Prime Minister Edi Rama today officially introduced Ms. Albana Koçiu as the new Minister of the Internal Affairs, following the swearing-in ceremony of the new members of the government cabinet at the Presidency.

The appointment of Ms. Koçiu, the first woman to head this ministry, marks a new stage for the Ministry of the Internal Affairs. With extensive experience, she will lead the transformation process of the Ministry in line with European standards and prepare it for full integration into the European Union by 2030.

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Speech of Prime Minister Edi Rama: Greetings to everyone!

In a certain way, this is a historic moment for the Ministry of the Internal Affairs, as for the first time, a woman takes the lead of this ministry. The new Minister, Albana Koçiu, assumes the leadership of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs with a completely different profile from all her predecessors, and with a very clear mission: to transform this ministry from one traditionally centered on the Police according to the Albanian standard, into a Ministry of the Internal Affairs according to the European standard.

The time has come, to be no debate whatsoever about what our law and the universally applied practices of democratic countries clearly state: the Ministry of the Internal Affairs is the logical starting point for the substantive and qualitative change that Minister Koçiu must bring in the vision, approach, and impact of this Ministry on the governance of Albania’s internal affairs.

Meanwhile, the biggest problem, already clearly evident this summer and which appears likely to remain central in the coming years, is wildfires. They have forcefully come to the forefront as an internal affairs issue that must be addressed with an appropriate approach, with organization, and with increasingly modern forces each year.

Therefore, the Ministry of the Internal Affairs must rise to this new level, from where it can oversee the full 360-degree scope of internal affairs and guide its direction as is done in every EU country. The division is very clear, both in Albanian law and in European practice, which are almost identical if you compare them side by side.

The education and continuous training of the police force is not merely a matter for the police—it is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs.

The functioning of the Prefectures is another matter. It is no coincidence that I am here with the Minister of State for Local Government. The dimension of local government in internal affairs, if we read the legislation, is broad, yet in practice it is severely lacking. Today, Prefectures are “Refugium Peccatorum,” institutions that have lost their weight and their purpose. We need a reform of the Prefectures, from conception onward, must be co-led by the Minister of the Internal Affairs and the Minister of State for Local Government. We must quickly conclude: do we need Prefectures at all? And if we do, what form should they take? Prefectures must become an added strength, an added value in the entire network of management and administration of internal affairs, and not just nests for distributing salaries with nearly zero impact on internal governance.

The Police Oversight Agency is a new structure established to monitor the State Police, entirely independent from it, a continuation of the former internal affairs service, but with a series of new attributes that require guidance and support to properly address its mission.
Civil Registry services still face problems with their system.

The standards of private security companies also remain an issue.
We must not forget the performance of the Ministry’s own security company, “Illyrian Guard,” created to provide police officers and staff with a smooth transition to retirement and a decent salary. Instead, it turned into a shelter for political favors from all sides, losing the mission for which it was founded.

The Scientific Police is another structure that has barely survived thanks to a handful of good specialists, similar to how hospital services survived until serious investments were made. Likewise, the Republican Guard, our state’s elite service, requires further modernization.
The management of seized assets, after many years, is finally beginning to make sense. Credit goes to the minister and the director for giving overdue attention to this unit, which for too long operated like a recycling office for the same offenders.

Territorial control, specifically over illegal construction, has also begun to improve, thanks in part to the direct engagement of the General Director of Police. Until recently, the State Police was part of the problem, not the solution. Only now has the message been sent that no matter how big your name in the construction world or how large your illegal building, the state is bigger than you.

Finally, the technological transformation of the entire internal affairs system through innovation is another major challenge. It took us months, almost a year, to conclude the most important security agreement with the United Arab Emirates, which will allow us to establish smart cities with full coverage by intelligent cameras—from streets to schools, even inside classrooms—bringing our security level up to the highest European standards, higher even than in some major EU states. Technology is a blessing: a small, less developed country can leap ahead of larger ones through its use.

Minister Koçiu brings with her long experience in public administration. She began at the entry level, just like some young women here today, and went on to lead the Department of Public Administration for 10 years. She has also shown leadership capacity and perseverance while serving as Minister of Health and Social Affairs. Now she must lead, like all other ministers, the escalation of the digital revolution and the introduction of artificial intelligence into the Ministry of the Internal Affairs.
This means:
Higher road safety through intelligent camera coverage of the main national highways and major cities.
Higher school safety with video surveillance systems in schools, accessible when needed by the State Police.
Higher territorial safety for beaches and rivers through aerial monitoring with advanced drones and satellites, soon to be fully real-time.
Higher trade safety with full digital traceability—from medicines and imported food to fuel—through the new state company “AlbTrace,” born of a partnership with a world-leading firm in the UAE.
Higher cybersecurity to further fortify Albania against malicious actors targeting our critical digital infrastructure.
Higher fire protection, leveraging digital technology and AI to improve monitoring and response.

In closing, I want every leader in this Ministry and every head of the institutions linked to the Ministry of the Internal Affairs to understand this message and join this great need for a new standard of quality. EU membership and the raising of our national flag in the European family courtyard by 2030 passes through this complex challenge of internal affairs. We must act with greater pace, greater determination, and greater vision, fully embracing technology.

Thank you very much!