Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes an archival document issued by the Central State Archive in Tirana (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which contains a document belonging to 1945, with the speech of the then Prime Minister of the Albanian government, Colonel-General, Enver Hoxha, held on December 3 of that year during a press conference with foreign journalists in one of the halls of Hotel “Dajti”. The whole speech of Enver Hoxha where he as a start, after thanking foreign journalists for their participation in “that marked day of the Albanian people”, further added: “Our wish has been for foreign correspondents to come and find out for themselves what has been done here with the heroic struggle of the Albanian people. We want and believe that you will clarify the world opinion about what happens to us and please be objective, do not add or subtract from what you have seen here “.
“Thank you for coming to assist in these days marked for the Albanian people. Our wish has been for foreign correspondents to come and find out for themselves what has been done here with the heroic struggle of the Albanian people. We want and believe that you will clarify the world opinion as to what happens to us and please be objective, do not add or subtract from what you have seen here “. This is what the Prime Minister, Colonel-General Enver Hoxha, said at the press conference with foreign journalists on December 3, 1945, just one day after the elections for the People’s Assembly, which were the first to be held after the end. of War.
At the end of the first post-war elections that took place on December 2, 1945, which were in fact not free elections because there were no candidates outside the Democratic Front, it turned out that the Prime Minister of the Albanian government, Colonel-General Enver Hoxha, who also held the functions of Chairman of the Presidency of the Democratic Front, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, had received the most votes against, of all the other candidates. In fact, Enver came second in the list of 108 candidates of the Democratic Front for votes against, as in first place with more votes against, was Olga Plumbi, who from 18,242 voters in her area in Tirana, had received 2,269 votes Enver Hoxha out of 17,564 voters who had his constituency in Tirana (where Abdyl Këllezi, Gogo Nushi, Beqir Balluku and Olga Plumbi also competed) 2,151 voters had voted against him. These results after being made public by the Central Election Commission headed by the Chairman, Andrea Sahatçi and Secretary Andrea Nathanaili, were also published in the newspaper Bashkimi, a body of the Democratic Front led by the Communist Party led by Enver Hoxha. As above, Memorie.al has published a series of articles with the history of elections in Albania since April 21, 1921 when the first parliamentary elections were held in Albania, while in this concluding article of this cycle, we are giving the speech of the Prime Minister, Colonel-General, Enver Hoxha, held at the press conference in front of foreign journalists on December 3, 1945, in one of the halls of the Hotel “Dajti”, where the communist government led by him had its headquarters.
Enver Hoxha’s speech held at the press conference with foreign journalists in Tirana on December 3, 1945
Thank you for coming to assist in these days marked for the Albanian people. Our wish has been for foreign correspondents to come and find out for themselves what has been done here with the heroic struggle of the Albanian people. We wish and believe that you will clarify the world opinion as it is to us and please be objective, do not add or subtract from what you have seen here. Our country is a small country, but it has a long history to be proud of. Our people are a small people, but they have a great spirit. He has fought for centuries against every occupier, to defend his freedom and independence. He has always fought for freedom and democracy, but the times were different then and, with all the blood he shed, his wishes could not be fulfilled. For all the great misery that this people has had, its special feature is that it never bowed. And before this great tragedy that pervaded the world, the Albanian people knew how to take the side of justice. He rose up against fascism, that he saw in fascism his greatest enemy, felt the consequences first from all the peoples of Europe and first from all took up arms and fought. The international situation was still dark when we were occupied, but our people did not lose hope.
As early as April 1939 he began demonstrations and strikes against the occupier. Our war, in addition to being a holy war, was also unequal. We were unarmed and disillusioned that the Zog regime had oppressed the people. But the people recovered at once, and through strikes, demonstrations, and actions in the cities, organized their resistance which was connected with the war of the great allies against the same enemy. Our confidence was great, that, like our allies and we were on the right track and we were sure we would win. The misery and suffering of our people was great. Our detachments had no weapons, they were naked, they were without bread for days, but not a day went by that they did not hit the enemy. At first, we were isolated, we had no help, because the allies could not help us, since all communications were cut off; yes, we were convinced that these aids would not be lacking and day by day our war was getting a bigger boost. Our devastated country, the burned villages, the ruined houses, the mass killings, the blood shed by our partisans, show the contribution that our people gave to the common cause. You may have had the opportunity to see with your own eyes the evidence of this great effort of our small people. Soviet, British, American and Yugoslav officers who have been here and seen our efforts, let them testify how we fought uncompromisingly and to the end against fascism. Allied officers have seen with their own eyes how much our people have suffered and how they have fought.
