Ministry of Defence (Albania)

Ministry of Defence

Ministria e Mbrojtjës
Coat of Arms of the Ministry
Department overview
Formed	4 December 1912;112 years ago (1912-12-04)
Jurisdiction	Council of Ministers
Headquarters	Tirana, Albania
Minister responsible	Pirro Vengu
Website	www.mod.gov.al

The Ministry of Defence (Albanian : Ministria e Mbrojtjes) is a department of the Albanian Government, in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and ordering, coordinating and carrying out the general guidelines of the Cabinet about the defence policy, and is the headquarters of the Military of Albania. It is Albania's ministry of defence. ^[1]

The Defence Minister of Albania is the nominal head of all the military, serving under the President of Albania, who is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Albania. The defence minister exercises the administrative and operational authority over the military. The armed forces under the Ministry of Defence are primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of the nation.

Structure

The Ministry of Defence includes numerous smaller agencies aside from the three main branches of the military. These include the Authority of the State Export Control, the Military Export Import Company, the Center of Culture, Media, and Defence Publications, the Inter-Institutional Maritime Operation Centre, and the Defence Intelligence Security Agency. These agencies, centers, and offices report to the Minister of Defence. ^[2]

Authority of the State Export Control

The Authority of the State Export Control (AKSHE) (Albanian: Autoriteti i Kontrollit Shtetëror të Eksporteve) is the agency tasked with controlling the export, import, and transportation of military goods. ^[2]

Centre of Culture, Media, and Defence Publications

The Centre of Culture, Media, and Defence Publications (QKMBM) (Albanian: Qendra e Kulturës, Medias, Botimeve të Mbrojtjes, Muzeut dhe Shtëpive të Pushimit) is an organization involved in public relations and general communications for the Ministry of Defence. It is itself composed of the Directorate of Public Relations and Communications, the Directorate of Publications, the Directorate of the Community Relations Activities, and the Directorate of Sports Activities. ^[3]

Inter-Institutional Maritime Operation Centre

The Inter-Institutional Maritime Operation Centre (IMOC) (Albanian: Qendra Ndërinstitucionale Operacionale Detare) is an inter-ministry agency tasked with managing Albania's maritime territory. It is a collaboration between the Ministries of Defence, Internal Affairs, Finance, Environment, Transportation, Agriculture, and Tourism. ^[4]

Defence Intelligence Security Agency (Albania)

The Defence Intelligence Security Agency (DISA) (Albanian: Agjencia e Inteligjencës dhe Sigurisë së Mbrojtjes (AISM)) is a military intelligence agency within the Ministry of Defence, which provides intelligence to the Ministry as well as the Albanian Armed Forces. It is governed by Law No. 65/2014. ^[5]

Reorganization

Since the establishment of the institution, the Ministry of Defence has undergone several administrative changes to its organizational structure. When a new department was formed, it often merged with the ministry thus expanding its role, subsequently leading to the name of the ministry being changed. If that department later broke off as a separate ministry or was dissolved, the ministry reverted to its original name. ^{[a] [b]}

• Ministry of War (1912–1939)
• Ministry of War and Defence Command (1944–1946)
• Ministry of National Defence (1946–1950)
• Ministry of People's Defence (1950–1991)
• Ministry of Defence (1991–present)

Subordinate institutions

• Armed Forces Academy
• Export Control State Authority (AKSHE)
• Center of Culture, Media and Defence Publications (QKMBM)
• Inter-Institutional Marine Operation Centre (QNOD)

Officeholders (1912–present)

