Prishtina, 4 February 2009
The following is the statement of Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi in the Press Conference after the appointment of the Director of the KIA.
I am very proud that today, with the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Sejdiu, we made the very important decision to appoint the Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency.
Above all, I feel pleased that we have appointed a man who will have significant national responsibilities, a man who is well prepared, with high academic qualifications, committed to his work and ready to serve his country with devotion.
The Kosovo Intelligence Agency will be a professional and multi-ethnic Agency. Its success is guaranteed because all of Kosovo’s institutions and its people will cooperate closely with the Kosovo Intelligence Agency. In addition, it will work closely with relevant international mechanisms.
Therefore, as Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, I congratulate Mr. Smakaj on his new national duties and I promise that he will have the cooperation and support of the Government of Kosovo.
Kosovo is a state of success. I want to emphasize strongly that the Intelligence Agency will also have complete success.
The newly appointed Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, Bashkim Smakaj, began by thanking Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and President Fatmir Sejdiu for their confidence in his ability to carry out such an important task for the people and the state of Kosovo.
“Today, I am very proud to be tasked with such a significant national responsibility and I pledge that in my everyday work, I will be guided by the highest legal and ethical principles of the Constitution,” said Mr. Smakaj.
“In accordance with the law, the KIA will secure timely information and will be precise for intelligence, counter-intelligence, domestic threats and threats from abroad, national and international terrorism, the production and trafficking of narcotics, organized crime, economic crimes, sabotage and all other intelligence issues related to the security of Kosovo. KIA will be at the service of all the citizens of Kosovo and it will be open to all communities,” concluded the newly appointed Director of the KIA.
The following is the biography of Mr. Bashkim Smakaj, the Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Bashkim Smakaj was born on July 1st, 1976 in the village of Kepuz in the municipality of Klina.
He graduated in the Faculty of Natural Mathematical Sciences, in the Department of Biology and in the Philosophical Faculty at the University of Prishtina, in Political Science and Public Administration.
He speaks English, German, Italian and Serbo-Croatian fluently.
As well as his high level of education, Mr. Smakaj has completed a series of professional courses and trainings inside and outside the country.
His work experience includes a considerable number of positions within the Kosovo Police, where he has worked until now.
His previous position, held until today, was Director for Strategic Planning, Normative Acts and Intercommunication for the Border Police of Kosovo.
Mr. Bashkim Smakaj is married, has two children and lives in Prishtina.
Last modified: July 31, 2022