WikiLeaks: BERISHA SEEKS NEW SECRET POLICE

On a cable dated January 27, 2010, sent to the Department of State, the U.S. embassy in Tirana expresses deep concerns about the Albanian prime minister’s attempt to bring Albania’s intelligence service, SHISH, under his complete control.

“In early January, Prime Minister Berisha introduced a new draft bill to amend the law on the National Intelligence Service (SHISH). In essence, the aim of the law is to limit the foreign intelligence responsibilities of the SHISH, increase its domestic intelligence responsibilities into clearly law enforcement functions, and increase the institution's dependence on the Prime Minister…

The service as proposed in the draft law could become a political tool for Berisha or any future PM to intimidate and crush political rivals…

This is not the first time the Berisha government has tried to bring the SHISH under his thumb and give it a domestic spying role… In 2005, Berisha proposed a law to merge the SHISH into the Ministry of Interior, but backed down after intense international opposition…

First, the current draft law seeks to divert SHISH activities into domestic law enforcement and domestic spying. Specifically, the amendment gives SHISH the responsibility of "supporting the activities of the police force and other law enforcement agencies in preventing serious crimes."" – is written in the cable.
A.K.