Kosovo’s Hague Verdict: Heavy Sentences, Troubling Questions and a Test for International Justice

Headline

The convictions of Hashim Thaçi and three other former KLA leaders have shaken Kosovo. But beyond the sentences,

5 days ago

12 mins read

Former Deputy PM Balluku Faces New Corruption Evidence

Headline

Tirana Times, September 09, 2026 — Albania’s Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime has uncovered new

2 weeks ago

5 mins read

Health Minister Resigns Amid New Controversy

Headline

Tirana Times, September 02, 2026 — The resignation of Health and Social Welfare Minister Evis Sala after less than a

3 weeks ago

6 mins read

Albania Turns Away Tanker Linked to Russia’s Shadow Fleet

Headline

Durres decision puts sanctions enforcement under scrutiny after vessel had previously called at Albanian port. Tirana Times, September 01, 2026

3 weeks ago

15 mins read

Ratko Mladić during his trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Photo: ICTY / Zoran Lesic, CC BY 2.0

Mladić’s Death Exposes the Balkans’ Unfinished Reckoning With War Crimes

Headline

Thousands honor the convicted Bosnian Serb commander as reactions from Belgrade to Podgorica and Skopje reveal how deeply the wars

3 weeks ago

12 mins read

Montenegro Points to Albania and Serbia in Hybrid Threat Claim

Headline

Tirana Times, August 28, 2026 – An extraordinary political and diplomatic controversy has emerged between Montenegro and Albania after Montenegrin

3 weeks ago

9 mins read

Headline

Kosovo’s Hague Verdict: Heavy Sentences, Troubling Questions and a Test for International Justice

5 days ago

The convictions of Hashim Thaçi and three other former KLA leaders have shaken Kosovo. But beyond the sentences, the verdict has intensified scrutiny of

Headline

Former Deputy PM Balluku Faces New Corruption Evidence

2 weeks ago

Tirana Times, September 09, 2026 — Albania’s Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime has uncovered new evidence in its widening investigation of

How a Sanctioned Russian Oligarch’s Business Interests Reached Albanian Public Contracts

4 days ago

8 mins read

It’s not just the verdict that is unjust

4 days ago

4 mins read

September 16: Justice, History and Kosovo’s Statehood

6 days ago

18 mins read

Latest

By Genc Pollo Tirana Times, September 21, 2026 – At Thessaloniki in June 2003, the European Union made a promise that sounded historic and irreversible. The heads of state and government declared that the future of the Western Balkans lay within the European Union. The phrase “EU perspective” was Brussels

11 minutes ago

10 mins read

How a Sanctioned Russian Oligarch’s Business Interests Reached Albanian Public Contracts

Business & Economy

Millions of euros flowed to companies linked to Strabag while Oleg Deripaska remained a major shareholder, exposing gaps in Albania’s ability to identify who ultimately benefits from public money Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – For years, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska’s economic interests in Albania were largely invisible. They did

4 days ago

8 mins read

It’s not just the verdict that is unjust

Op-Ed

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – The Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ has convicted former President Hashim Thaci and three other Kosovo Liberation Army leaders of war crimes but acquitted them of crimes against humanity. The sentence for Thaci is 25 years. This is happening while Aleksandar Vucic is resigning from

4 days ago

4 mins read

September 16: Justice, History and Kosovo’s Statehood

Op-Ed·Western Balkans

By Sylë Ukshini Tirana Times, Sept. 15, 2026 – The September 16 judgment at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, former Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, former head of the Vetëvendosje parliamentary group Rexhep Selimi and former Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi will not merely

6 days ago

18 mins read

A Government Memorandum and Some Unanswered Economic Questions

Op-Ed

By Zef Preçi Tirana Times, September 14, 2026 – According to media reports in recent days, Albania and the U.S. company Argent LNG have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to assess the possibility of building a major onshore liquefied natural gas storage and regasification terminal on the Albanian coast.

