Albania Police Chief Axed After Murder Wave Shocks Country

Gledis Nano was dismissed on Wednesday for having failed to "fulfill objectives", the Interior Ministry said. Nano has not reacted so far to the government decision.

He took office in October 2021, after the previous Chief of Police, Ardi Veliu, resigned for "personal reasons".

Media reported on Monday that Nano would be dismissed, but then the news was denied. It was officially confirmed on Wednesday by the Interior Minister, Bledi Çuçi.

Çuçi said after the government meeting that "this dismissal is related to the non-fulfillment of the objectives we had set regarding the General Director of Police and is mainly related to the [crime] situation created in recent months".

Çuçi also said that this situation required a stronger response and a more efficient management of the State Police. His duties will now be exercised by the Deputy General Director of Police, Tonin Vocaj, until the appointment of a new Director.

BIRN reported a few weeks ago that mafia-style murders have become a regular occurrence in Albania and that the perpetrators seerm to have no fear of the police or justice system.

Edlira Gjoni, a communications expert based in Tirana, said even small conflicts in Albania had a tendency to turn fatal. "Every July and August, if you see the statistics, there are many killings, road accidents and fatal conflicts," Gjoni told BIRN.

"We see every week, even in remote areas, people being killed, in the old-fashioned Albanian way by killing each other, not being afraid of the police, and not being afraid of the justice system, because they know that [even if caught] they will leave prison in no time."