Interior Minister Ervin Hoxha’s speech at the National Security Commission presenting the Ministry of Interior’s 2025 budget:
Dear Chairman of the Commission,
Dear Members of Parliament,
The medium-term budget of the Ministry of Interior for 2025-2027 has been prepared in accordance with the financial legislation, rules, and guidelines of the Ministry of Finance.
I would like to inform you that all stages of consultation and discussion at the Ministry of Finance have been followed for budget requests, especially for the 2025 budget.
In fact, this is the largest budget that the Ministry of Interior has ever had, with an increase of 20% compared to the previous year.
In nominal terms, the Ministry’s budget amounts to 31 billion ALL, which is about 50 million euros more than in 2024.
The budget ensures financial support for the Ministry’s structures in the performance of their tasks in ensuring public order and safety, and it also includes the financing of several important projects in the field of technology and information for the State Police.
On the expenditure side, in addition to salaries, the budget covers personnel costs, in particular overtime and night shifts for State Police personnel, the financial impact of the food compensation for State Police employees, amounting to approximately 1 billion ALL, and the financial impact of the start of a new project for police uniforms, as the current uniform contract expires on December 31, 2024.
In addition, the 2025 budget guarantees essential expenditures for the maintenance of technology and information systems, the purchase of materials, and other necessary services. In particular, it guarantees the participation of police structures in ensuring the process for next year’s parliamentary elections.
The investment expenditure is estimated at 2.8 billion ALL, which is an increase of 51% compared to the 2024 budget.
Today’s proposed budget ensures the financing of a very important project for the State Police: the “Camera System under the Management of the State Police—Smart City.” Among other things, the project aims to monitor and identify in real time vehicles traveling on priority road axes, as well as at all border control points. The overall goal of the project is to increase public safety and the performance of police officers by installing electronic systems to better monitor and control the territory and secure information for the prevention and resolution of criminal incidents.
With this budget, we are financing several ongoing projects from last year, such as the reconstruction of the Elbasan and Berat Police Directorates, the construction and reconstruction of police stations in Saranda, Kruja, and Kurbin, as well as the Patos and Roskovec police stations in the Fier Police Directorate.
Other financing includes projects in the field of technology and information, improvement of the system for processing citizens’ applications, establishment of an information management system for the Public Security Academy (eAcademy), etc.
Specifically:
The State Police is expected to have a 22% increase in the 2025 budget compared to 2024. Within this increase, investments amount to 2.4 billion ALL, which is a 48% increase compared to this year’s budget.
Expenditures are estimated at about 5.1 billion ALL, which is a 41% increase compared to the 2024 budget.
As for the Republican Guard, we have planned a 13% increase in expenditures, divided in accordance with the needs presented by the Guard, including the purchase of vehicles and the integration of security and surveillance systems for protected objects.
Next year, we plan to support the strengthening and efficiency of the Police Supervision Agency in close cooperation with our partners. The Police Supervision Agency budget shows an increase of 3.4% compared to the 2024 budget plan. It also includes the purchase of data analysis software and equipment for proactive investigations against law-breaking uniformed structures.
As for the civil status service, there is a 55% increase in investment expenditure to meet the obligations of the legal framework, improve the hardware and software infrastructure of the National Civil Registry, and prepare for the spring elections.
The budget for the “Prefectures and Delegated Functions” program reflects an increase of 8%, aimed at strengthening the role of prefects and local security councils.
Dear Members of the Commission,
With this budget, as I have emphasized, the goal is to fulfill the commitments for greater public order and safety.
As the figures show, the focus remains on the State Police, but the budget also responds to requests for support from other institutions within the Ministry of the Interior’s remit.
It is understood that, as everywhere, there will be no budget that can cover all the demands of the institutions, but what I would like to ask in conclusion, before we move on to your questions, is your support for the project through a vote, thus ensuring the support of our priorities.
Thank you very much!