TIRANA, Dec. 11 – After continuous public criticism by the U.S. Embassy in Tirana over the introduction of the 5G technology, the Albanian government has decided to withdraw from the project. A Memorandum of Understanding with the US government on 4G and 5G security was adopted during a meeting held on Wednesday with the Council of Ministers, which is effective immediately. This comes after many stated concerns by the United States about the use of technological equipment manufactured in China.
In November, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana made several public announcements about the technology threats to Albania. “The 5G network will be rolling out pretty quickly but do you trust the companies that are building the 5G networks? How can you know that they will not misuse your data?” one announcement stated.
“When it comes to 5G and critical cyber infrastructure in the United States and in NATO Allies such as Albania, we cannot be clearer: security cannot be compromised or sold. It is vital to consider whether suppliers are subject to control by a foreign government without independent judicial review, whether intellectual property rights are respected, and what the track record of vendors regarding respect for the rule of law. Through this lens, the United States, Albania, and NATO Allies must transition away from untrusted information and communications technology providers and supply chains to trusted ones…Freedom is not free, and freedom is not for sale,” the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Leyla Moses-Ones said earlier in November. Furthermore, the U.S. embassy announced earlier on Wednesday that Huawei hopes to manufacture and sell its 5G network equipment worldwide. However, there are clear reasons for countries and consumers to act cautiously.
According to the U.S., Huawei is headquartered in China, a country without an independent judiciary or an applicable law. China also has a law requiring companies to assist the government in espionage. That means there is no way to challenge the Chinese government if it orders a company to spy on or steal data. Moreover, Huawei also has a history of ethical violations, including stealing data from its competitors. “Huawei has a long history of stealing intellectual property and violating corruption laws around the world,” says one U.S. official.
When it comes to 5G, the US and its allies “need to ensure that we only have trusted suppliers in 5G networks.”
In May, President Donald Trump essentially barred the Chinese Huawei company from accessing US telecommunications networks after Washington revealed that the company had violated US sanctions on Iran and had attempted to block a subsequent investigation into the affairs.
