Democratic Party MP and chairwoman of the Committee on Human Rights and Public Information, Jorida Tabaku, stated that the developments involving the head of SHISH and the former head of the State Police are a serious blow to citizens' trust in security institutions.*

Democratic Party MP, Jorida Tabaku, started today's meeting of the Committee on Human Rights and Public Information with a strong statement on the recent developments related to the head of SHISH, Vlora Hyseni, and the former Director General of the State Police, Ilir Proda.

Tabaku said that the Special Court's decision on the "house arrest" measure and Hysen's suspension from duty, following the request of SPAK, as well as the authorized checks on Proda, constitute a shocking development for the Albanian state.

"I don't believe that yesterday was a good day for Albania. We are the opposition, but we didn't find any good news in the investigation of the head of SHISH. It was sad news for Albania, for the Albanian state and for the trust we have in SHISH," Tabaku said.

According to her, the suspension of the head of the secret service and the accusations raised by SPAK have violated the foundations of the state and the country's international reputation.

"What we saw was a true reflection of who the Albanian government has entrusted itself to. They have entrusted themselves to a minority, organized crime and corruption," declared the Democratic MP.

Tabaku criticized Parliament's silence, emphasizing that such a development should have immediately been placed at the center of the political and institutional debate.

"Even as an opposition representative, even as the chair of the committee, I would have liked Parliament to have stood up and had this issue at the top of its voice and at the center of the debate. This is not an issue that should divide us into left and right. It is an issue of Albania, of the reputation and name of our country," she said.

Tabaku recalled that the Democratic Party had previously publicly raised questions and concerns about the leadership of the SHISH. She referred to Gazment Bardhi's position in 2023, when the latter asked the President of the Republic for transparency and information about the reasons for Hysen's departure from the intelligence institutions in Kosovo.

"We must be mature and love our country more than the party. We must treat this issue as an issue for Albania," Tabaku emphasized.

In closing, she described the situation as evidence of the violation of the main structures of the state and demanded institutional responsibility.

"It is with sadness that I make these comments and raise this concern. Today, the structures of the state have fallen and been compromised, while Albania should be in a completely different dynamic and process," Tabaku concluded.

Vlora Hyseni and the other persons under investigation are presumed innocent until their guilt is proven by a final court decision.

Tabaku's Speech to the Commission

"I don't believe that yesterday was a good day for Albania. We are the opposition and, although we are on different sides, we did not find any good news in the investigation of the head of SHISH, Vlora Hyseni.

It was sad news for Albania, for the Albanian state and for the trust we have in SHISH. The suspension of the head of SHISH and, at the same time, the accusations raised by SPAK have violated the foundations of the state.

What we saw yesterday was a true reflection of who the Albanian government has given its allegiance to. They have given their allegiance to a minority, organized crime and corruption.

Both as an opposition representative and as the chair of the committee, I would have liked Parliament to have stood up and had this issue at the top of its voice and at the center of the debate.

This is not an issue that should divide us into left and right. It is an issue of Albania, related to the reputation and name of our country.

To tell the truth, there have been numerous accusations against the head of the SHISH for suspected involvement and collaboration with organized crime elements, which are under investigation. There are accusations against the former deputy prime minister, there are accusations against the AKSHI, and there are accusations against the former director of the State Police.

In fact, Mr. Bardhi, whom we have here today, in 2023 asked the President of the Republic for transparency and information about Ms. Hyseni, after several years ago she had left the counterpart institution in Kosovo.

We must be mature and love our country more than the party. We must treat this issue as an Albanian issue.

I believe that there is no clearer picture and more faithful evidence of this majority than what SPAK proved to us.

"It is with sadness that I make these comments. It is with sadness that I raise the concern that today all the structures of the state have fallen and been violated, while Albania should be in a different dynamic and process."