For Saimir Tahiri and 16 other ministers of Interior

For Saimir Tahiri and 16 other ministers of Interior
By Roland Qafoku

In August 2013, I was one of the journalists that the newly appointed minister of Interior, Saimir Tahiri, had individual meetings with. As an experienced journalist, I was asked my opinion as to what should have been done in order for police work to improve. Humbly, I answered that it was the job of the Interior Minister and the behavior of the political class toward him rather than police work, the ones that should be improved. We were witnessing an unwritten rule that was applied from 1992 until that day, when the 16th minister of Interior of Albania had just been appointed: An enthusiastic beginning, the denial of the work done by the predecessor, fight against gangs and crime, removals of corrupt police officers, attacks against the opposition’s politicians and politicians with connections to crime, demoralization and poorer performance and at the end, discharge without honors. Saimir Tahiri is today the longest lasting minister of Interior since the overthrow of communism. However, it seems that he’s not making an exception of this rule either. He’s leaving more or less like all of his predecessors.

This was the case with Bashkim Kopliku, the first minister of Interior part of Meksi government who was in office from 13 April 1992 until 5 April 1993. While also holding the post of deputy prime minister, he was initially praised for some of the most difficult reforms after the overthrow of communism, but clashes within the Democratic Party and with the Prime Minister himself, led to a situation where resignation was the only solution.

This also happened with Agron Musaraj, minister of Interior who remained in office from 6 April 1993 until 10 July 1996. He was considered as a minister who made revolution within police ranks, by striking many criminal gangs, but not even a year had gone by since he had entered office and he was discharged.

The same thing also happened with Halit Shamata, who remained in office from 11 July 1996 until 12 March 1997. The writer that introduced changes within police, had to manage the end of the year events of 1996 and the ones that culminated in 1997. As if it wasn’t enough for him that he left at the beginning of March 1997, he was also arrested on 23 August 1998 on the bizarre charge of crimes against humanity.

The same thing also happened with Belul Çelo, who was minister of Interior in the government of National Reconciliation led by Bashkim Fino from 13 March until 4 July 1997. Although he administered the elections and was a witness of the numerous crimes committed against the Republican Guard and police, not only did he leave his post five months after, following the victory of the Socialist Party, but he also left Albania to seek asylum in the USA.

The same thing also happened with Neritan Ceka who remained in office from 25 July 1997 until 23 April 1998. The minister who led the operation for the reorganization of police and the reconstruction of police stations which were destroyed in the 1997 turmoil, was removed not even a year after he had been appointed.

The same was the destiny of Perikli Teta, who held on to the post of minister of Interior from 24 April until 28 September 1998. He had to manage the situation after the murder of Azem Hajdari MP on 12 September and the armed uprising of 14 September.

Then it was Petro Koci, minister of Interior who remained in office from 2 October 1998 until  19 May 1999 . Considered to be as the most honest minister of Interior, this honesty didn’t do much good to him, when at a given moment, he submitted his resignation to PM Majko and the latter didn’t accept it. But he was later discharged.

Spartak Poçi remained in office from 19 May 1999 until 9 November 2000. He was discharged although as minister, he managed to dismantle 40 gangs, but little by little, the rising star of the SP faded and a year and a half after, he was discharged.

Then it was Ilir Gjoni, who remained in office from 9 November 2001 until 29 January 2002. He was praised for the creation of the first center of the fight against human traffic, but he left following clashes with heads of police.

The same happened with Stefan Çipa, who although led police forces for 5 months, from 22 February until 25 July 2002, he was praised for the fight against organized crime, but it seems that these achievements had him removed.

The same happened with Luan Rama, who remained in office from 29 July 2002 until 17 October 2003. Rama was considered as the most elegant minister who was even reforming police appearance. But in the end, he was discharged following an incident with journalist Ilir Babaramo.

The same thing also happened with Igli Toska, who led police forces from 29 December 2003 until 10 September 2005. This minister of Interior installed order within law enforcement forces and removed from police ranks all those who were incriminated. But Toska himself was accused of his connections with crime. His declarations that voting process in his constituency in Tirana had been rigged, went viral and many newspapers wrote: Albanian Interior minister’s votes stolen, marking the end of his career.

The same thing also happened with Sokol Olldashi, who led the ministry of Interior from 10 September 2005 until 18 February 2007. He was praised for his extreme fight against crime and it was him who announced the news for the arrest of Aldo Bare and his extradition from Turkey. But the opposition accused him for his ties with the crime gangs of Shijak and this stigma accompanied him during his entire political career. But at the end, he “left” to run for mayor of Tirana, but he conceded a defeat against Edi Rama.

The same thing also happened with Bujar Nishani, the first Interior minister in history who was reinstituted in his post. Although the opposition of that time praised him, when he became president of the Republic, all sorts of accusations were launched against him.

This also happened with Lulzim Basha, who remained in office from September 2009 until April 2011. He was praised for the great achievement of the liberalization of visas with the EU, but strong accusations were launched against him for the 21 January events where 4 protesters remained killed.

The same thing happened with Flamur Noka, who remained in office from April 2011 until September 2013. This minister was accused by the opposition for betraying honest police officers. Noka left his post with the end of the DP’s four year term in office.

And the same thing seems to be happening with Saimir Tahiri too. Today, we’re seeing nothing else but the application of an old role of the way how an Interior minister is leaving. There are many of those who say that he’s to be blamed about the fact that he’s leaving, while some others say that his resignation is being demanded by the opposition, for the sake of compromise. But none of this matters. Saimir Tahiri came into office and did his job. Then he left like all of his predecessors. But he has made an exception to the rule: he has remained in office for 4 years and this is a record.

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