7 days ago

6 mins read

Remembering Emma Bonino

Op-Ed

Emma Bonino – A European of Tomorrow, a Fighter, a Beacon, and the Enduring Voice of a Strategic Europe by Nora Ahmeti Tirana Times, September 13, 2026 – Emma Bonino spent much of her life fighting for a Europe that did not yet exist. She imagined a continent that would

1 week ago

8 mins read

Latest

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No More Fake Enlargement

Op-Ed

By Genc Pollo Tirana Times, September 21, 2026 – At Thessaloniki in June 2003, the European Union made a promise that sounded historic and

11 minutes ago

10 mins read

How a Sanctioned Russian Oligarch’s Business Interests Reached Albanian Public Contracts

Business & Economy

Millions of euros flowed to companies linked to Strabag while Oleg Deripaska remained a major shareholder, exposing gaps in Albania’s ability to identify who

4 days ago

8 mins read

The Re-emergence of Terrorism and the Threat to the Global Economy

1 week ago

10 mins read

Albania’s Cash Boom Raises Money Laundering Concerns

3 weeks ago

5 mins read

Zelensky Visit to Belgrade: What Could He Learn from Israeli Experience

1 month ago

7 mins read

A Quarter Century Since Ohrid: The Agreement That Gave North Macedonia Its Future

1 month ago

9 mins read

Business and Economy

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How a Sanctioned Russian Oligarch’s Business Interests Reached Albanian Public Contracts

Business & Economy

Millions of euros flowed to companies linked to Strabag while Oleg Deripaska remained a major shareholder, exposing gaps in Albania’s ability to identify who ultimately benefits from public money Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – For years, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska’s economic interests in Albania were largely invisible. They did

4 days ago

8 mins read

Most Viewed

Property prices on Albanian coast soar, partially driven by foreign buyers

Turkish consortium bids to build Vlora airport as Albania prepares to launch national carrier

Albania joins SEPA, marking tangible step in economic integration with the EU

Kushner granted ‘strategic investor’ status for Sazan development ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Albania’s TikTok ban draws debate

Trump’s son-in-law plans major investment in Sazan, Albanian gov’t confirms

Qatar Square to serve as Tirana’s newest hub and vital part of New Boulevard project

From exile, Albania’s ex deputy PM alleges massive corruption at top of SP leadership

Albania faces international scrutiny over suspected toxic waste trafficking

Albania’s Food Safety Scandal Highlights Rule of Law Deficiencies Amid EU Accession Talks

OP-ED

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Op-Ed

No More Fake Enlargement

By Genc Pollo Tirana Times, September 21, 2026 – At

11 minutes ago

10 mins read

Op-Ed

It’s not just the verdict that is unjust

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – The

4 days ago

4 mins read

Op-Ed·Western Balkans

September 16: Justice, History and Kosovo’s Statehood

By Sylë Ukshini Tirana Times, Sept. 15, 2026 – The

6 days ago

18 mins read

Op-Ed

A Government Memorandum and Some Unanswered Economic Questions

By Zef Preçi Tirana Times, September 14, 2026 – According

7 days ago

6 mins read

Op-Ed

Remembering Emma Bonino

Emma Bonino – A European of Tomorrow, a Fighter, a

1 week ago

8 mins read

Op-Ed

The Re-emergence of Terrorism and the Threat to the Global Economy

by Albert Rakipi, PhD Tirana Times, September 11, 2026 –

1 week ago

10 mins read

Op-Ed

A Quarter Century Since Ohrid: The Agreement That Gave North Macedonia Its Future

by Ferit Hoxha, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania

1 month ago

9 mins read

Op-Ed

The Ibar River Should Carry Water, Not Nationalist Politics

Albania Serbia Diplomatic Clash Heats Up the Summer By Albert

1 month ago

5 mins read

OP-ED

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No More Fake Enlargement

Op-Ed

By Genc Pollo Tirana Times, September 21, 2026 – At Thessaloniki in June 2003, the European Union made a promise that sounded historic and

11 minutes ago

10 mins read

It’s not just the verdict that is unjust

Op-Ed

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, September 17, 2026 – The Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ has convicted former President Hashim Thaci and three other Kosovo Liberation Army leaders

4 days ago

4 mins read

The United States Helped Build SPAK. Now SPAK Must Do Its Job

2 months ago

8 mins read

Can the Symbolism of a Spectacle Be Appropriated?

2 months ago

5 mins read

Diana Gellçi’s Question to Reinier de Graaf: What Would You Say Today?

