Part Eight
Memorie.al / The CIA has published documents discussing the organization of local government in Tirana and those at its head, starting from the Executive Committee of the District People’s Council, the Prefecture, etc., as well as the respective sections that were subordinate to them. Likewise, after the names published by the CIA on the heads of State Security, the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have also come to light. The CIA has published several other documents on the security services, while showing how the Soviets began reforming the Albanian Army, which at that time was under the direction of the Minister of People’s Defense, Major General Beqir Balluku.
Continues from the previous issue
February 1954
The organization of local government and the Ministry of Internal Affairs
The Executive Committee of Tirana is in fact the former organization of the city municipality and is located precisely in the former municipality building. It has a chairman, a secretary and 11 members who each have responsibility for specific administrative matters such as trade, finance, planning, construction, education, housing, labor and civil status.
Municipal elections are held every two years; the last were held in 1952. The members of the committees appoint the heads of the neighborhood committees of Tirana, which are also divided into different sectors of functions. The members of the neighborhood councils are elected after the completion of the local elections.
In May 1951 the housing office was transferred from the executive committee to the center, to a building on Shqipëria e Re Boulevard, due to the large number of applicants. The main function of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is in fact that of directing State Security. It also has three main branches according to the three administrative divisions of Tirana.
The following persons have held important administrative roles in the Executive Committee of Tirana up to 1952: Bim Sina, chairman of the Executive Committee, born in Tirana, married to an employee of his offices named Merushe Shapllo. Both were partisans during the war and are ardent communists. In the latest reports Sina has been in charge of the Secret Archive.
Selaudin Bekteshi, secretary of the executive committee, born in Tirana, 28 years old, married without children. He too was a partisan and is an ardent communist. Murat Mema, responsible member of the Trade section. Born in Tirana, 32 years old, former partisan and ardent communist. Qazim Mema (unrelated to Murat Mema), responsible for Finance, born in Tirana, former partisan.
October 1954
The People’s Army
At the end of 1953, a reorganization of the People’s Army of Albania was carried out, according to the instructions of Soviet officials. Several infantry brigades in Korçë, Tirana, Gjirokastër and others were disbanded and in their place 3 army corps were created with infantry brigades and regiments. An armored unit was placed in the village of Zemblak, dependent on the Korçë regiment. An infantry unit is also stationed in Bilisht. The units are armed with Soviet rifles, some of them with sniper scopes.
These battalions have no transport vehicles, but only animals such as horses and mules, with which they tow the artillery. These units conduct training every day. About 20 officers have gone to the Korçë battalions to take part in the exercises conducted in the heights of Voskopojë, which lasted three weeks. Until the middle of 1954, the commander of the battalion of this zone is Captain Zarifi from Poloska, who was replaced by Colonel Lulzim Skëndo from Kurvelesh.
Some sources have confirmed that the presence of so many officers in one battalion comes about because the brigades have an administrative structure similar to regiments and in case of mobilization they can become regiments. In the infantry barracks of Bilisht, the artillery unit has also been placed. This is armed with Soviet 75 mm caliber cannons. Their transport is done with mules. It is not known exactly how many mules belong to the artillery unit, since they stay together with the infantry mules, but together they reach about 120 head.
Training and recruitment
A number of officers who are discharged from the army are called from time to time by letters for two-month training. Residents of the Devoll area have reported on the training of the infantry battalion stationed in Bilisht. At the beginning of October 1954, the residents of the area who were to perform military service appeared at the recruitment office of Bilisht.
The people were examined by the committee and those selected for border guard service immediately began training. While others were released and it is said they would begin service several months later. Since 1954, the duration of military service in Albania has been extended from two to three years, while for the air and naval forces, from three to four years. The information comes from people serving in the army.
The Bilisht barracks
The barracks are located at the southeastern exit of the town near the Korçë–Kristalopigji automobile road. They are two one-story stone buildings and one two-story building, where the infantry battalion and the artillery people are placed. In the two-story building there are also carpenters, tailors and shoemakers. Water for the barracks comes from the Bilisht reservoir, as does the electricity, from the main grid.
The barracks is surrounded by barbed wire, while a dividing wall with the automobile road is being built. During the day the barracks are guarded by a sentry placed at the entrance of the camp and there are also two permanent posts with machine guns. The Church of St. Argjia e Parashqevi near the Bilisht cemetery serves as an ammunition depot for the battalion and is surrounded by barbed wire.
