Dashnor Kaloçi
The third part
Memoria.al publishes some archival documents labeled “secret”, extracted from the Central State Archive in Tirana (the fund of the former PPSh Central Committee), which belong to the year 1972 and are part of a file where there is a long correspondence between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, the Albanian embassy in Beijing and the Foreign Relations sector at the apparatus of the Central Committee of the PPSh, (with letters, reports, instructions, information, announcements, relations, etc.), related to the work and problems that had arisen at the Albanian diplomatic mission in Beijing. The full report-information of the head of the Sector of Foreign Relations of the Central Committee of PPSh, Piro Bita and the Albanian ambassador in Beijing, Xorxhi Robo, regarding the conflict between two employees of that diplomatic representation, the economic advisor Kleo Bezhani and the secretary of to the basic organization of the party, Neço Konomi, where, among other things, it is said: “Kleo made remarks to Neço and told him to complete them. In the conversation held in Kleo’s office, Neçua objected to making these remarks and told him that these are bureaucratic and I should not make them. Here, the irritation begins. Cleo told him that you should do it. Kleo claims that he told him, that the way you made these materials, they are a mess, while Neço claims that he told him: haughty and conceited.
The letter of the secretary of the basic party organization of the Albanian embassy in Beijing, Neço Konomi, sent to the secretary of the PPSh Central Committee, Hysni Kapo, regarding the problems that existed in that diplomatic representation as well as his conflict with the economic advisor, Kleo Bezhani
SECRETARY OF K.Q. of ALP
Comrade Hysni Kapo
T I R A N E
We apologize for the worry and preoccupation I am causing you at a time when you are busy with much bigger and more important problems. Transferred to work as a specialist in the Facilities Sector of the Trade Representation of Albania in China, I have been working for 2 years and 4 months. In June 1971, on the occasion of the office and secretary elections, the organization appointed me as its secretary.
On May 17, at the meeting of the organization that was held for a work dispute caused by my friend Kleo Bezhani and me in April, as Kleo’s offense was very serious and I had to keep my cool, I was dismissed. During the time I served as Secretary of the Bureau, I tried to work as well as possible, adhering to the directives of the Party. The occasion of this event happens for the first time in my work and life.
Detached from all circumstances, I made my own self-criticism about this matter which Cleo and I agreed to solve later. The meeting of the organization took place one day before the meeting of the bureau collective and in my opinion, the pressure of some responsible comrades like Comrade Spiro and Comrade Jovan, was tendentious.
I thought I would turn to you for the clarification of these problems here, of which friend Xhoxhi has also been made aware. The problems of the management of the organization were also raised in the report of the discussion of the elections where the delegates were Comrade Niko Mitrushi and Comrade Shpresa Fuga. One of the main problems that has constantly created friction between the bureau, the secretary, as well as those in charge, such as with comrades Jovan Andoni, Avni Hakani, etc., has been the role of organizations, the bureau, and the process of accountability by each.
According to the opinion of these comrades, the organization should deal only with education, and that you are accountable only to the departments, from which they depend, that these characters are jobs that are covered only by the ambassador and the adviser of the embassy, while the military and commercial attachés depend on the ministries their respective, etc. These views have been fought with results, but there have also been frictions. Making decisions, defining tasks, as well as their control, is considered by some comrades as a bureaucratic path.
The problem of running the organization for the entire activity of the embassy has been met with the above positions, and this has been a problem that I and the bureau have been dealing with. Regarding the difficulties of these problems that were presented to us, when I was in Albania, I met with friends Pirro Bita and Niko Mitrushi.
I informed them about the situation and asked them for further instructions on how the organization should understand its tasks there, since its functions are not the same as in Albania. I did not agree with these views. Basic organizations must function everywhere in the same way. This attitude of theirs that Party organizations abroad are different is not to be accountable, and to put them above the grassroots organization.
My friend Pirro also gave me these instructions, with whom the appropriate clarifications were made about the problems I had. Comrade Pirro also ordered me to refer to the materials of the Party and Comrade Enver from time to time and to make them clear to the members of the basic organization. In March 1972, I reported on the Central Committee apparatus by means of a special report on successes and failures, and highlighted the difficulties and frictions within the organization.
We have come across several organizational actions in power for which it has been requested that employees become well acquainted with their competences. It has been said that for these things, there is no regulation and that everyone knows their duties well. Also, the criticisms against me, of the abuse of the state post, of irregular superior-subordinate relations, have caused attacks and insults at certain moments.
For these problems, friend Jovan and friend Kleo were called to the office for arrogance. Some of the most typical shows have been: In the case of friend Jovan Andoni, careerist attitudes such as, “We are not like goat’s legs” have appeared from time to time, while Fatbardh Deda has said that I made you Third Secretary.
At the dinner on July 10 (Army Day) in the presence of the Chinese, Jovani argued with friend Avni Hakani about who will stay in the main chair, since friend Xhoxhi was absent. Another attitude of this type was observed in Comrade Avni, who, when the ambassador organized a dinner with the Chinese ensemble that came to Albania, declared: “I am not accountable to the organization, as I am attached to the embassy and depend only on the Ministry of Defense. If I want, I can inform the ambassador”.
