Albania blocks 105 cyberattacks in two years as government pushes ahead with AI-powered governance

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced this week that Albania successfully defended against 105 cyberattacks targeting public and government systems over 2023 and early 2024. Speaking during a technology and innovation event, Rama credited the recently established National Cyber Security Agency (AKSK) for repelling the attacks without significant damage.

Why is this important: The country’s digital infrastructure has faced serious threats in recent years — including a major state-sponsored cyberattack in 2023 traced back to Iran. Albania had cut diplomatic ties with Tehran following repeated attacks, a consequence of hosting Iranian opposition group MEK in its territory.

Context: The 2023 breach of the e-Albania platform exposed critical vulnerabilities in the country’s digital systems. The Iranian-sponsored cyberattack was interpreted as retaliation for Albania’s role in sheltering members of the Iranian opposition.

In response, the government accelerated its investment in cybersecurity, establishing AKSK and ramping up digital resilience.

What Rama said: Rama praised the country’s ability to absorb these attacks while continuing to advance its digital governance agenda. He reaffirmed Albania’s commitment to technology and artificial intelligence, even as digital risks grow.

“Despite the risks, our ambition is to go only forward — especially in artificial intelligence,” Rama said.

AI is already being deployed in areas like public procurement, where it is used to detect inconsistencies and reduce arbitrary decisions.

“We’ve built a system where procurement terms are filtered through the Public Procurement Agency,” he said. “This has drastically reduced arbitrariness and raised our performance in the region. Now we’re using this system to train AI models.”

What’s next: Rama outlined upcoming projects to integrate AI in ID systems, fiscal monitoring, traffic enforcement, and automated fines. The goal: reduce human intervention and bring Albania in line with modern digital states.

“Thanks to AI, we’ll remove traffic police from the streets. Violations will be detected in real time. You’ll get a photo of yourself speeding — smiling from the adrenaline — with a message to slow down and instructions on where and when to pay your fine,” Rama said.

Current status: According to government figures:

95% of public services are now offered online

The e-Albania platform has 3.3 million users

49 million services were delivered over five years

€620 million were saved for citizens and businesses

The digital shift is already changing the way Albanians interact with the state — and with artificial intelligence becoming central to public sector operations, the government is betting that technology will not only modernize the country but also help fight corruption and inefficiency.