Albania’s government is moving forward with a €2.39 million investment to equip the State Police with a new biometric identification platform capable of collecting and processing fingerprints, facial recognition data, voice samples, tattoos, photographs, and identity documents.
The centralized procurement tender, launched this week by the Central Purchasing Operator, aims to establish the Multi-Application Biometric Identification System (AMAIS) at the State Police’s logistics center in Mullet, near Tirana.
The project marks one of the country’s most significant investments in law enforcement technology, while also raising questions about privacy safeguards, data protection, and government oversight.
According to the tender documents, the contract includes:
- 12 biometric enrollment stations for police facilities where suspects are processed.
- 30 portable biometric devices that allow officers to identify individuals in the field using fingerprints and facial recognition.
- Integration with Albania’s existing fingerprint (AFIS/APIS) and facial recognition (AFAIS) databases.
The fixed stations will collect extensive biometric information from detained or arrested individuals, including:
- Ten fingerprints and palm prints
- Facial photographs
- Images of tattoos and distinctive marks
- Voice recordings
- Personal identification data
- Criminal registration numbers
The system will automatically compare newly collected fingerprints with forensic evidence from both active and unresolved criminal investigations.
Police officers will also receive handheld biometric terminals capable of verifying a person’s identity on the spot.
The devices will scan fingerprints, compare facial images, and authenticate biometric passports, national ID cards, visas, and other travel documents by reading RFID chips and machine-readable zones (MRZ). They will also examine security features using ultraviolet, infrared, and angled lighting.
Authorities say the goal is to accelerate identity verification and strengthen criminal investigations.
While governments across Europe are increasingly adopting biometric technologies, civil liberties organizations have repeatedly warned that expanding facial recognition and biometric databases requires strong legal safeguards, independent oversight, and clear rules governing data storage and access.
The Albanian tender describes an integrated platform capable of linking multiple biometric identifiers into a single profile, creating one of the country’s most comprehensive law enforcement databases.
However, the procurement documents do not publicly specify how long biometric data will be retained, what independent oversight mechanisms will govern the system, or how individuals’ rights regarding stored biometric information will be protected.
The new investment reflects Albania’s broader effort to modernize policing and align its security infrastructure with European standards as the country continues its European Union accession process.
Whether the system ultimately strengthens public security without compromising citizens’ privacy will likely depend not only on the technology itself, but also on the legal framework, transparency, and accountability surrounding its use. /MoneyTalks.a