The labor army
At the end of August, the commander of the Bilisht police, Captain Beqir Alia, gathered the residents and gave a speech in which he tried to convince the young people to join the volunteer labor army, arguing that the work was necessary to build the Cërrik oil refinery. But due to the fact that only one person agreed to apply, the authorities were forced to hire paid workers.
In the village of Bilisht there are also about 15 armed residents, who must help the police whenever necessary, to set up ambushes or in pursuit operations. One of these is Ahmet Çakerri, who is the most trusted by the authorities because he is a communist. Whenever help is needed, the police turn to him.
Border fortifications
Until April 1954, the residents of Kapshtica could not pass along the Kapshtica–Kristalopigji automobile road to reach the livestock pastures on the southern side. But later the road was opened and the peasants could graze the animals up to near the border. Previously an area there had been mined, which was cleared by the authorities.
About 75 percent of the residents of Bilisht are Muslims and 25 percent are Orthodox Christians. But the village has no Hodja [Muslim cleric] and the mosque has been turned into a cinema, therefore the residents do not perform religious rites. Likewise, the Orthodox population does not go to church, because those who do are mocked by the young communists of the village.
In Bilisht there is only one Orthodox priest, who gives mass on Sundays at the Church of St. Anastasios. His name is Kristo Llafazani. Bilisht has a hospital with about 60 beds. The hospital has one doctor who graduated in Tirana and 5 nurses (3 female and 2 male). Medical visits are free for everyone.
Those admitted to the hospital must pay 40 lekë every day for treatment, plus the medicines, which they must buy from persons who receive packages from abroad, due to the lack of medicines in Albania. Due to the harsh living conditions, many residents are affected by tuberculosis, especially the young.
27 May 1952
Memorandum
Comments of Jacob T. Beam regarding Albania and related matters
In connection with the Cold War strategy documents and for general operational purposes, I am passing on to you some statements and observations made by Mr. Beam, who is the second official of our embassy in Belgrade. He has just returned from Belgrade after a one-year assignment. Beam is a sharp political observer and his views should be of interest to us.
Regarding Albania, Mr. Beam thinks that the Yugoslavs stand by their policies of a year ago. Their policy is to continue to keep things simmering slowly in Albania, but they refuse to do something that would stir up the regime at present, for fear of some reprisal from the Soviets.
They continue to think that if Yugoslavia is attacked from the East, they will immediately occupy all of Albania, and as far as is known, they do not accept that in this occupation they allow participation from Greece or other countries. The Yugoslavs are believed to have some agents who enter and leave Albania, who are quite informed about the current situation in the country.
The situation in Albania
Since 1948, when Tito’s regime broke with the Soviet Union, Albania has been isolated from land contact with the Soviet satellite countries. This, in addition to the harsh terrain of the country itself and the old clandestine traditions of the Albanians, especially in the tribal areas of the north, seems to make Albania a promising target for clandestine operations, with the objective of overthrowing the current communist regime.
The presence of a large number of Albanian refugees in Europe suggests the development of a political center outside Albania, composed of representatives of anti-totalitarian elements friendly to US policies for the Balkans, which could serve as a starting point for anti-communist elements inside Albania.
The American and British intelligence services in the summer of 1949 were responsible for the formation of the National Committee of “Free Albania” (NCFA), which is a political center of representatives of Albanian democratic refugees, and which could serve as a cover for covert operations in Albania. And since then the operations of the political and military branches have been carried out in the name of the NCFA.
The proposal
The NCFA is a representative grouping of Albanian refugees that acts as a focal point for those who are ultimately interested in the liberation of Albania. The grouping acts as an official cover for the unofficial activities of the CIA and serves as a tool for the public denunciation of the cause of the Albanians enslaved in Albania. It is controlled by the CIA and the British MI6 services. The heads of the NCFA have been made clear that in no case are they considered as the “Government in exile” of Albania.
Tasks and proposals
The publication of the newspaper “Albania” in the Albanian language, and the use of its main content for propaganda brochures dropped by air into Albania. The timely publication of periodic notices on Albania, published in English, French and Italian, distributed to the main Western press agencies. (The preparation of the content of the Albania publication has been carried out according to the OBTUSE project, which is supported and assisted by OBLIVIOUS).
The preparation of propaganda brochure texts and the writing of clandestine radio broadcasts. The operation of “poison pen letters” by mail, against the high leaders of the communist regime in Albania. The monitoring of Radio-Tirana, monitoring of the world press for news on Albania, which could be used in our propaganda program. Connections with emigrant groups, especially with those that are part of the National Committee of Free Albania. / Memorie.al
Continues in the next issue
