Chief of the Albanian General Staff

Emblem of the Albanian General Staff

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 Jeronim Bazo.

List of chiefs of the general staff

The Provisional Government of Albania and the Principality of Albania

#	Name	Image	Born–Died	Rank	Start	End	Notes & Citations
1	Ali Shefqet Shkupi		1883–1953	Lt. Colonel	4 May 1913	November 1920	Date of term's end based on start of successor's term.[1]
2	Ali Riza Kolonja		1880–1930	Brigadier General	November 1920	December 1921	Date of term's end based on start of successor's term.[1]
3	Xhavid Leskoviku		1882–1945?	Major	December 1921	June 1923	Date of term's end based on start of successor's term.[1]
4	Bajram Fevziu		1884–1928	Major	June 1923	24 December 1924	Term ended with dissolution of the Ministry of War.[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.

#	Name	Image	Born–Died	Rank	Start	End	Commander-in-Chief	Notes & Citations
Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian National Army
5	Gustav von Myrdacz		1874–1945	Divisional General	18 January 1925	1 September 1928	Ahmet Zogolli (as Prime Minister and President)	[1]
Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Albanian Army
5	Gustav von Myrdacz		1874–1945	General	1 September 1928	7 April 1939	Zog I of Albania (as King)	Term ended with the Italian invasion 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.

#	Name	Image	Born–Died	Rank	Start	End	Commander-in-Chief	Notes & Citations
Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian National Liberation Army
6	Spiro Moisiu		1900–1981	Major General	10 July 1943	24 May 1944	Enver Hoxha (as First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania)	[1]
Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces
6	Spiro Moisiu		1900–1981	Major General	24 May 1944	August 1946	Enver Hoxha	Became Chief of the General Staff following the Congress of Përmet.[1]
7	Mehmet Shehu		1913–1981	Colonel General	August 1946	28 January 1948		Date of term's end based on start of successor's term.[1]
8	Beqir Balluku		1917–1974	Lt. General	28 January 1948	1952		Executed for high treason in 1974.[1]
9	Petrit Dume		1920–1975	Lt. General	1952	1954		1st Term
10	Arif Mema Hasko			Lt. General	1954	1956		[1]
11	Petrit Dume		1920–1975	Lt. General[2]	1956	July 1974		2nd Term. Dismissed and executed for high treason in 1975.[1]
12	Sami Meçollari		1937–		July 1974	December 1974		[1]
13	Veli Llakaj		1935–		1974	13 October 1982		[1]
14	Kiço Mustaqi		1938–		1982	February 1991	Enver Hoxha (until 11 April 1985) Ramiz Alia (from 13 April 1985)	[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.

#	Name	Image	Born–Died	Rank	Start	End	Commander-in-Chief	Notes & Citations
Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces
15	Halim Abazi		1944–	Colonel	February 1991	June 1991	Ramiz Alia (as President of Albania)	[1]
16	Kostaq Karoli		1945–	General	June 1991	August 1992	Ramiz Alia (until 3 April 1992) Kastriot Islami (3 to 6 April 1992) Pjetër Arbnori (6 to 9 April 1992) Sali Berisha (from 9 April 1992)
17	Ilia Vasho		1944–	General	1992	1994	Sali Berisha
18	Sheme Kosovo		1949–	General	1994	2 March 1997	Sali Berisha	Dismissed following the Albanian Rebellion of 1997.[1]
19	Adem Çopani		1944–	Major General	March 1997	August 1997	Sali Berisha (until 24 July 1997) Rexhep Meidani (from 24 July 1997)	Served during the Albanian Rebellion of 1997.[1]
20	Aleks Andoni		1956–	Brigadier General	September 1997	2000	Rexhep Meidani	[1]
21	Pëllumb Qazimi		1957–	General	2000	2006	Rexhep Meidani (until 24 July 2002) Alfred Moisiu (from 24 July 2002)	[1]
22	Luan Hoxha		1960–	Lt. General	October 2006	June 2008	Alfred Moisiu (until 24 July 2007) Bamir Topi (from 24 July 2007)	[1]
23	Maksim Malaj		1958–	Major General	June 2008	8 August 2011	Bamir Topi	[1]
24	Xhemal Gjunkshi		1963–	Major General	8 August 2011	8 November 2013	Bamir Topi (until 24 July 2012) Bujar Nishani (from 24 July 2012)	[1][3]
25	Jeronim Bazo		1960–	Major General	8 November 2013	Present	Bujar Nishani	[4]

See also

• Albanian General Staff
• Albanian Armed Forces

References

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Former CHODs". Albanian Armed Forces. Retrieved 15 July 2016. 
2. ↑ 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.
3. ↑ "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. 
4. ↑ "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

• Former Chiefs of the Albanian General Staff 1913–2013