No.	Portrait	Name (born–died)	Term of office			Political party		Cabinet(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Mehmet Pashë Deralla (1843–1918)	4 December 1912	24 January 1914	1 year, 51 days		Independent	Provisional Government
2		Essad Toptani (1863/1875–1920)	14 March 1914	13 April 1975	67 days		Independent	Përmeti I
3		Kara Seit Pasha	August 1914	3 September 1914	1 month		Independent	Përmeti II
4		Isuf Dibra (?–1927)	5 October 1914	27 January 1916	1 year, 114 days		Independent	Toptani
Austro-Hungarian occupation of Albania (1916–1918)
5		Ali Riza Kolonja (1880–1930)	30 January 1920	4 November 1920	279 days		Independent	Delvina
6		Selahudin Shkoza  [ sq ] (1867–1930)	15 November 1920	16 October 1921	335 days		Independent	Vrioni I–II
7		Isuf Gjinali  [ sq ] (1874–1930)	16 October 1921	6 December 1921	51 days		Independent	Evangjeli
8		Zija Dibra (1890–1940)	6 December 1921	12 December 1921	6 days		Independent	Prishtina
9		Shefki Kosturi  [ sq ] (1878–?)	12 December 1921	24 December 1921	12 days		Independent	Kosturi
10		Ismail Haki Tatzati (1878–1945)	24 December 1921	19 August 1923	1 year, 238 days		Independent	Ypi Zogu I
11		Mustafa Aranitasi (1872–1961)	19 August 1923	25 February 1924	190 days		Independent	Zogu I
			30 May 1924	10 June 1924	11 days			Vrioni III
12		Kasem Qafëzezi  [ sq ] (1881–1931)	16 June 1924	24 December 1924	191 days		Independent	Noli
13		Enver Hoxha (1908–1985)	23 October 1944	31 July 1953	8 years, 281 days		Party of Labour	Hoxha I–II–III–IV–V–VI
14		Beqir Balluku (1917–1975)	1 August 1953	28 October 1974	21 years, 88 days		Party of Labour	Hoxha VII Shehu I–II–III–IV–V–VI–VII–VIII–IX
15		Mehmet Shehu (1913–1981)	28 October 1974	18 December 1981	7 years, 51 days		Party of Labour	Shehu X–XI–XII
16		Kadri Hazbiu (1922–1983)	15 January 1982	10 October 1982	268 days		Party of Labour	Çarçani I
17		Prokop Murra (1921–2005)	10 October 1982	7 July 1990	7 years, 270 days		Party of Labour	Çarçani I–II–III–IV
18		Kiço Mustaqi (1938–2019)	8 July 1990	10 May 1991	306 days		Party of Labour	Çarçani V–VI
19		Ndriçim Karakaçi  [ sq ] (born 1950)	11 May 1991	4 June 1991	24 days		Socialist Party	Nano I–II
20		Perikli Teta (1941–2007)	11 June 1991	6 December 1991	178 days		Democratic Party	Bufi
21		Alfred Moisiu (born 1929)	18 December 1991	13 April 1992	117 days		Independent	Ahmeti
22		Safet Zhulali (1944–2002)	13 April 1992	1 March 1997	4 years, 322 days		Democratic Party	Meksi I–II–III–IV
23		Shaqir Vukaj (born 1942)	11 March 1997	24 July 1997	135 days		Socialist Party	Fino
24		Sabit Brokaj (1942–2020)	25 July 1997	23 April 1998	272 days		Socialist Party	Nano III
25		Luan Hajdaraga  [ sq ] (1948–2018)	23 April 1998	8 July 2000	2 years, 76 days		Socialist Party	Majko I Meta I
26		Ilir Gjoni (born 1962)	8 July 2000	9 November 2000	124 days			Meta I
27		Ismail Lleshi (born 1947)	9 November 2000	6 September 2001	301 days		Socialist Party	Meta I
28		Pandeli Majko (born 1967)	6 September 2001	29 January 2002	145 days		Socialist Party	Meta II
29		Luan Rama  [ sq ] (born )	22 February 2002	25 July 2002	153 days		Socialist Party	Majko II
(28)		Pandeli Majko (born 1967)	29 July 2002	10 September 2005	3 years, 43 days		Socialist Party	Nano IV–V
30		Fatmir Mediu (born 1967)	11 September 2005	21 March 2008	2 years, 192 days		Republican Party	Berisha I
31		Gazmend Oketa (born 1968)	28 March 2008	17 September 2009	1 year, 173 days		Republican Party	Berisha I
32		Arben Imami (born 1958)	17 September 2009	15 September 2013	3 years, 363 days		Democratic Party	Berisha II
33		Mimi Kodheli (born 1964)	15 September 2013	13 September 2017	3 years, 363 days		Socialist Party	Rama I
34		Olta Xhaçka (born 1979)	13 September 2017	31 December 2020	3 years, 109 days		Socialist Party	Rama II
35		Niko Peleshi (born 1970)	4 January 2021	30 July 2024	3 years, 208 days		Socialist Party	Rama II–III
36		Pirro Vengu (born 1986)	30 July 2024	Incumbent	362 days		Socialist Party	Rama III

Notes

1. The title "Substitutive" (gheg albanian: Zavëndësisht), often using the acronym "Zav.", references to the temporary exercise of duty by an official who was not formally appointed by the prime minister but occupied the interim role of the vacant minister. These officials are labeled in the list with an asterisk.
2. The start date of a minister's term and subsequently their relief from duty are made official in a decision signed by the assembly speaker that approves the president's decree, with such decision being published in Fletorja Zyrtare.

See also

• Military of Albania

References

1. Dervishi, Kastriot (2006). Historia e Shtetit Shqiptar 1912–2005. Shtëpia Botuese "55". p. 955. ISBN   99943-799-3-3.
2. "Subordinate Structures". Albanian Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
3. "CCMDP". Albanian Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
4. "Interinstitutional Maritime Operational Centre". Albanian Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
5. "Defence Intelligence Security Agency (DISA)". Albanian Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 11 July 2016.