TIRANA, Oct. 8 – Albania honored this week a police officer who fell in the line of duty in the Shkodra region.
Simon Gjeta, 49, a police special forces commander, was shot dead during an operation to apprehend an armed man who had earlier beat up his neighbor.
Following a 12-hour siege, police shot dead the armed person. He resisted repeated calls for surrender, shot at police in response and threatened to kill his sister, police said.
Gjeta was declared was buried Monday at the Nation’s Fallen Cemetery with state protocol and honors.
Gjeta served as commander of the Quick Intervention Force, FNSH, for the Shkodra region, and was leading an operation to apprehend the suspect, Ruzhdi Arishta, on the evening of Oct. 2 in the village of Obot, 7 kilometers from the city of Shkodra.
Gjeta was a graduate of the Skanderbeg Military Academy and had been a police officer since 1997, leading special forces in the Kurbin region, one of the country’s toughest spots to be a police officer. He had taken part in several operations to restore order and public security, facing highly dangerous criminals before, police said.
All senior officials in the country — President Bujar Nishani, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta and Prime Minister Edi Rama — expressed their condolences and were present at the funeral.
In a message, President Nishani called on the State Police and law enforcement agencies to work relentlessly in fighting crime in honor of those who have fallen in the line of duty.
Prime Minister Rama said the government was firm in its commitment to state-building efforts, primarily for the rule of law in Albania.
“The achievements of the State Police in the state’s zero-tolerance fight on crime are the work of good Albanians like Simon Gjeta,” Rama said.
The main opposition Democratic Party leader, Lulzim Basha, also expressed his condolences to the family.
During press appearances after the funeral, Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri criticized the justice system in the country, saying it has been releasing many suspects and criminals back into the streets. The perpetrator in this case had a history of problems with authorities.
Prime Minister Rama repeated similar accusations at a time when the reform of the judiciary is on top of the agenda in the country and a key goal in Albania’s next step in its EU bid.
