divorcing his wife and long-time political mate Monika Kryemadhi, citing a mixture of personal and political reasons. Original post Here
Albania Misused 33 million Euros of EU Funds, Anti-Fraud Office Says
EU Anti-Fraud Office urges Commission to block some 112 million euros earmarked for the development of Albanian agriculture following ‘serious misuse’ of 33 million euros granted in a previous programme. Original post Here
A 23 year old arrested for firearms trafficking
A 23-year-old man from Kosovo was arrested in Rinas, as part of the police operation coded “Scanning”. The young man tried to traffic a pistol firearm with combat ammunition to Italy. The citizen from Kosovo had hidden the gun in a bag./abcnews.al […] Read More… Original post Here
The Italy-Albania asylum ‘offshoring’ scheme is being studied by other Western European governments wanting to look tough on migration. But the case of Hamid Badoui, who took his own life after being held at an Albanian migrant detention camp, highlights the human cost. Original post Here
Balkan LGBTQ+ people, both in the region and in the diaspora, are often told that their identities are incompatible. It’s time to hear a different story – and learn more about the region’s pioneers. Original post Here
Plans by relatives of U.S. President Donald Trump to build a luxury resort in the scenic coastal area of Zvërnec have sidelined local residents and their property claims, while intersecting with a long-running court battle involving controversial real estate businessman Artur Shehu. By Vladimir Karaj Tirana Times, 02 February 2026 …
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. Original post Here
The Murrizi Tunnel was opened to much fanfare in March last year, not long before a parliamentary election. Now the Albanian Road Authority says it has yet been certified for use. Original post Here
Tirana Times, 01 February 2026 – The release of more than three million pages of documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case by the United States Department of Justice has expanded the scope of one of the most disturbing scandals of the past decade far beyond the United States. The …
Expecting the unexpected seems to be the name of the game in both global politics and the domestic politics of the region, as 2026 kicks off with a few unexpected twists. Original post Here
Critics accused Edi Rama of overlooking Palestinian suffering during his recent visit to Israel. But both he and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, see advantages in a closer relationship. Original post Here
Tirana Times, January 29, 2026 – This Tuesday, the Elbasan County Council has formally honored the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Albania, Faisal Ghazi Al-Hafthi, in recognition of his humanitarian engagement and his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations at the local level. The ceremony, held in Elbasan, …
Albania has opened every negotiation ‘cluster’ as it races along the road to EU accession, but who should get the credit – Edi Rama’s government? Anti-graft prosecutors? Or even Vladimir Putin? Original post Here