The Great Dictionary of Albanian continues to bring to light major problems with the terms used, which often conflict with the rule of law and democracy in the country.

Although studies and documents for three decades show that the former State Security has served the government and the communist party, the Dictionary uses a completely ideological explanation from before the 90s.

Researcher Afrim Krasniqi argues the scale of the scandal and brings a comparison with other countries.

"In every dictionary in democratic countries, the "Sigurimi" (such as STAS, Securitate, etc.) and similar models are considered the secret police of former communist regimes with the main function of surveillance, control, suppression and persecution of opponents of the regime. Absurd and offensive. "Wrongdoers" continue to be called even in 2026 several hundred thousand political victims of the Sigurimi and the totalitarian system in Albania, - and the Sigurimi itself continues to be called a positive structure that protected the homeland from evildoers!", says Krasniqi.

Krasniqi's post
When I appealed to my colleagues to depoliticize the Dictionary, I had and still have a strong professional motive; because there are terms, explanations and references that fit a different system than the one in which Albania officially exists since 1991. There are many terms, only a small part of them have been revised, the majority remain the same even after the "public consultation". Here is one of them that is familiar to everyone and relevant even for current memory: State Security.

In every dictionary in democratic countries, "Security" (such as STAS, Securitate, etc.) and similar models are considered the secret police of former communist regimes with the main function of surveillance, control, suppression and persecution of opponents of the regime.

🔎 In Romania, “Securitate” is explained as “the secret police of the communist regime in Romania (1948–1989), a powerful security apparatus that exercised extensive surveillance and political repression to maintain state power. It became a symbol of totalitarian control, through networks of informants, wiretapping, and the pursuit of opponents”;

🔎 In the FRG (DDR) the secret police STASI is explained as "the secret police of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which operated during the communist period as an instrument of security and political repression. It was identified with mass surveillance, informant networks and strict control over society".

🔎 In the Security Platform (1977) in Albania, it was considered "a powerful weapon of the dictatorship of the proletariat led by the Party to crush the resistance of the remnants of the overthrown exploiting classes" and its main mission was to protect the ALP, the leadership, the communist system and the socialist order.

Albanian law calls the State Security a "criminal structure" and among other things (45/2015) limits the right to election/appointment/honor for individuals who have been part of the State Security, (a criterion also for some of the drafters of this document), while in the (new) Dictionary, the State Security is rehabilitated, presented as a positive structure that should be honored, - "a state body that protects the state from evildoers and foreign interference"!

Absurd and insulting. "Evildoers" continue to be called, even in 2026, several hundred thousand political victims of the Sigurimi and the totalitarian system in Albania, - and the Sigurimi itself continues to be called a positive structure that protected the homeland from evildoers!