TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
TIRANA, Mar. 1 – Security has come at the forefront of the national discourse in Albania as a perfect storm of concerns have brewed to create a general sense of unease.
The murder of the third high-ranking police officer in just a few weeks and a perceived rise in violent crime have helped create a sense of growing insecurity in the country.
This climate is, of course, a far cry from the mayhem and uncertainty that accompanied Albania’s early years of transition from a communist dictatorship to a market democracy — and the total anarchy of 1997 — yet it seems to be a reminder that despite the progress — Albania’s state remains weak to meet some key security challenges.
Although it seems counter-intuitive to an international audience, instead of helping, the fact that Albania is approaching the next parliamentary elections actually makes the situation worse, not better. Despite the fact that security has become a major campaign component, the fact remains that those who are likely to break the laws are more likely to do so during the campaign season because law enforcers tend to be less effective during political campaigns. Their jobs often depend on the party that’s in power and the ranks of law enforcers often swell with political activists of the party that controls the national or local government, so when there are elections, there is a sense of paralysis. That is not to say that there are not professionals in the ranks or that the job doesn’t get done at all, but the past has shown that electoral campaigns play a negative role in law enforcement in Albania.
The opposition is arguing that the government has overseen a worsening of security indicators, but the government points out to data that Albania is still very safe by European standards.
Both are right to a degree. Albania is still mostly safe for common citizens and visitors, but not as safe as it was, let’s say five years ago.
Much of it has to do with elements that are beyond anyone’s control. Economic distress often leads to more crime, and Albania is definitely currently under economic distress.
When it comes to the work of police, there is no history of friction between the community at large and police in Albania, put generally the public does not have a lot of faith in the police’s ability to do its work properly, despite the fact that the public is generally sympathetic to the difficult tasks underpaid police officers face.
To improve the situation, the easy answer is strengthening the state so its law enforcement authorities are professional, non-political and able to do their job professionally at all times. That’s easier to say than implement, since at the end of the day, as Albania progresses toward EU membership a massive cultural shift is needed in every aspect of life — police and law enforcement included.
Safety and security are basic requirements for a healthy society that must never be forgotten. As a NATO member state, Albania no longer faces any international security concerns alone. So it needs to focus on domestic security as the primary concern.
And politics aside, no matter who is in power needs to focus in strengthening the state and depoliticizing law enforcement authorities. Too many brave police officers have paid the ultimate prize fighting criminals in Albania. Their sacrifices should be honored and not go in vain.
