Former SHISH director accuses: Vlora Hyseni’s appointment violated meritocracy and casts a shadow of doubt

Evarist Beqiri, who previously held a leading position at the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), has raised strong concerns about the appointment of Vlora Hyseni to head this institution. In an interview with Euronews Albania, he described this move as a flagrant violation of meritocratic principles, noting that Hyseni lacks concrete achievements.

According to Beqiri, who says he has known Hyseni for a long time since her experience in Kosovo, her appointment does not send the right message to career employees within the secret service. He added that this action not only raises questions about her past but also offends the sacrifice of those who have dedicated their entire lives to the national security mission.

The former senior official placed the main burden of this decision on the two highest figures of the state. He stated that responsibility lies with the Prime Minister, who proposed her name, and the President, who decreed it, as the relevant institutions failed to diligently investigate her past before entrusting her with such a delicate task.

Speaking about their shared past, Beqiri emphasized that he knew Hyseni in Kosovo and that her rise to this position has caused surprise in the intelligence community in both countries. He described as incomprehensible how an individual with that level of professional and cultural background can be promoted while completely ignoring meritocracy, adding that her departure from her previous post in Kosovo was accompanied by suspicions.

Beqiri also highlighted the unusual nature of taking a person from the secret service of another country to lead such a sensitive institution. He stated that even within allied countries, intelligence services are treated with extreme jealousy and care, making this move even stranger. According to him, the main question remains whether any standards and rules were applied to meticulously verify her background, given her past shadowed by doubt.