2 months ago

11 mins read

NATO’s Ankara Summit and Albania’s Uncertain Moment

3 months ago

9 mins read

Features and Culture

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The Western Balkans’ Right to Democracy Depends on the EU Enlargement

Features

by Sokol Lleshi, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of New York Tirana Background The political systems in the Western Balkan region feature politicized public administrations, weak enforcement of rule of law norms, and inconsistent practices of political accountability. In general, the historical experience of the region is such that

2 months ago

10 mins read

Why Waiting Is Not Neutral: The Costs of Non-Enlargement

Features·International

Debates about EU enlargement tend to focus on the risks of admitting countries before they are ready. In her recent paper, Marta Szpala broadens the debate by examining what prolonged delay means for both candidate countries and the European Union itself. Tirana Times spoke with Szpala about how prolonged uncertainty

2 months ago

9 mins read

Spain Rules the World Again

Culture

Spain clinches second FIFA World Cup title as Europe continues its dominance on football’s biggest stage By Gautam Karve, Editor-in-Chief, World Media Organization Tirana Times, July 22, 2026 – Spain secured its second FIFA World Cup title with a commanding performance, defeating Argentina in a final that showcased the Spanish

2 months ago

2 mins read

Beyond Diplomacy: Ambassador Elissa Golberg on the Future of Canada–Albania Ties

Features·International

Tirana Times, July 21, 2026 – Relations between Albania and Canada have expanded steadily in recent years, from growing trade and new bilateral agreements to closer cooperation within NATO and the launch of the first direct flight between the two countries. In an interview with Tirana Times, Canada’s Ambassador to Albania,

2 months ago

10 mins read

K’cimi dancing of Tropojë – Gazmend Freitag

Culture

by Monika Grill Tirana Times, July 11, 2026 – “K’cimi i Tropoja” – the dance that endured over centuries and kept the Albanian identity alive, has been officially declared part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “K’cimi i Tropoja” refers to a traditional

2 months ago

1 min read

From left to right: AIIS Director Alba Cela, Ambassador Manuel Montobbio, Spanish Ambassador Gabriel Cremades.

In Search of Albania’s Soul: Manuel Montobbio Returns to Tirana Through Literature

Culture

Tirana Times, July 02, 2026. The Albanian Institute for International Studies and Tirana Times book house hosted a special literary evening in Tirana with Ambassador Manuel Montobbio, diplomat, writer, poet and academic, offering a rare encounter between diplomacy, literature and Albania’s own search for memory, identity and soul. Held at the premises of Tirana

3 months ago

11 mins read

Features and Culture

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The Western Balkans’ Right to Democracy Depends on the EU Enlargement

Features

by Sokol Lleshi, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of New York Tirana Background The political systems in the Western Balkan region feature politicized public administrations, weak enforcement of rule of law norms, and inconsistent practices of political accountability. In general, the historical experience of the region is such that

2 months ago

10 mins read

Most Viewed

Why the world calls us ‘Albania’ and the origin of ‘Shqiperi’

“Give me a Laboratory and I Will Move the World”

Gjirokastra Qifqi: The magic of traditional cooking

Analysis: Bells toll for Albania’s demographics as census results confirm corrosive effects of massive emigration

Qatar Square to serve as Tirana’s newest hub and vital part of New Boulevard project

Privatization of Butrint: How Albania is Selling Off Its Archaeological Heritage

‘Harnex.io’ – Stirring the pot with a tech revolution…and bold ideas!

1980s icon Simaku returns to the spotlight after decades of emigration hardship

Albanian-Serb musical duo breaks Balkan stereotypes in Italy

2025- Tirana the Mediterranean capital of culture and dialogue

Western Balkans

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September 16: Justice, History and Kosovo’s Statehood

Op-Ed·Western Balkans

By Sylë Ukshini Tirana Times, Sept. 15, 2026 – The September 16 judgment at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the trial of former Kosovo

6 days ago

18 mins read

Zelensky Visit to Belgrade: What Could He Learn from Israeli Experience

Western Balkans

by Edward P. Joseph Tirana Times, August 21, 2026 – At the NATO Summit in Ankara last month, I had the high honor of

1 month ago

7 mins read

Concrete, Cocaine and Corruption: Albania’s Fragile Growth Model

Business & Economy·Western Balkans

Albania’s Concrete Economy: How Construction Became the Country’s Dominant Growth Model Tirana Times, July 10, 2026 – A booming construction sector has made Albania

2 months ago

7 mins read

The Cost of Non Enlargement: Why the EU Cannot Afford to Leave the Western Balkans Behind

Western Balkans

Tirana Times, June 29, 2026 – For years, the debate on European Union enlargement has been dominated by the presumed costs of admitting new

3 months ago

7 mins read

EU-Western Balkans Summit 2026: New Impetus for the Enlargement Debate?

