Tirana Archives -

Albania My First Posting A Bloodstained Surprise

November 4, 2026January 14, 2021 by Jim

Albania My First Posting A Bloodstained Surprise. How did this come about?

So it was on a cold and windy January morning in 1998 that I arrived at Heathrow airport to catch my early morning flight to Vienna en-route to my final destination Tirana the capital city of Albania. With all the background briefs on the country I had read up on, I was setting off on this, my first overseas posting with a lot of excitement and more than just a little bit of apprehension and trepidation, determined to do a good job come what may.

Having changed planes in Vienna, I boarded the small Austrian Airlines BAe146 for the final leg of my flight to Tirana. Because of the ongoing unstable situation that still prevailed in Albania at that time, very few regular airlines were still flying into the country. Austrian was one of them and despite the relatively small size of the BAe146, it was virtually empty with the crew very nearly outnumbering passengers.

As the plane descended steeply, coming out of the fog enshrouded mountains to land at Tirana airport, there was a thick blanket of snow on the ground with a strong, stiff wind blowing which made for a very bumpy landing. Disembarking from the aircraft we boarded a lorry (no bus here) for the short trip from the aircraft to the single-storied airport terminal.

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Albania British Diplomats Shot Conclusion

November 4, 2026August 1, 2020 by Jim

Background:

Albania British Diplomats Shot Conclusion, details the aftermath of the incident where myself and two colleagues from the British Embassy were ambushed on Dajte mountain on the outskirts of Tirana in Albania in 1998 and my two colleagues shot.

Albania British Diplomats Ambushed And Shot

The Story Continues:

So we set off. There was a small convoy of police cars plus our vehicle that slowly snaked back up the mountain. Finally we reached the spot. It was not hard to identify as there was broken glass on the road as well as the long tyre marks we had left behind as we burned rubber taking off making our escape.

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Albania British Diplomats Shot

November 4, 2026July 16, 2020 by Jim

Background:

Albania British Diplomats Ambushed And Shot is Part 1 of a story that occurred in 1998. It was a volatile year in Albania’s recent history. At this time, British diplomats who were posted to a volatile or conflict region received virtually no Hostile Environment Training (HET). It was usually the case you popped into King Charles Street for a quick chat with the relevant desk officer. You would get a quick country brief, then it was off to Heathrow.

There was still no HET in place before my next posting to Kosovo after an eventful year in Tirana Albania. However, thankfully the FCO had got it’s act together by 2005. Then, just prior to my posting to Iraq, I received a one week HET training course. This was carried out by a private contract firm just outside Hereford.

It was comprehensive and tailored to the area where I would be serving. Perhaps, if we had had this training in 1998 the event that took place below may have turned out differently. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

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Albania Bloodshed Avoided At Queens Party

November 4, 2026July 13, 2020 by Jim

Background:

Albania Bloodshed Avoided At Queen’s Party is a story from Tirana, Albania that came about thus. Sitting out and enduring the lockdown, I spent a lot of time trawling through YouTube videos especially trooping the colour and the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. I love our history and traditions and make no apologies for saying so. As a result, the Queen has always been a significant figure in our lives.

Therefore, every year, on the occasion of the Queen’s official birthday, all British embassies and Posts throughout the world organise their own Queen’s birthday celebration, honouring the legacy of the Queen.

So, this took me back to a time and place when the apparently straightforward task of arranging an event of this magnitude can often be fraught with uncertainty and a whiff of danger, especially abroad, particularly when it involves the Queen.

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Daring SAS Rescue 3 British Diplomats in Albania

November 4, 2026July 11, 2020 by Jim

This was my first diplomatic posting, and during my career, I took part in the evacuation of British nationals (and others) in various locations. However, on this occasion, I was the one being evacuated from my residence to the embassy as a place of safety.

During this crisis, the SAS played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of those involved.

Scene Setter:

The involvement of the SAS was crucial in managing the unfolding situation effectively.

This was a day I would not forget in a hurry. With just under four months left in my tour, I had spent the previous day trawling through future job opportunities. The Ambassador was out of the country, leaving the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) in charge. I should have known from past experience that trouble often flares up when Ambassadors are away from post.

That morning, I awoke to the sounds of large explosions and gunfire in all directions. What was going on? There had been no forewarning of trouble; things had been relatively quiet and stable in the city over the preceding weeks.

I tried to contact the DHM on my mobile, but the network was down—a bad sign. I got on the embassy radio net and contacted her. She informed me that she had just heard from the German Embassy that a local high-profile opposition politician, Azem Hajdari, had been assassinated outside Parliament, and his Democratic Party (DP) supporters were blaming the Socialist government for the murder.

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