The Evolution of the Secret Service Sphere in the Republic of Kosovo

Abstract

The establishment of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency – the first and so far the only secret service of Kosovo Albanians operating according to democratic standards – began after the declaration of independence in 2008. Its mandate covers civilian intelligence and counterintelligence too, but in the latter field it relies up to this day on its partner institutions. Until 2020 its operation was accompanied by various scandals, which confirmed the assumptions pointing to the political influence by the ‘war elite’. Since the change of political elite in Kosovo in 2021, the perception of the institution has significantly improved. The outbreak of the war in Ukraine and in connection with it an increase in the sense of threat from the direction of Serbia gave new impetus to the development of the sphere, the law establishing the Defence Agency for Intelligence and Security may be adopted as early as 2024. The development and completion of the Kosovo secret service sphere is regarded with hostility not only by Serbia (and its supporters) but also by some of the Kosovo Albanians, because their former ‘underground’ secret services probably played a significant role in the violent struggle between certain political interest groups of them for control over Kosovo.