SHISH
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Albanian intelligence service. For other meanings of shish, go to Shish (disambiguation).
The State Intelligence Service , commonly known by its acronym SHISH, is the primary intelligence agency of Albania
. It was preceded by the SHIK
.
On April 1, 1997, Bashkim Fino
announced that SHIK activity would be suspended effective from March 31. SHIK Director Bashkim Gazidede and his deputy, Bujar Rama, resigned. On May 30, the President, named Arben Karkini as the new head of SHIK. He was succeeded by Fatos Klosi after the Socialists won the July 1997 parliamentary elections. In October 1997, the United States
Central Intelligence Agency
sent a team of experts to assist the government in restructuring the SHIK.
In November 1999, SHIK was renamed SHISH. The current director is Bahri Shaqiri.
The State Intelligence Service falls under the authority of the Prime Minister. Its Head is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic on the advice of the Prime Minister.
SHISH operates within this context and while it has been identified as being "generally under effective civilian control" (U.S. Department of State, 2004) the agency has still been associated with various abuses within the country and continues to play a significant role in domestic politics. The Albanian government has received support from the U.S. and European countries in working to establish or reform national institutions, including its intelligence and security services.
The State Intelligence Service , commonly known by its acronym SHISH, is the primary intelligence agency of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. It was preceded by the SHIK
SHIK
SHIK was created in 1991 by the Albanian People's Assembly as SHIK, acronym of Shërbimi Informativ Kombëtar , but it later changed its name in SHISH. It replaced the Sigurimi.'...
.
History
The National Informative Service (Albanian: Shërbimi Informativ Kombëtar, SHIK) was created by the Albanian parliament in 1991. The agency has been used to manage internal dissent and protect the interests of the individual members of the regime.On April 1, 1997, Bashkim Fino
Bashkim Fino
Bashkim Fino is an Albanian politician and former Prime Minister of Albania.Fino studied economics in Tirana and the United States. After this, he worked as an economist in Gjirokastër, and in 1992 became its mayor...
announced that SHIK activity would be suspended effective from March 31. SHIK Director Bashkim Gazidede and his deputy, Bujar Rama, resigned. On May 30, the President, named Arben Karkini as the new head of SHIK. He was succeeded by Fatos Klosi after the Socialists won the July 1997 parliamentary elections. In October 1997, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
sent a team of experts to assist the government in restructuring the SHIK.
In November 1999, SHIK was renamed SHISH. The current director is Bahri Shaqiri.
Mission and Function
The State Intelligence Service has the following duties:- collect information from abroad for the purpose of national security;
- undertake intelligence activities for the purpose of the protection of integrity, independence and constitutional order;
- collect information regarding terrorist activity, the production and trafficking of narcotics, the production of weapons of mass destruction and crimes against the environment;
- collect information regarding organized crime that endangers national security.
Relationship with other state entities
Institutional Position of the State Intelligence Service and relationship with other state bodies:The State Intelligence Service falls under the authority of the Prime Minister. Its Head is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic on the advice of the Prime Minister.
SHISH operates within this context and while it has been identified as being "generally under effective civilian control" (U.S. Department of State, 2004) the agency has still been associated with various abuses within the country and continues to play a significant role in domestic politics. The Albanian government has received support from the U.S. and European countries in working to establish or reform national institutions, including its intelligence and security services.