Saimir Tahiri
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Saimir Tahiri | |
|---|---|
| Minister of the Interior | |
| In office 15 September 2013 – 19 March 2017 | |
| President | Bujar Nishani |
| Prime Minister | Edi Rama |
| Preceded by | Flamur Noka |
| Succeeded by | Fatmir Xhafaj |
| Member of the Albanian parliament | |
| In office September 2009 – May 2018 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1979 |
| Party | Socialist Party (2005–2017) Independent (September 2017 – May 2018) |
| Alma mater | University of Tirana |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
Saimir Tahiri is a convicted Albanian politician, who served as the Minister of Interior Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama from 2013 to 2017.
In 2019 he was sentenced to 5 years in prison, reduced to 3 years and 4 months due to the abbreviated trial on charges of abuse of office. He was suspected as involved in organized crime and of helping his cousins in international drug smuggling while serving as Minister of Interiors. In June 2023 his detention was changed to house arrest due to health problems.[1]
Tahiri was born in Tirana, on October 30, 1979. He holds a master's degree in public law from the University of Tirana, Faculty of Law, and has a bachelor's degree in law from University of Tirana, Faculty of Law.[citation needed]
He has been awarded the title of lawyer since 2008. In 2006 to 2008, he was a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Law and several other higher education institutions.[citation needed]
Political career
In 2009, he was elected Member of the Assembly representing the Socialist Party for Tirana Region in the 18th Legislature. He was also appointed vice chair of the Parliamentary Group. In 2011, Tahiri was elected as chairman of Tirana Socialist Party Branch. From 2009 to 2013 he was a member of the Committee of Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights.[citation needed]
Minister of Interior
On 15 September 2013, he was appointed as Minister of Internal Affairs in the 1st Rama Government. During the first months of his mandate, following the prime minister's orders, Tahiri ordered raids on Lazarat, a secluded village in Albania's south, famed for industrial-scale cannabis cultivation. During the raid, 71 tonnes of marijuana were seized by the Police.[2]
In the following years, the drug situation in Albania and the war on illegal trade became a bigger problem and a huge concern for the international community.[3]
On February 18, the opposition launched a protest, which continued for 3 months. One of the main demands was the resignation of Saimir Tahiri. On March 12, four ministers of the Cabinet, including Tahiri, resigned.[4]