Our people entered this great war to oust the occupier, to give their small contribution to the anti-fascist cause and at the same time to establish democracy in their country. We are convinced that we have fulfilled the task. Our country was a country where intrigues were great on the part of those states that wanted to enslave it and that for this were aided by the treacherous cliques of the country. This war clarified the positions. Those who wanted freedom and democracy fought with flesh and blood for this day. This work that we see today is the work of all Albanian patriots, gathered in the Democratic Front, it is the work of all the Albanian people who spared nothing, are being burned and bloodied and raised the flag of democracy. Today we see clearly that the Albanian people fought because they understood that they had to ensure a happier life. This he showed yesterday in war, he is showing even now in peace, with the great work of reconstruction, which shows that our people have a great vitality and are a people moving forward. He eradicated all the parasites that stand in his way through war and effort. In this war our people saw clearly who were those states that fought for their freedom, for the freedom of humanity and at the same time helped us. Our people did everything in their power to eradicate the great devastation left by the occupier and to improve its economic situation.
There may be people here among you who have followed the history of the past thirty-three years. Needless to say, what has changed and how fast we have been at work lately. In the motmot work the roads, bridges, power plants, factories were repaired, and all this was done because the will was great, that the people had taken their destiny into their own hands. I think that these things that were done in our country in one weather, are done only in those countries where there is democracy and where power is in the hands of the people. Our government made reforms. He made the agrarian reform, which was the centuries-old dream of our villagers. Our villager has suffered for centuries for the bread of the mouth, that most of the land was in the hands of ten people, who have always been in the forefront of betrayal and who have played with the fate of the homeland and the Albanian farmers. Great progress has been made in the field of culture, even in the most backward areas. The desire for education has been great. 400 more schools have been opened than in Zog’s time. In these schools’ children are taught not only how to love the homeland, but also that the homeland moves forward when they learn well. In the political field, our movement, even in the worst moments, has tried to unite all the people on a common front. The Front calls have been incessant and he has achieved excellent results. Except for a minority, everyone saw the right path, everyone embraced the policy of the Front, both in the uncompromising fight against fascism and in the reconstruction of the country.
The Albanian people, no matter how fair was the policy of the Front towards the great allies. The front and the people fought hard all those who, united with the fascist occupiers, left nothing unsaid against our allies. And today this people are still fighting against fascist waste. The biggest proof of this was the day of December 2nd. Our people went with an overwhelming majority to vote for the Front, for the people who led it in the war and in whom it has confidence that they will lead it in the prosperity of the homeland. According to the first results we have, about 90% of voters have voted and about 93% of them voted for the Front. You saw for yourself how these elections took place, how freely and with great calm they took place. Those who claimed that there was no freedom here, that the elections would be held by force, that the votes would be falsified and that the votes would be held under pressure and terror, were exposed and their lies exposed, as they were exposed. even before. In the new Albania there has not been, nor is there, nor will there be terror and coercion, because we are against these. Our regime is one of the most democratic, most advanced and our laws, which are known worldwide, are a model of laws of an advanced democracy. Human rights in our country are enshrined in law. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, assembly and belief. Private property is respected. Everything here is done by law and protected by law. Those who say otherwise lie and slander.
In the new Albania, a new life is being raised for all honest democrats, for all those who work right. Neither fascists nor pro-fascists, who try and seek to bring the old time, have a place here. It has been whispered that there is no freedom of assembly here, that the opposition has no right to speak, to gather, to publish a newspaper, etc. The people, who had credit and trust in the people, neither the laws, nor the government and no one else had denied this right. If there is anyone who says that they have not had time to exercise these rights, this is not true, because these rights were announced a year ago. And, since then until today, no request has been made to the government in this regard. On the issue of elections, they had two months. But the thing is that they do not have the slightest credit to the people; that they have fought against the people and, for that, dare not go on stage. This is clearly shown by the election results. The Albanian people have decided with full conviction to move forward. Such rhetoric does not stop his righteous and progressive work. Yet our government will never remain indifferent, but will try to make them see how clear the matter is here. He will try to get them on the right track. The government has always provided evidence for this.
