Gen. Xhemal Gjunkshi, who had previously come under political attack and singled out for allegations of corruption, gave no official reason for resigning
TIRANA, Nov. 7 – Albania’s highest ranking military commander, Maj. Gen. Xhemal Gjunkshi, has resigned abruptly, giving no official reason for his decision.
Gjunkshi, who had served as the Albanian Armed Forces’ chief of staff for the past two years, handed his resignation to the country’s president, Bujar Nishani, who made it public Monday.
The text of the resignation gave no reasons for the resignation, citing accomplishments instead, but the general’s appointment had proven politically-controversial and his departure comes just two months after the change in government in Albania.
Gjunkshi’s military career had often come under criticism and accusations. In the past two years he had come under political attack by the Socialists, then in opposition, for firing three high-ranking generals, among whom, Deputy Chief of Staff Sander Lleshi. The Socialists said the decisions were unfounded and Lleshi later was appointed as military adviser to Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama after the Socialists came to power earlier this year.
In his letter of resignation, Gjunkshi highlighted the achievements of the armed forces since August 2011, when he took the top job, including operations to assist populations in cases of natural disasters, the dismantling of weapons and ammunition and dangerous missions abroad.
However the most damning accusations on Gjunkshi’s career came before he even took the top job, when the leaked American diplomatic cables revealed that he had been accused of taking bribes from Albanian officers and soldiers to serve in dangerous missions abroad that came with high salaries by Albanian standards.
Born in eastern Albania in 1963, Gjunkshi graduated from the Albanian Military Academy in 1985. He also attended the War College of Land Forces in Turkey, where he graduated in 1998. With the exception of a period serving as Albanian military attach顩n Turkey, he progressed through the ranks through the years and in 2007, he was appointed as head of Commando Regiment, one of the elite units of Albanian Armed Forces. It was here that his subordinates alleged he demanded bribes of up to half the per diem funds a soldier would get to deploy abroad, according to the leaked cables.
Brig. Gen. Jeronim Bazo tapped to replace Gjunkshi
On Nov. 7, President Nishani announced that on the proposal of the prime minister, the new chief of staff will be Brigadier General Jeronim Bazo, who was serving as the president’s military adviser. Bazo, who has had extensive experience as a military practitioner and strategist, was educated in the United States and Germany and appears to have wide political support.
