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Albania Battles Deadly Wildfires Amid Heatwave

TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) , August 13,2025— Fierce wildfires swept across Albania this week, killing one person, injuring at least 10 and forcing mass evacuations from southern towns to central mountain villages, as much of the Mediterranean battles deadly blazes fueled by extreme summer heat. Authorities said more than 10,000 …

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News24 TV’s Shutdown in Albania Sends a Worrying Signal

The Albanian police’s action – forcing the country’s largest news broadcaster off air without a court order – sets an alarming precedent. Original post Here

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Alarm in Albania at Proposed Criminal Code Changes; Govt Denies Involvement

Albania wants to align its Criminal Code with EU law, but critics, including media associations, say a proposed draft falls far short – and could limit press freedom. Original post Here

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Media Unions Criticise Albanian Police Operation Targeting TV Station

Media organisations say Albanian police action, surrounding the News 24 TV station building and seizing journalists’ computers amid a property dispute with a government ministry, is ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks a clear legal basis. Original post Here

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News 24 Raid and Blackout: Press Freedom or Property Dispute?

Tirana Times, 11 August, 2025 The forcible shutdown of Albania’s leading all-news television channel, News 24, and the blockade of the Focus Media Group headquarters by police and later military forces on August 9 has ignited national and international debate about press freedom, political retaliation, and the limits of state …

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News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: August 11, 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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News

European Raids Hit Albanian Cartel, Millions Laundered in Resorts

Tirana Times,August 08,2025 — A massive Albanian-run cocaine trafficking syndicate, accused of moving 28 tons of the drug from Latin America to European ports and laundering its profits in luxury resorts and real estate in Albania, has been dismantled in a multinational operation. The breakthrough, announced Friday by Albania’s Special …

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News

Anti-Mafia Law Is Only on Paper?

The dismantling of a 28-ton cocaine trafficking network, led by Albanian nationals and operating on a global scale, should have been a triumph for Albania’s justice system. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this success was imported. It was European law enforcement — from Belgium to Italy — armed with …

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News

Week in Review: Trials, Tricksters and Controversial Legacies

Amid the summer heat, political developments in the region are also simmering, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

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Economist Slams Albanian PM’s ‘Liberation’ of City Pavements as Counter-Productive

In an interview with BIRN, economist Arben Malaj said the Albanian government’s high-profile crackdown on unregulated small businesses will backfire on the Albanian economy. Original post Here

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News
Albania Battles Deadly Wildfires Amid Heatwave

TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) , August 13,2025— Fierce wildfires swept across Albania this week, killing one person, injuring at least 10 and forcing mass evacuations from southern towns to central mountain villages, as much of the Mediterranean battles deadly blazes fueled by extreme summer heat. Authorities said more than 10,000 …

News
News24 TV’s Shutdown in Albania Sends a Worrying Signal

The Albanian police’s action – forcing the country’s largest news broadcaster off air without a court order – sets an alarming precedent. Original post Here

News
Alarm in Albania at Proposed Criminal Code Changes; Govt Denies Involvement

Albania wants to align its Criminal Code with EU law, but critics, including media associations, say a proposed draft falls far short – and could limit press freedom. Original post Here

News
Media Unions Criticise Albanian Police Operation Targeting TV Station

Media organisations say Albanian police action, surrounding the News 24 TV station building and seizing journalists’ computers amid a property dispute with a government ministry, is ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks a clear legal basis. Original post Here

News
News 24 Raid and Blackout: Press Freedom or Property Dispute?

Tirana Times, 11 August, 2025 The forcible shutdown of Albania’s leading all-news television channel, News 24, and the blockade of the Focus Media Group headquarters by police and later military forces on August 9 has ignited national and international debate about press freedom, political retaliation, and the limits of state …

News
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: August 11, 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
European Raids Hit Albanian Cartel, Millions Laundered in Resorts

Tirana Times,August 08,2025 — A massive Albanian-run cocaine trafficking syndicate, accused of moving 28 tons of the drug from Latin America to European ports and laundering its profits in luxury resorts and real estate in Albania, has been dismantled in a multinational operation. The breakthrough, announced Friday by Albania’s Special …

News
Anti-Mafia Law Is Only on Paper?

The dismantling of a 28-ton cocaine trafficking network, led by Albanian nationals and operating on a global scale, should have been a triumph for Albania’s justice system. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this success was imported. It was European law enforcement — from Belgium to Italy — armed with …

News
Week in Review: Trials, Tricksters and Controversial Legacies

Amid the summer heat, political developments in the region are also simmering, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News
Economist Slams Albanian PM’s ‘Liberation’ of City Pavements as Counter-Productive

In an interview with BIRN, economist Arben Malaj said the Albanian government’s high-profile crackdown on unregulated small businesses will backfire on the Albanian economy. Original post Here

News

Albania Battles Deadly Wildfires Amid Heatwave

TIRANA, Albania (Tirana Times) , August 13,2025— Fierce wildfires swept across Albania this week, killing one person, injuring at least 10 and forcing mass evacuations from southern towns to central mountain villages, as much of the Mediterranean battles deadly blazes fueled by extreme summer heat. Authorities said more than 10,000 …

News

News24 TV’s Shutdown in Albania Sends a Worrying Signal

The Albanian police’s action – forcing the country’s largest news broadcaster off air without a court order – sets an alarming precedent. Original post Here

News

Alarm in Albania at Proposed Criminal Code Changes; Govt Denies Involvement

Albania wants to align its Criminal Code with EU law, but critics, including media associations, say a proposed draft falls far short – and could limit press freedom. Original post Here

News

Media Unions Criticise Albanian Police Operation Targeting TV Station

Media organisations say Albanian police action, surrounding the News 24 TV station building and seizing journalists’ computers amid a property dispute with a government ministry, is ‘heavy-handed’ and lacks a clear legal basis. Original post Here

News

News 24 Raid and Blackout: Press Freedom or Property Dispute?

Tirana Times, 11 August, 2025 The forcible shutdown of Albania’s leading all-news television channel, News 24, and the blockade of the Focus Media Group headquarters by police and later military forces on August 9 has ignited national and international debate about press freedom, political retaliation, and the limits of state …

News

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: August 11, 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

European Raids Hit Albanian Cartel, Millions Laundered in Resorts

Tirana Times,August 08,2025 — A massive Albanian-run cocaine trafficking syndicate, accused of moving 28 tons of the drug from Latin America to European ports and laundering its profits in luxury resorts and real estate in Albania, has been dismantled in a multinational operation. The breakthrough, announced Friday by Albania’s Special …

News

Anti-Mafia Law Is Only on Paper?

The dismantling of a 28-ton cocaine trafficking network, led by Albanian nationals and operating on a global scale, should have been a triumph for Albania’s justice system. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this success was imported. It was European law enforcement — from Belgium to Italy — armed with …

News

Week in Review: Trials, Tricksters and Controversial Legacies

Amid the summer heat, political developments in the region are also simmering, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows. Original post Here

News

Economist Slams Albanian PM’s ‘Liberation’ of City Pavements as Counter-Productive

In an interview with BIRN, economist Arben Malaj said the Albanian government’s high-profile crackdown on unregulated small businesses will backfire on the Albanian economy. Original post Here