Chief of the Albanian General Staff
Chief of the General Staff
Shef i Shtabit të Përgjithshëm | |
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![]() Emblem of the Albanian General Staff | |
Incumbent Major General Bajram Begaj since 30 July 2020 | |
Member of | Albanian General Staff |
Appointer | President of Albania |
Formation | 4 May 1913 |
First holder | Lt. Colonel Ali Shefqet Shkupi |
The Chief of the General Staff (Albanian: Shef i Shtabit të Përgjithshëm) is the chief of the General Staff and Albanian Armed Forces. The chief of staff is appointed by the President of Albania, who is the commander-in-chief. The position dates back to the Provisional Government of Albania. The current Chief of the General Staff is Major General Bajram Begaj
List of chiefs of the general staff[]
The Provisional Government of Albania and the Principality of Albania[]
Date of term's end is based on start of successor's term.
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ali Shefqet Shkupi (1883–1953) | Lieutenant Colonel4 May 1913 | November 1920 | 7 years, 5 months | [1] | |
2 | (1880–1930) | Brigadier GeneralNovember 1920 | December 1921 | 1 year, 1 month | [1] | |
3 | (1882–1945?) | MajorDecember 1921 | June 1923 | 1 year, 6 months | [1] | |
4 | (1884–1928) Term ended with dissolution of the Ministry of War | MajorJune 1923 | 24 December 1924 | 1 year, 6 months | [1] |
The Albanian Republic and the Albanian Kingdom[]
In 1925, Prime Minister Ahmet Zogolli created a new constitution for Albania, forming the Albanian Republic. On 1 September 1928, Zogolli amended the constitution, dissolved parliament, and proclaimed himself King, creating the Albanian Kingdom. The Kingdom collapsed following the Italian invasion of Albania.
- Albanian National Army
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | President of Albania | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Gustav von Myrdacz (1874–1945) | Divisional General18 January 1925 | 1 September 1928 | 3 years, 227 days | Ahmet Zogolli | [1] |
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | King of Albania | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(5) | Gustav von Myrdacz (1874–1945) | General1 September 1928 | 7 April 1939 | 10 years, 218 days | Zog I of Albania | [1] |
Communist Era[]
The following individuals served during the era of communism in Albania, serving the National Liberation Movement, the Democratic Government of Albania, and the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. In this time, the powers of Commander-in-chief were held by the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania.
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | First Secretary | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Spiro Moisiu (1900–1981) | Major General10 July 1943 | 24 May 1944 | 319 days | Enver Hoxha | [1] |
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | First Secretary | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(6) | Spiro Moisiu (1900–1981) [a] | Major General24 May 1944 | August 1946 | 2 years, 2 months | Enver Hoxha | [1] | |
7 | Mehmet Shehu (1900–1981) | Colonel GeneralAugust 1946 | 28 January 1948 | 1 year, 5 months | Enver Hoxha | [1] | |
8 | Beqir Balluku (1917–1974) [b] | Lieutenant General28 January 1948 | 1952 | 3–4 years | Enver Hoxha | [1][citation needed] | |
9 | Petrit Dume (1920–1975) | Lieutenant General1952 | 1954 | 1–2 years | Enver Hoxha | [1][citation needed] | |
10 | 1954 | 1956 | 1–2 years | Enver Hoxha | [1][citation needed] | ||
(9) | Petrit Dume (1920–1975) [c][d] | Lieutenant General1956 | July 1974 | 17–18 years | Enver Hoxha | [1][citation needed] | |
11 | (born 1937) | July 1974 | December 1974 | 5 months | Enver Hoxha | [1][citation needed] | |
12 | (born 1935) | December 1974 | 13 October 1982 | 7 years, 10 months | Enver Hoxha | [1] | |
13 | Kiço Mustaqi (born 1938) | 13 October 1982 | February 1991 | 8 years, 3 months | Enver Hoxha (1941 – 1985) Ramiz Alia (1985 – 1991) | [1] |
Republic of Albania[]
The following individuals served following the fall of Communism in Albania and the formation of the Republic of Albania. The new Albanian constitution shifted the powers of Commander in Chief to the newly formed office of the President of Albania.
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | President of Albania | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | (born 1944) | ColonelFebruary 1991 | June 1991 | 4 months | Ramiz Alia | [1] | |
15 | (born 1945) | GeneralJune 1991 | August 1992 | 1 year, 2 months | Ramiz Alia (1991 – 1992) Kastriot Islami (1992 – 1992) Pjetër Arbnori (1992 – 1992) Sali Berisha (1992 – 1997) | [1] | |
16 | (born 1944) | GeneralAugust 1992 | 1994 | 1–2 years | Sali Berisha | [1] | |
17 | (born 1949) [e] | General1994 | 2 March 1997 | 2–3 years | Sali Berisha | [1] | |
18 | (born 1944) [f] | Major General2 March 1997 | August 1997 | 1 year, 2 months | Sali Berisha (1992 – 1997) Rexhep Meidani (1997 – 2002) | [1] | |
19 | (born 1956) | Brigadier GeneralSeptember 1997 | 2000 | 2–3 years | Rexhep Meidani | [1] | |
20 | (born 1957) | General2000 | 2006 | 5–6 years | Rexhep Meidani (1997 – 2002) Alfred Moisiu (2002 – 2007) | [1] | |
21 | Luan Hoxha (born 1960) | Lieutenant GeneralOctober 2006 | June 2008 | 1 year, 8 months | Alfred Moisiu (2002 – 2007) Bamir Topi (2007 – 2012) | [1] | |
22 | (born 1958) | Major GeneralJune 2008 | 8 August 2011 | 3 years, 2 months | Bamir Topi | [1] | |
23 | Xhemal Gjunkshi (born 1963) | Major General8 August 2011 | 8 November 2013 | 2 years, 92 days | Bamir Topi (2007 – 2012) Bujar Nishani (2012 – 2017) | [1][2] | |
24 | Jeronim Bazo (born 1960) | Major General8 November 2013 | January 2017 | 3 years, 1 month | Bamir Topi | [3] | |
25 | Bardhyl Kollçaku (born 1967) | Brigadier General28 October 2017 | 29 July 2020 | 3 years, 317 days | Ilir Meta | . | |
26 | Bajram Begaj (born 1967) | Major General29 July 2020 | Incumbent | 1 year, 43 days | Ilir Meta | . |
See also[]
Notes[]
- ^ Became Chief of the General Staff following the Congress of Përmet.
- ^ Executed for high treason in 1974.
- ^ On 1 May 1966, military ranks were abolished in the Albanian Armed Forces, following the example of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. In 1991 the rank system was reestablished under President Ramiz Alia.
- ^ Dismissed and executed for high treason in 1975.
- ^ Dismissed following the Albanian Rebellion of 1997.
- ^ Served during the Albanian Rebellion of 1997.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "Former CHODs". Albanian Armed Forces. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
- ^ "Presidenti Nishani dekreton lirimin nga detyra të Shefit të Shtabit të Përgjithshëm të Forcave të Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë, Gjeneral Major Xhemal Gjunkshi" [President Nishani decrees the dismissal of the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, Major General Xhemal Gjunkshi] (in Albanian). President of Albania. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ "Chief of General Staff of Albanian Armed Forces". Albanian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
External links[]
- Chiefs of defence
- Albanian generals