The "bill" that Albania pays to the Iranian regime

2026-03-05 16:20:00, Opinione Arben Malaj

After the cases of personal decision-making for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons in Albania and the issue of the Mujahideen, maximum caution is required regarding individual decisions with very high risk to national security.

Experience teaches us that assuming such responsibilities without broad institutional consultation seriously jeopardizes the integrity and defense of the country.

The Ayatollah's regime should have fallen. Hybrid warfare structures will not disappear; they may become even more aggressive.

1. Policy on Institutions

The admission of the MEK was treated as a personal commitment by Prime Minister Rama, bypassing the filters of the National Security Council. A precedent was created where diplomacy "overstepped" the intelligence risk analysis, leaving the state without a preliminary defense strategy.

2. EU Rejection and Albanian "Voluntarism"

While EU countries rejected even the minimum quotas (300 people), Albania accepted the entire burden. We were a few MPs from all political parties who in 2012 knew about the negotiations to take in Albania only for humanitarian reasons about 300. Not all of them, which were about 3500.

Reasons for European refusal: The high cost of monitoring a group with military training and fear of Iranian retaliation.

Paradox: Albania became the only "volunteer" in a global risk game, without having the capacities of the great powers to defend itself.

3. Relocation Beneficiaries (France-Durrës)

France: Exported a terrorist threat and diplomatic tension outside its territory.
MEK: Secured in Ashraf 3 (Manz) a zone with high autonomy, which in Europe would be subject to strict laws.

4. Consequences: Cyber ??Asymmetry and Sovereignty

The main consequence was Albania's exposure to a cyber power like Iran without having any real "shield":

Economic damage: The e-Albania and TIMS systems, where hundreds of millions of euros were invested, were paralyzed in 2022.

Violation of sovereignty: The exposure of sensitive data of citizens showed that national security was sacrificed for an individual decision, without a prior analysis of hybrid warfare.
Conclusion: Albania paid a "bill" that powerful countries refused. The cost was not only financial, but was related to the direct violation of national security, digital infrastructure and national privacy.