Key facts
- Albania's spy chief, Vlora Hyseni, was suspended and ordered under house arrest.
- Hyseni is suspected of disclosing classified information to unauthorized persons.
- The investigation is linked to a corruption case at the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI).
- SPAK, a special prosecution office, is pursuing the case.
- Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that Hyseni had been relieved of her duties.
- Rama consulted with the president to appoint a new head of the intelligence agency.
TIRANA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Albania's spy chief, Vlora Hyseni, has been suspended and ordered under house arrest on suspicion of disclosing classified information as part of a wider corruption investigation, the special prosecution office SPAK said on Tuesday.
Hyseni, who has led the Sherbimi Informativ i Shtetit (SHISH) intelligence service since 2023, is suspected of sharing classified details with unauthorized individuals in connection with a corruption case at the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI). SPAK has been investigating the case for some time, and numerous state officials and business people are already facing investigation or arrest for misusing public funds at AKSHI.
The anti-corruption court approved the measures against Hyseni to facilitate further investigation. Prime Minister Edi Rama, currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, announced that Hyseni had been dismissed from her duties and that a new intelligence chief would be appointed in consultation with the president. Rama emphasized that while everyone is presumed innocent until a final ruling, no one is above the law.
This development marks another challenge for Rama's government, following the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku in February due to corruption charges, which she denied. European Union officials are closely monitoring Albania's progress in combating crime and corruption, a critical factor for the country's bid to join the bloc by 2030.