Minister of Interior Ervin Hoxha’s speech before the Special Parliamentary Committee: “To coordinate and supervise all institutional actions to combat disinformation and other forms of foreign interference in the country’s democratic processes.”

Good morning, everyone,
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Dear Members,
Today, the intensification and rapid proliferation of hybrid threats pose a very serious and complex challenge to the security and stability of democratic countries. Albania, as a country dependent on regional and global economic developments, on the other hand, as a NATO member and a candidate for European Union membership, considers the ability to prevent, counter, and respond to hybrid attacks as a high priority. This is in order to maintain national order and security, social cohesion, and to ensure the continuity of all national security services.
Thanks to advanced technology and globalization, hybrid warfare tactics have become more sophisticated and complex, combining both military and nonmilitary means, covert and overt methods, and the use of disinformation through cyberattacks, economic pressure, and conditional investments aimed at destabilizing democratic social order and disrupting state institutions. The Ministry of the Interior has deemed it essential to take sustainable and effective measures to prevent, protect, and respond effectively to these threats. There is now a joint assessment by institutions in the face of hybrid threats, which requires an integrated and comprehensive inter-institutional approach, including cooperation and coordination among all government agencies involved in national and international security. In this context, increasing the resilience of critical information infrastructure and strengthening capabilities to detect, prevent, and respond to hybrid threats through investments in technology, public education, and the strengthening of democratic institutions remain critical to achieving strategic goals in addressing this challenge.
Analyzing hybrid threats and proposing coordinated action at the European level and with other actors, such as the United States, to address threats involving cyberattacks, hack-and-leak operations, cyberespionage, and other harmful activities requires international cooperation to address them effectively. Assessments by various European and U.S. institutions, intelligence resources from partner countries, as well as assessments by our specialized structures, conclude that the main perpetrators of hybrid campaigns and major forms of cyberattacks, as well as any other “gray zone” activity, are state actors and their sponsored entities, rather than non-state commercial organizations. At the global level, it is widely accepted that the main actors in hybrid warfare and any cyberattack are the so-called “Big Four” major states: Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. In the Western Balkans, Russia is one of the most active countries in hybrid warfare. The region is divided, with competing political forces at play. It is believed that Russia has increased its presence and influence in the region, opposing and delaying the European integration process of these countries through political and economic influence. It is also acknowledged that Moscow’s political propaganda does not come directly from Moscow but is repackaged as if it did and distributed through its satellites in the region. Western sources also estimate that 90% of Russian propaganda and these campaigns are conducted in the Serbian language. It should be emphasized that Albania is less affected and influenced by this hybrid campaign of Russia and its satellites in the region. Recently, it is estimated that the Russian disinformation infrastructure in the region has expanded to include portals in the Albanian language. These continue to have limited visibility and readership, with a low number of clicks. Key forms of disinformation include
– Cyberattacks, interference with government electronic databases;
– Social media manipulation to influence public perceptions and polarize opinion, mainly through so-called “synthetic media” or messages generated by artificial intelligence;
– Cultural narratives that exploit religious or ethnic tensions for destabilizing purposes;
– Traditional audiovisual media used to disseminate manipulated information.
As you know, in July 2022, the Republic of Albania was the target of cyberattacks organized by a group of hackers from Iran. The goal of these attacks was to disrupt government services and block national service websites. Thanks to close cooperation with international partners, including the FBI and Microsoft Office, the damage caused by this attack was minimized. In addition to this attack, Albania faced other cyber attacks on its critical information infrastructure in 2023-2024. In response to emerging new threats and in line with its NATO membership commitments, Albania has put special emphasis on strengthening the legal and strategic framework. Analysis shows that our country has a comprehensive legal and strategic framework in the field of national security, specifically for the protection and response to hybrid attacks and various activities from the so-called “gray zone.” More specifically, as we approach an electoral process in a few weeks, I would like to inform you that the General Directorate of Civil Status has several important responsibilities during the parliamentary election process, mainly related to
– Ensuring and accurately identifying citizens who are eligible to vote;
– Preparing and updating voter lists using data from the Civil Registry;
– Verifying the accuracy of voter information;
– Registering overseas voters and ensuring that they can vote;
– Issuing voter identification documents;
– Updating the civil registry in light of any changes during the electoral process, such as changes in citizens’ status (deaths, name changes, etc.). As part of the measures to organize the 2025 electoral process, the Ministry of the Interior has begun to improve all mechanisms to assist foreign voters in renewing their identification documents. This category of voters will no longer have to apply for both types of identification documents, which will reduce the cost of this service, as it is now considered an improved process.
On the other hand, as part of the institutional framework for the prevention of disinformation and hybrid threats, the Ministry of Interior closely follows the developments of the European Union’s legal framework on disinformation in order to identify the needs for improving the national legal and regulatory framework. Currently, the term “disinformation” is not defined in the Albanian Penal Code, while the term “distortion of information” is addressed by criminal offenses related to the dissemination of false information. The ongoing revision of the Penal Code should take into account the latest developments in EU legislation and its implementation in EU countries. The Ministry of Interior, through its structures, remains ready to highlight this aspect at each stage of the consultation process.
A more detailed document is in front of you, as well as an analysis of all the analytical phenomena that we consider crucial for this process. Thank you very much!