Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents issued by the Central State Archive in Tirana (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP) which for years have been classified with the initials “Top secret” belonging to 1968, where is a correspondence of the Director of Albanian Political Intelligence, Jonuz Mersini, with Behar Shtyllën, Director of the Directorate of Foreign Relations in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP, where the head of Albanian Intelligence, through an information report, announces with details and developments regarding the developments in the Balkan region and various European countries, as well as in Kosovo and throughout Yugoslavia at that time, where official Belgrade was under fear of military aggression by the Soviet Union, as it had made in Czechoslovakia. Report-information of the First Secretary of the Party Committee of Tropoja District, Ali Kruja, sent to the Secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, Hysni Kapo, in which he informs him in detail about the information received on the road by drivers Yugoslavs who came to get chrome ore in the Pac mine, in connection with the events in the province of Kosovo, where official Belgrade had begun large-scale military recruitment and training, to withstand any outside attack that might come their way. from the Soviet Union!
“On May 28, 1968, in Kosovo, a call was made under arms, born in 1950, 40 percent of the new recruits were kept in Kosovo, while the rest were sent to other Republics of Yugoslavia. Near Gjilan, on the Morava River, from the Republic of Serbia, some time ago preparations were made to start the construction of a hydropower plant that will flood 33 Albanian villages. To stop the construction of this hydropower plant, Fadil Hoxha and Veli Deva went to Tito, after which the construction was suspended by Tito’s order. This action has increased the authority of Fadil and Veli Deva in that area. “The hydropower plant would provide energy for Serbia.” This is stated, among other things, in an information report of 1968, with the logo “Top Secret”, of the Director of Political Intelligence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, Jonuz Mersini, addressed to Behar Shtyllës, in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP regarding the situation in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo, as well as in all of Yugoslavia at the time, where official Belgrade was under the anxiety and fear of a possible attack by the Soviet Union, as official Moscow had done to Czechoslovakia. Also, in addition to this document, regarding the situation in Kosovo and Yugoslavia, there is a report-information of the first secretary of the Party Committee of Tropoja district, Ali Kruja, sent to the secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, Hysni Kapo, regarding the development of events in Kosovo and Yugoslavia at that time. For more about these, as well as a detailed information report of the Albanian Intelligence, for the events in some countries of the Balkans, Europe and North Africa, we know the documents in question, which Memorie.al, publishes in full in this writing.
Continues from the last number
Secret information report of the First Secretary of the Committee of the Tropoja District Party, Ali Kruja, for Hysni Kapon
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Top secret
EXAMPLE DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE NO. 1
TROPOJE CITY B. CURRI
MË 18.9.1968
I N F O R M A C I O N
SHOKUT HYSNI KAPO
Tirana
From the processing of Yugoslav drivers coming to Kam as well as from other external processing, on the situation in Yugoslavia, the following data have emerged:
- 10 days ago, in Gjakova, the reservists’ summonses were distributed, and after 2-3 days, about 500 people were mobilized, and they were distributed in different wards to conduct the annual training. Rockets and other signaling devices for the air force are said to have been sent to the Bulgarian border, Skopje and Pristina.
- On the night of September 3, 1968, the military forces of Gjakova conducted exercises in the hills of Rugova and in the direction of our border, but this is common.
- Strong military measures have been taken in the provinces of Vojvodina, Nis and others bordering Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Italy and Greece. In these provinces, employees work 6 hours a day and then spend the rest of the time training in military units, staying in positions at night, keeping their uniforms and weapons at home in order to be ready.
- Radio Belgrade on the morning broadcast of 11.9.1968 reported that the Soviets had asked Austria to cross their troops towards the Yugoslav border, but it did not approve.
- It is rumored in the Kosovar population that Albania has concluded a treaty with Yugoslavia for non-aggression against each other and that Yugoslavia will return with Albania and China.
- In the automobile park of Gjakova are registered all the cars and are ordered to be ready and available to the Army in case of need. While in other provinces, and especially those that are close to the Bulgarian, Greek, Italian and other countries, their traffic is limited to 60 km away from the park.
- In Gjakova are the same forces as before, an infantry battalion reinforced with mixed weapons. This battalion is commanded by a Croatian lieutenant colonel, whose name is not yet known.
- In the area of Plava-Gucia in the district of Podgorica, two weeks ago an infantry battalion with 1,000 forces arrived. These forces are deployed: 500 in Guci and the rest in Plava. They have their command in Plava and their commander is Vujo Zecevici, from Montenegro. During the night, from 22:00 to 03:00, the upper forces conduct military exercises and maneuvers accompanied by the firing of various types of light weapons, including heavy machine guns, while during the day they stay in combat positions and fire centers, previously built in the hills of the villages, Gerçar, Dosugje, Krushivë, and other villages around Plava.
At the same time, 200 reservists were mobilized in the Plava area, of which 100 from Gucia and the rest from Plava. Reservists are deployed to conduct annual 20-30-day training, according to the types of weapons, in the units where they have performed military service.
In the same municipality, all the cart animals were registered and their passports were distributed, the owners were instructed to keep them on standby, to make them available to the Army in case of a threatening situation.
- In the province of Kosovo, the discussion has started for the amendment of the Constitution, for example, for the symbol that Kosovo has the Albanian flag, to be a separate republic and not with that of Serbia, to be called Kosovo and not Kosovo and Metohija, to establish the High Court in Prishtina and to give Kosovo the right to issue laws, for soldiers to perform compulsory military service in Kosovo and not in other Republics, as it has been until now, etc. Regarding these issues, the Kosovar youth and the people are optimistic.
- The speech of comrade Mehmet Shehu in the People’s Assembly was heard by everyone on the radio, they even partially published it in their press. Now even those of our (Yugoslav) leadership have started to speak respectfully about Albania.
- At the meeting of the organization of the League of Yugoslav Communists of the Deva mine, the request of the people to arm themselves was also discussed. This meeting did not approve such a thing, keeping it quiet. They have decided to give weapons only to the main cadres, because they have more trust in them.
- Also, in the meeting of the above organization, on 13.4.1968, where the delegate of the Provincial Committee of L.K. Yugoslav in Pristina, Vojo…, discussed the international situation and Yugoslavia’s combat readiness.
The delegate said, among other things: Yugoslavia is in a critical situation. With the exception of Albania, throughout the border with other countries we have taken measures for war, we are prepared to defend ourselves; mobilizations have been made for this and we are on full alert. We will distribute weapons to the main cadres, while for the people the weapons are in the depots of military units and you will not hand them over like Czechs.
The attitude of the Albanian government towards the Warsaw Pact has been very good and we support this because it shook the whole world. With countries that are on the border, we are at war and have decided to ban the entry and exit of foreign tourists and Yugoslav visitors.
There is a danger of being attacked by the Russians and the Bulgarians. This is confirmed by the request made by the Russians to the Austrian government to bring forces closer to the Yugoslav border, but they did not accept it.
- In recent days, some soldiers who have completed their service, but not special weapons, have begun to be released.
- Every three hours they hold secret meetings of the organizations of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, where issues of readiness and war preparation of the country are discussed./Memorie.al
FIRST SECRETARY OF THE DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE
ALI KRUJA
