Saturday, November 17, 2007

Albanian secret service demands money for agents in Macedonia

Albanian state intelligence service SHISH demanded over 4 million euro extra funds to expand its activities in the region, including Macedonia.

Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper says the vast majority of additional agents will be sent to Kosovo, and the rest will be sent to "Albanian regions in Macedonia and Montenegro".

SHISH chief Bahri Shaqiri told the Albanian Parliament's National Security Committee that additional funds should be allocated to state intelligence service to expand its activities in 2008 and to recruit new agents outside the country.

The newspaper, citing sources who attended the session, says extra funds and new recruits will help the country stand ready for the eventualities that may arise from the tense situation in the Balkan.

A portion of funds will be used to strengthen the network of collaborators within the country and to step up the fight against terrorism, corruption and organized crime. Following the visit to Tirana by the US President George Bush, the government called on SHISH to downsize agents, the newspaper said, adding that 129 agents were laid off meanwhile.

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