Minister Koçiu Reports 726 Seized Assets in 2025, Criminal Property Used for Communities and Pay Raises for Special Police Units

During a press conference, Minister of the Interior Albana Koçiu presented new legal initiatives aimed at strengthening territorial control, using criminal assets to support youth and the families of officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, and increasing salaries for operational units of the State Police.
Koçiu announced that a total of 726 assets were seized in 2025, exceeding 6 billion ALL in value, and that 64 of these assets were confiscated and put to use for social projects and public institutions. The total value of the seized and confiscated assets in 2025 is the highest ever recorded in a single year. This achievement is the result of the collaboration between the State Police, the General Prosecution Office, SPAK, and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Fifteen socially impactful projects and twenty public institutions have been supported using confiscated assets. A legal framework has also been established to transfer properties to the local government for constructing social housing and centers for victims of violence, crime, and trafficking. The Ministry has launched a public call for civil society organizations to submit concrete project proposals that benefit citizens. Additionally, a new legal initiative is being prepared to use criminal assets to support the families of state police officers who have died in the line of duty.
Regarding the operation to restore legality across the territory, the minister stated that it has become permanent, transforming public spaces into places that serve citizens. According to official data, 252 entities were identified as having violated construction permits, 447 illegal constructions or additions were demolished, and fines totaling around 12 million euros were imposed. Through the e-Albania platform’s “My Public Space” section, over 18,000 reports have been registered. Of those, 14,000 have been resolved, and more than 4,000 are under review.
According to Koçiu, revising the legal framework strengthens punitive and social mechanisms against violators. This provides not only fines and criminal prosecution, but also confiscation of illegal additions or buildings for social use or housing. She emphasized that partnering with citizens is essential to the operation’s success.
The minister also announced salary increases for approximately 720 officers from the State Police’s special units: RENEA, the National Security Forces, and the Special Operations Force. RENEA officers’ salaries will increase by 20% (250,000 ALL), while salaries for officers in the other two structures will increase by around 14%. After the raise, a RENEA inspector’s salary will be nearly 1,600 euros, and a senior leader’s salary will be around 2,300 euros. In the Special Operations Force, salaries for inspectors will reach approximately 1,200 euros, and salaries for chief commissioners will range from 1,600 to 1,700 euros. These salary increases have been accounted for in this year’s state budget.