Albanian National Royal Guard (Italian Empire)
| Albanian National Republican Guard | |
|---|---|
| Gardës Kombëtare Republikane | |
 The M.V.S.N. emblem | |
| Active | 1956 - present |
| Country | Albanian Social Republic |
| Allegiance |
 Italian Empire |
| Branch | National Republican Guard |
| Role | Defence force |
| Size | 8,500 |
| Part of | National Republican Guard |
| Headquarters | Tirana |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brig. Gen. Adjin Bozo |
The Albanian National Republican Guard (Albanian: Gardës Kombëtare Republikane, G.K.R.) is the Albanian branch of the National Republican Guard.
Mission
The mission of the Albanian National Republican Guard is the preservation and protection of high state personalities and residences, according to the determinations made in the law, as well as the support to internal security forces and to the defence of Albania. The G.K.R. is also engaged in civil emergency operations to help the community in cases of natural disasters, such as floods, blocked roads and aid distribution in cases of heavy snowfalls, fire suppression operations, etc.
The National Republican Guard preserves and protects high Albanian, Italian and foreign state personalities of the same level, preserves the Residence of the Chief of the Republic, the Corporatist Assembly and the Council of Ministers, as well as other residences determined by the decision of the Chief of the Republic; the National Republican Guard also preserves the premises where the activities of the protected personalities take place and the activities where the personalities part. Finally, the National Republican Guard performs ceremonial with honour guards.
History
The Albanian National Republican Guard is the second-oldest non-Italian G.N.R. branch. It was established in early 1956, shortly after the Libyan branch: however, because the Albanian Social Republic was created immediately after the proclamation of the Italian Social Republic, the G.K.R. is the first proper Republican Guard outside Italy. Differently from the Libyan G.N.R., however, the best Albanian legionnaires of the MFA (Milizia Fascista Albanese, i.e. Albanian Fascist Militia) were immediately allowed to join the new security services and indigenous officers have reached command positions since 1967. The current commander is Brigadier General Adjin Bozo, holding the position since 2010.
Organization
The Albanian National Republican Guard is a structure with a special status directly under the Chief of the Republic. The Republican Guard is organized in the Central Command, a General Staff, functional departments and the operational Brigade. The G.K.R. is organized as a brigade on six Battalions (named after major cities), and it was involved into the 1999 Albania-Kosovo border clashes and skirmishes; however, the Albanian G.N.R. is mainly designed for protection and defence of government installations. The G.K.R. is fully integrated within the National Republican Army Balkan Command. As of 2015, the G.K.R. had the following structure:
- Central Command and Brigade Command "Albania";
- Command and Support Battalion "Albania";
- 1st Infantry Battalion "Tirana";
- 2nd Infantry Battalion "Valona";
- 3rd Infantry Battalion "Durazzo";
- 4th Saboteur Infantry Battalion "Berat";
- 5th Cavalry Squadron Group "Chimara";
- 6th Artillery Group "Elbasan".
Albanian G.K.R. Regiments, which provide operational battalions to the Brigade, are named after famous Albanians:
- Infantry Regiment "Skanderberg" (4 Battalions + Regimental Depot);
- Cavalry Regiment "Ali Kelmendi" (1 Squadron Group + Regimental Depot);
- Artillery Regiment "Isa Boletini" (1 Group + Regimental Depot).
Operations
While depending on the Chief of the Republic and being under the military command of the Italian National Republican Army, the Albanian National Republican Guard also maintains close relations with the Albanian Ministry of Interior; the General Commander of the Albanian National Republican Guard answers before the Minister for the accomplishment of protection missions. Moreover, the G.K.R. cooperates with the Albanian Gendarmerie during the process of personality preservation, as well as with the local government authorities outside Tirana. For the collection of data and information, the G.K.R. also cooperates with the O.V.S.A.
Uniforms and insignia
Albanian G.N.R. Legionnaires wear their own uniform: dark grey jacket and trousers and a matching cap. The blackshirt and the Fascist Eagle are common among all M.V.S.N. branches. Aside of uniform colours, both the cloths' cuts and rank insignia are the same across the Italian Empire.
Albanian G.N.R. Ordinary On Duty Uniform (General officers).
