The sudden disappearance of Daniel Shima, former Deputy Director of Albania’s National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), has raised alarm bells and sparked a wave of speculation about whether powerful political interests may be involved in silencing a key insider in one of the country’s most controversial institutions.
![]() |
Daniel Shima |
While the case is still under investigation, the circumstances surrounding Shima’s disappearance are far from ordinary. His name has previously surfaced in connection with high-level corruption scandals, and some fear his vanishing may not be coincidental.
The Ahmetaj Revelations
In July 2024, fugitive former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj alleged that Shima had been directly threatened by Prime Minister Edi Rama in relation to multi-million-euro tenders handled by AKSHI. Ahmetaj referred to a covert SPAK (Special Prosecution Against Corruption) recording that exposed potential manipulation of public contracts worth €43 million (43 billion lekë).
“Daniel has been threatened by the Prime Minister himself to keep quiet,” Ahmetaj claimed at the time, describing AKSHI as “a nightmare” of corruption and mismanagement.
These remarks now resurface with chilling resonance, as Shima – once in a position second only to AKSHI Director Mirlinda Karçanaj – has seemingly vanished without trace.
A Convenient Dismissal Before His Disappearance
Shima was abruptly dismissed from his position on March 19, 2024, the very day his superior Karçanaj was questioned for hours by SPAK prosecutors regarding corruption probes. According to reports, she returned to her office after the hearing and immediately signed Shima’s dismissal papers.
The timing has fueled speculation that Shima may have been in possession of sensitive information, possibly making him a liability for those in power.
Albania’s Deep-Rooted Corruption Problem
Albania consistently ranks among the most corrupt countries in Europe and beyond, according to Transparency International and other monitoring institutions. Political scandals involving inflated tenders, misuse of EU funds, and public procurement fraud have eroded public trust, while whistleblowers and insiders often face threats, intimidation, or worse.
Against this backdrop, Shima’s disappearance raises uncomfortable but unavoidable questions:
-
Was he silenced to prevent further revelations about corruption within AKSHI?
-
Are government-linked actors deliberately covering up his case?
-
And will this investigation be conducted transparently, or will it meet the same fate as countless unresolved scandals in Albania?
Conclusion
For now, Daniel Shima is officially listed as missing. But for many Albanians, this is more than a case of a man who lost contact with his family. It is seen as a disturbing reflection of a system where corruption runs deep, accountability is rare, and those who know too much often vanish under mysterious circumstances.
The outcome of this investigation could prove pivotal — not just for the Shima family, but for the credibility of Albania’s institutions in the eyes of its citizens and international partners.