“Albania is not the only NATO country where this has happened”: Canadian security expert on the SHISH scandal

Canadian national security expert Stephanie Carvin has described the scandal involving SHISH director Vlora Hyseni — suspected of handing secret information to businessman Ergys Agasi, who was arrested in the “AKSHI” case — as an unfortunate event.

In an interview with “Rretheqark” on A2 CNN, she said this is worrying and damages trust.

“Without overstating my expertise on Albanian politics, I can say these are unfortunate events. In any country, when we have what in the security field is called an ‘insider threat,’ the situation is serious. We are talking about a person with privileged access to information who then abuses it, destroying, altering or passing it to people who should not have it. This is always worrying and damages trust,” the expert told A2 CNN.

Asked what Albania should do in such a sensitive case, she said restoring public trust is what matters most, and that a full and transparent investigation is needed to understand whether this is about a single individual or a network.

“It is always a challenge, because we are dealing with highly secret operations and, at the same time, with the need for public justice. It is not always easy, because operational information can become public during investigations. So care must be taken. But when such an event shakes trust, the most important thing is restoring that trust. A full investigation, as transparent as possible, is very important. The investigation must be honest but also efficient, so the truth comes out as quickly as possible and the case does not drag on. Also, if there are indications of other links, it must be determined whether we are dealing with an individual who acted alone or a wider network,” she stressed.

According to expert Stephanie Carvin, such cases damage not only the reputation of institutions but also national security. She stressed that Albania is not the only NATO member state facing such cases, as Canada has had several similar ones.

“Albania is not the only NATO member country facing such cases. Canada has had several similar cases too. In Canada we have had cases where senior police officials were accused of passing information to organized crime. Even this year, an intern at NATO headquarters was arrested on suspicion of trying to collect information which, according to media reports, could have been passed to China. So these are situations different countries face, especially when it comes to specialized information that may be of interest to organized crime or other states. What really matters is how these cases are investigated, whether the truth becomes public and whether those responsible are held accountable, if their guilt is proven. That is how public trust can be restored,” she added.

She cited the case of former Canadian official Cameron Ortis, accused of passing information to criminal elements. According to Carvin, such information can show criminal groups how they are being investigated and help them avoid wiretaps or investigations into drug trafficking, money laundering and other illegal activities.

“When someone abuses information in this way, they damage the institution in several directions. First they damage the organization’s reputation, but they can also directly obstruct criminal investigations and the work of intelligence services,” she said.

Carvin also warned that such cases can affect relations with international allies. According to her, if trust is undermined, partners may hesitate to share sensitive information for fear it could fall into the wrong hands.