Features·Western Balkans

By Odeta Barbullushi and Marina Vulovic Tirana Times, June 09, 2026 – A new proposal on enlargement was tabled by the French President Emmanuel

3 months ago

10 mins read

Serbia Faces Mounting Scrutiny as Democratic Backsliding Deepens

Western Balkans

Serbia could lose €1.36 billion from the EU Growth Plan over rule of law and democratic concerns, according to the European Movement in Serbia.

5 months ago

3 mins read

Do the Balkans really want EU membership?

Western Balkans

By Daniel Serwer Tirana Times, March 06, 2026 – While all eyes are on the Iran war, subtle but important changes are taking place

7 months ago

4 mins read

Strategic-Sector Governance Under Stress: The Bankers Petroleum Case and China’s Economic Footprint in Albania

Western Balkans

by Nora Ahmeti & Vilson Blloshmi Albania’s investigation into Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd. is often narrated as a “China case” because the operator has

7 months ago

22 mins read

Premium

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Kanye West in Tirana: Has a Global Spectacle Become a Political Backfire?

Headline·Premium

Planned before Albania’s protest movement began, the concert was intended to strengthen the country’s international profile. But public financing, free tickets and a radically

2 months ago

12 mins read

Diana Gellçi’s Question to Reinier de Graaf: What Would You Say Today?

Op-Ed·Premium

Tirana Times , July 09, 2026 – Tirana Times is publishing below an open public question addressed by Albanian scholar Diana Gellçi, PhD, an Albanian

2 months ago

11 mins read

Reinier de Graaf Explains Reinier de Graaf

Headline·Premium

Tirana Times, June 30, 2026 – When Tirana Times published Reinier de Graaf’s open letter from The Albanian Files, it did so because the text

3 months ago

6 mins read

Are Europe’s Star Architects Helping Launder Albania’s Criminal Economy?

News·Premium

The Albanian Files suggests that international architecture may have served not only as design, but as a prestigious façade for opaque money, captured institutions

3 months ago

12 mins read

Unexploded Ordnance Puts Jared Kushner’s Resort in Albania at Risk

Features·Premium

The government has paved the way for the construction of a resort on the island of Sazan, but beneath its crystal-clear waters and along

4 months ago

12 mins read

From a Unique Story of Bravery to the Dangers of Holocaust Denial

Premium

Challenging Communism’s Legacy and Conspiracy Theories on Anti-Semitism in Albania. By Albert Rakipi, PhD When Johanna Juta Neumann arrived in Durrës from Hamburg, she

4 months ago

13 mins read

Republic of Prosecutors or Republic of Corruption?

Premium

The question posed today is not whether there is corruption in governance, but whether there is any aspect of governance without corruption. by Blendi

7 months ago

9 mins read

From staunch enemy to strategic partner: Albanian-American relations in transition

Premium

In 1919, Vatra, a pan-Albanian association functioning as something of a shadow Albanian government in the United States, made an unprecedented request to Secretary

1 year ago

16 mins read

Premium

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Kanye West in Tirana: Has a Global Spectacle Become a Political Backfire?

Headline·Premium

Planned before Albania’s protest movement began, the concert was intended to strengthen the country’s international profile. But public financing, free tickets and a radically

2 months ago

12 mins read

Diana Gellçi’s Question to Reinier de Graaf: What Would You Say Today?

Op-Ed·Premium

Tirana Times , July 09, 2026 – Tirana Times is publishing below an open public question addressed by Albanian scholar Diana Gellçi, PhD, an Albanian

2 months ago

11 mins read

In a depopulating Albania, why is the PM campaigning on a promise to make it easier for young people to leave?

1 year ago

6 mins read

United Arab Emirates ‘s Expanding Influence in Albania – Financial and Political Concerns

2 years ago

6 mins read

News Analysis: A Geopolitical Shift in the Western Balkans?

2 years ago

7 mins read

Op/Ed: Is Albania slipping into a one-party system?

3 years ago

13 mins read

Is Albania’s new dominant-party system here to stay?

3 years ago

10 mins read

Why tensions between Serbia and Kosovo are flaring

3 years ago

6 mins read

Books

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The Heart Of A Patriot That Beats For The People

by Dr. Jorgji Kote Tirana Times, June 11, 2026 – ”Heart of a patriot” is the new book dedicated to Binali Yildirim, an outstanding political leader

3 months ago

12 mins read

Bringing Albania into History: Bernd J. Fischer and World War II

By Ilir Ikonomi One of the most important modern works ever written about Albania’s experience in the Second World War—Bernd Jürgen Fischer’s Albania at War,

9 months ago

5 mins read