TIRANA, Aug 17 /ATA/ – State Police will establish a new unit tasked with tackling environmental crimes in Albania, Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari said at a meeting with senior local police officials from the country’s 12 regions on Monday.
Lamallari, together with State Police Director General Skender Hita, called for a more proactive approach to wildfires, saying investigations should continue after fires are extinguished.
“For the police, a fire does not end when it is extinguished. That is when the questions begin: why did it happen, who caused it and whether a criminal offence lies behind it,” Lamallari said.
He said every suspicious fire should be professionally investigated in close cooperation with firefighters, civil emergency authorities, local communities and prosecutors, using technology and forensic expertise in Albania and abroad.
“The damage caused by this year’s fires alone is incalculable, particularly to the country’s forests. How many years, how many generations will it take for those forests to recover?” Lamallari said.
Hita meanwhile called on local police chiefs to step up efforts on public, road and maritime safety.
“Respond in a timely manner, both in prevention and in the dynamic and professional handling of conflicts and citizens’ concerns,” Hita said.
He added that police performance was measured not only by operational results but also by how officers treated and communicated with citizens and the media.
“Citizens should feel that the police are close to them, receive timely responses and see professionalism in every situation,” Hita said.
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