In addition to calls for unification, in addition to the amnesty on the day of entering Tirana, he apologized again on 28 November. This shows the great spirit of our people, who know how to protect the country and the rights gained, but there is also mercy for deceived people who know their guilt. Our work has been appreciated by all those who want the good of democracy and our country. It seems to me that our country, which has fought so hard, has been helped less than others. Not only what we ask for, not everything comes to us, but even when it comes to us, it arrives with a great delay. An example is the issue of vehicles. Tens of thousands of cars have been sent to other countries, and here only 60 trucks have arrived. Yes, we believe that our demands will be considered and the situation will change. Our people have received help from the Soviet Union and are very grateful to them. Our country, extremely devastated, needs this assistance to be continuous. This will be a humanitarian act and solidarity towards our people, who have remained loyal to the anti-fascist war for many years and will also stand for peace. There are other things where allies need to show with facts the friendship towards us. This is government recognition. It was a great joy for the Albanian people when the Soviet Union recognized our government. The Federal Yugoslavia also recognized our government. This has been a marked day for us, because it came from a people we have known since the early days of the war. The people of Yugoslavia honor and love us. We also honor and love them.
Some have asked me about our relations with Yugoslavia. These relations are friendly and sincere as with all allies. We are convinced that such a friendship is in the common good and in the good of peace in the Balkans, therefore the Albanian people will preserve this friendship. We are friends with other peoples, as with the Bulgarian people. For him, for his bravery, our people have always had sympathy and we are happy to see that today he walks on the right path of democracy. We fought together with the Greek people against fascism and we want to have good relations with it. But in relation to our country many unpleasant things are happening today in Greece. The rulers of Athens and the monarcho-fascists seek to disturb the waters, to make unreasonable demands, which serve only to break the relations that should have been friendly after this war. They want Southern Albania, they want our homeland, they want the issue of Albania to be discussed. Yes, we have said it another time, that we do not accept to discuss the issue of Southern Albania, or the territorial integrity of our homeland. We want to live in peace. Yes, those who raise such issues want to disturb the peace. We will defend the country. This is simple and clear.
Regarding the minority. They behave differently in Greece towards our minority there, differently we behave towards the Greek minority in Albania, which enjoys all freedoms. We are convinced that we have treated the minority as no better. We have given the Greek minority all the freedoms, schools, language, the right to participate in the army and in power. No oppression is done by us. Rather we give it the opportunity to develop. We do not raise the issue of its exchange. We do not soften the Greek minority that fought with us and shed blood for a cause, that we gave them all the rights and freedoms, that we gave them the land through agrarian reform. We consider him as part of our people. On the contrary, our minority in Greece has suffered all black. The Greeks massacred the Albanian minorities, killed and turned them over, took their land, houses and others. They are here today and we help them not to starve. They have demanded and are seeking the return of their lands and property. It seems to us that this is right and this should be seen by the allied authorities. They sent an open letter to Mr. McLean ‘, but it did not fall into their hands. We demand that all those rights that have been given to other peoples who fought fascism, be given to our people as well, because they deserve it.
We who fought and were destroyed rightly demand reparations from Italy and Germany. We have sought to attend United Nations conferences. Our powerful minister in Belgrade went to Paris and we hope the allies will accept him. We ask to be admitted to the Interaleat Commission of Control, for Italy, that it has caused the greatest damage to our country. We ask above all to participate in the United Nations, that this is a right we won with blood, that we fought fascism side by side with the allies and will remain faithful to the end for the protection of peace. We are confident that they will accept our requests. I have nothing else to tell you, except in the small Albanian people, the great allies must see a people with a truly democratic spirit and feelings. Our people and its government will do their utmost to strengthen the friendship and we believe that our allies, the Soviet Union, Britain and the United States will not spare us their help. Memorie.al
