The Command and Control Center, one of the key components of Albania’s national “Smart City” project, was officially unveiled on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro, partners, and invited guests, Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari said the initiative is far more than a network of surveillance cameras, describing it as an integrated technological ecosystem that transforms the way public safety risks are detected and managed in real time.
“The Command and Control Center, inaugurated today, lies at the heart of a new philosophy and approach adopted by the Albanian government toward public safety. The ‘Smart City’ program is not merely a camera project. Anyone who sees it that way is either deliberately downplaying it or has not yet understood its true scope,” Lamallari said.
The minister explained that the system is built on three integrated components: information sources distributed across the country, a centralized command and control platform, and artificial intelligence that analyzes incoming data in real time.
According to Lamallari, the platform processes information from 873 operational locations, including the 12 Regional Police Directorates, 24 major cities, 28 border crossing points, and 20 schools in Tirana, enabling authorities to respond immediately to potential threats.
“Any behavior that is potentially dangerous or in violation of the law is detected through artificial intelligence and generates an alert here at the Command and Control Center, which is immediately forwarded to the nearest police patrol. The system is designed to identify, analyze, and warn of risks in real time, enabling proactive and preventive action,” he said.
Referring to the first phase of the project, Lamallari said beginning with 20 of Tirana’s busiest schools was a strategic decision.
“It is no coincidence that we are launching this project—which represents a major leap forward in ensuring public safety in Albania—by focusing on the capital’s 20 most frequented schools. A country’s security is measured not only by crime statistics but also by its ability to protect its children,” the minister stated.
Lamallari stressed that schools must remain safe environments where students can focus solely on learning.
“For us, schools are places where students should think only about education, parents should feel confident that their children are safe, and institutions should provide a level of service worthy of a European Albania,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Lamallari thanked everyone involved in implementing the first phase of the project, giving special recognition to Prime Minister Edi Rama for his support throughout the process.
