OPERATIONS OF THE ALBANIAN MAFIA IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Albanska mafija v današnjem času predstavlja grožnjo celemu svetu in sicer zaradi njenega hitrega in kakovostnega razvoja, kakor tudi njene sposobnosti in želje po velikem in zagotovljenem „poslovnem področju”. Mednarodna poročila uvrščajo Albansko mafijo na prvo mesto v Evropi pri čemer se kot njene matične države navajajo Albanija, Kosovo in Makedonija oziroma države v katerih živi največje število etničnih Albancev. Makedonija je v letu 2001 doživela spopad, ki ga je izzvala paravojaška albanska organizacija Osvobodilna narodna vojska (ONV), ki se šteje kot »paravojaško krilo« Albanske mafije. Takoj po spopadu se je ONV z enako vodilno strukturo preoblikovala v albansko politično stranko v Makedoniji z nazivom Demokratična unija za integracije (DUI) preko katere se uresničujejo politični interesi ONV. V mojem delu sem najprej definiral Albansko mafijo, potem pa sem poudaril njen vpliv v Evropi in obseg njenega delovanja v Makedoniji tako v zgodovini kot v sedanjosti. S tem sem poudaril njen prispevek k celotnemu organiziranemu kriminalu v Republiki Makedoniji, zlasti k trgovini z orožjem, mamili in ljudmi. V nadaljevanju besedila sem opisal spopad v Makedoniji leta 2001 ter raziskal tudi resnični nameravani cilj spopada. Pri koncu sem opisal povezanost ONV z mafijo ter obrazložil preoblikovanje ONV v albansko stranko DUI, ki je od spopada do danes najštevilnejša albanska stranka v Makedoniji in dolgoletna koalicijska partnerica v Vladi RM. Moje magistrsko delo sem zaključil z analizo 7 intervjujev, ki sem jih izvedel pretežno z univerzitetnimi profesorji in osebami z izkušnjami na področju boja proti organiziranemu kriminalu v RM.Albanian mafia nowadays represents a threat to the entire world because of their rapid and sustainable development, and their ability and desire to have bigger and safer "business territory". According to the International reports Albanian mafia was ranked first in Europe, and Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia were indicated as their home countries, i.e. countries with the biggest percentage of ethnic Albanians. In 2001 Macedonia experienced a conflict which was caused by the Albanian paramilitary organization National liberation army (NLA), which is considered a “paramilitary wing” of the Albanian mafia. Immediately after the conflict, NLA with the same management structure was transformed into the Albanian political party in Macedonia or the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), through which the political interests of the NLA are being realized. As first thing in my paper I defined the Albanian mafia, then I emphasized their impact in Europe, and after that the scope of the actions of the Albanian mafia in Macedonia both in the history and today. Consequently I emphasized their contribution to the overall organized crime in the Republic of Macedonia, especially in trafficking weapons, drugs and people. Later in the text I described the conflict in Macedonia in 2001, and I investigated the real goal they wanted to achieve with the conflict. Eventually, I described the connection between NLA and the mafia and I explained the transformation of NLA into the Albanian party DUI, which is the most numerous Albanian party in Macedonia since the conflict and is a coalition partner of many years in the Government of RM. I rounded my master thesis with an analysis of 7 interviews, mostly with university professors and people who have extensive experience in the fight against organized crime in RM