Chief of the General Staff (Albania)

Chief of the General Staff
Shef i Shtabit të Përgjithshëm
Emblem of the Albanian General Staff
Incumbent Arben Kingji since 3 August 2022
Member of	General Staff
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Nominator	Prime Minister
Appointer	President
Formation	4 May 1913; 111 years ago (1913-05-04)
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 was established on 4 May 1913 as part of the Provisional Government 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		Shkupi, Ali ShefqetLieutenant Colonel Ali Shefqet Shkupi (1883–1953)	4 May 1913	November 1920	7 years, 5 months	[1]
2		Kolonja, Ali RizaBrigadier General Ali Riza Kolonja (1880–1930)	November 1920	December 1921	1 year, 1 month	[1]
3		Leskoviku, XhavidMajor Xhavid Leskoviku (1882–1945?)	December 1921	June 1923	1 year, 6 months	[1]
4		Fevziu, BajramMajor Bajram Fevziu (1884–1928) Term ended with dissolution of the Ministry of War	June 1923	24 December 1924	1 year, 6 months	[1]

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.

No.	Portrait	Chief of the General Staff	Took office	Left office	Time in office	President of Albania	Ref.
Albanian National Army
5		von Myrdacz, GustavDivisional General Gustav von Myrdacz (1874–1945)	18 January 1925	1 September 1928	3 years, 227 days	Ahmet Zogolli	[1]
Royal Albanian Army						King of Albania	Ref.
(5)		von Myrdacz, GustavGeneral Gustav von Myrdacz (1874–1945)	1 September 1928	7 April 1939	10 years, 218 days	Zog I of Albania	[1]

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.
Albanian National Liberation Army
6		Moisiu, SpiroMajor General Spiro Moisiu (1900–1981)	10 July 1943	24 May 1944	319 days	Enver Hoxha	[1]
Albanian People's Army
(6)		Moisiu, SpiroMajor General Spiro Moisiu (1900–1981) [a]	24 May 1944	August 1946	2 years, 2 months	Enver Hoxha	[1]
7		Shehu, MehmetColonel General Mehmet Shehu (1913–1981)	August 1946	28 January 1948	1 year, 5 months	Enver Hoxha	[1]
8		Balluku, BeqirLieutenant General Beqir Balluku (1917–1974) [b]	28 January 1948	1952	3–4 years	Enver Hoxha	[1][citation needed]
9		Dume, PetritLieutenant General Petrit Dume (1920–1975)	1952	1954	1–2 years	Enver Hoxha	[1][citation needed]
10		Hasko, ArifLieutenant General Arif Hasko (1918–1991)	1954	1956	1–2 years	Enver Hoxha	[1][citation needed]
(9)		Dume, PetritLieutenant General Petrit Dume (1920–1975) [c][d]	1956	July 1974	17–18 years	Enver Hoxha	[1][citation needed]
11		Meçollari, SamiSami Meçollari (born 1937)	July 1974	December 1974	5 months	Enver Hoxha	[1][citation needed]
12		Llakaj, VeliVeli Llakaj [sq] (1935–2011)	December 1974	13 October 1982	7 years, 10 months	Enver Hoxha	[1]
13		Mustaqi, KiçoKiço Mustaqi (1938–2019)	13 October 1982	February 1991	8 years, 3 months	Enver Hoxha (1941 – 1985) Ramiz Alia (1985 – 1991)	[1]

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		Abazi, HalimColonel Halim Abazi (born 1944)	February 1991	June 1991	4 months	Ramiz Alia	[1]
15		Karoli, KostaqGeneral Kostaq Karoli [sq] (born 1945)	June 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		Vasho, IliaGeneral Ilia Vasho (born 1944)	August 1992	1994	1–2 years	Sali Berisha	[1]
17		Kosovo, ShemeGeneral Sheme Kosova (born 1949) [e]	1994	2 March 1997	2–3 years	Sali Berisha	[1]
18		Çopani, AdemMajor General Adem Çopani (1944–2018) [f]	2 March 1997	August 1997	1 year, 2 months	Sali Berisha (1992 – 1997) Rexhep Meidani (1997 – 2002)	[1]
19		Andoni, AleksBrigadier General Aleks Andoni (born 1956)	September 1997	2000	2–3 years	Rexhep Meidani	[1]
20		Qazimi, PëllumbGeneral Pëllumb Qazimi (born 1957)	2000	2006	5–6 years	Rexhep Meidani (1997 – 2002) Alfred Moisiu (2002 – 2007)	[1]
21		Hoxha, LuanLieutenant General Luan Hoxha (born 1960)	October 2006	June 2008	1 year, 8 months	Alfred Moisiu (2002 – 2007) Bamir Topi (2007 – 2012)	[1]
22		Malaj, MaksimMajor General Maksim Malaj [sq] (born 1958)	June 2008	8 August 2011	3 years, 2 months	Bamir Topi	[1]
23		Gjunkshi, XhemalMajor General Xhemal Gjunkshi (born 1963)	8 August 2011	8 November 2013	2 years, 92 days	Bamir Topi (2007 – 2012) Bujar Nishani (2012 – 2017)	[1][2]
24		Bazo, JeronimMajor General Jeronim Bazo (born 1960)	8 November 2013	January 2017	3 years, 1 month	Bujar Nishani	[3]
25		Kollçaku, BardhylBrigadier General Bardhyl Kollçaku (born 1967)	28 October 2017	29 July 2020	2 years, 275 days	Ilir Meta	.
26		Begaj, BajramMajor General Bajram Begaj (born 1967)	29 July 2020	4 June 2022	1 year, 310 days	Ilir Meta	.
27		Kingji, ArbenMajor General Arben Kingji	3 August 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 114 days	Bajram Begaj	[4]

• General Staff of the Armed Forces (Albania)
• Albanian Armed Forces

• Former Chiefs of the Albanian General Staff 1913–2013