We do not agree with these positions. We have had issues on the activation of employees on various issues. For example, we have noticed that some friends have different skills and can contribute in specific sectors. Diplomatic work is focused more on comrades Xhoxhi and Jovan, while less on comrades Spiro and Avni.
I talked in detail with my friend Xhoxhi Robo about the improper behavior that harms the dignity of our country. In our work, there have been successes but also flaws like the ones I am mentioning in this relation. The problem of being fired as secretary, in my opinion, did not come about because of my quarrel with Comrade Cleo, where my only responsibility was to keep my cool. This event was used as a reason to be alarmed and magnified.
Our organization consists of a man and a woman, and in this period new people have joined the organization. The problem that was discussed from my side in the organization consisted only of my responsibility. The reason and attitude of Cleo, was not discussed. It was insisted by comrades Spiro and Jovan that the meeting should be held but very well, this problem could be discussed in the framework of comrade Enver’s speech in Mat.
But the secretary had to be removed because according to them, trouble could arise. At the opening of the meeting with the collective, it was said from the beginning that the meeting would be chaired by the deputy secretary, since the secretary had been fired for a fight he had with Cleo.
In the meeting, the problems of work, of accountability by those in charge, of the method and style at work, of abuse of the state position, the spirit of command and arrogance, indifference and laziness among certain persons, etc.
It focused on some general findings without proper criticism, and with a self-criticism that we are hot-headed. Mutual praise was given to those responsible. I think that the dismissal as secretary before the speech of Comrade Enver, is a pressure which was not absent in the meeting of the bureau by Comrade Spiro. This issue was not discussed at all in the collective meeting, where it could serve as a lesson.
Many issues that the comrades have raised with me as secretary at the meeting, not only did they not raise them, but they were praised and praised, and this is because they are too shy to raise the issues openly. Have there been disputes that have been fought patiently and in a social manner, and that this dispute was the only one in the interest of work?! There have been and even repeated quarrels, and more serious than this, such as, for example, between friend Thoma Naqe and friend Jovan Andoni.
The fights are sometimes caused by Jovani, and other times by Avniu, Thomai, Kleo, and so on. In one case, Thomai tells a member of the bureau that: why were the organization’s decisions not implemented for the November 28 holiday regarding sending friends to speak at this event? Comrade Kleo, who was present, answered Comrade Thoma, saying: “Why do you own the part, or don’t you want us to send the driver, the coder, or the radio operator”.
Friend Thoma, revolted, tells him: “You are a bourgeois, since you seem to have been a merchant.” There were non-dignified attitudes from Cleo and in the direction of his friends with arrogance and insults. Similarly, as from Cleo and Avni to the ambassador, etc. Cleo had an unprovoked fight with his friend Reiz Xhelili, not once but several times. There was also an argument with friend Dilaver Shkurti, in the office of friend Spiro Rusha, where the tone of the debate was very high. We also had quarrels with women.
For all the cases in particular, both Kleo and Jovan were called recently before the dismissal. Relying on the attitudes held by the responsible comrades and that if they are criticized it becomes a shame, while they can criticize and behave as they want, they have created their influence to make a criticism, not open and without courage. The opinion is expressed that those in charge have nothing to do with you, and that if you don’t treat them well, they can take any measure.
This situation has created to some extent silence, servility, praise, etc. I think that the comrades who were here during these last meetings, as well as those who moved to Tirana, such as Reiz Xhelili, Dilaver Shkurti, should have told the Central Committee the truth. Upon the arrival of comrade Xhoxhi in Tirana, in August of this year, I held a conversation and asked you to contact the Central Committee apparatus for all issues. I uploaded this to you as a Plenum candidate. After he returned from Tirana, he told me that he informed and clarified the center.
But as I saw, the information was not complete, so I thought I would bother you with this information. Among other things, my friend Xhoxhi told me that: “The friends of the center are thinking of transferring you, but I don’t know when, that’s why the request you made for my wife to go to Albania with a permit, falls down because you can be transferred” .
I was impressed by this matter because, friend Xhoxhi knows that I have come here for a cure, as I suffer from a serious disease “Endoarthritis Obliteral” and that recently Chinese doctors have been practicing a cure with folk remedies.
Since I came here, I continue the treatment and the work at the same time, without avoiding it for a second. I did not ask to come here, but the Central Committee, seeing my condition, sent me for treatment and at the same time to do the work.
This order was communicated to me by my friend Xhafer Spahiu. For this special care of the Party, I am very grateful and will reward you with work. I told Comrade Xhoxhi: “My transfer is decided by the center, but if this transfer is related to the dispute that took place for work reasons, I think the center was not informed enough.” I am now turning 2 years old and the opinion will be created that if you criticize those responsible, measures will be taken since the latter serve the material and inform.
So my transfer is also related to the quarrel, and for the friends here, the consistent attitude creates obstacles for you. I have never disturbed the leadership of the Central Committee, but I have followed the Party line. For more than 20 years I have been the Director of the “21 Dhjetori” Company and a Member of the Tirana Plenum. After transferring to the Ministry of Construction in 1965, I was elected deputy secretary until I was assigned to Beijing.
Wherever and whenever I have had love and respect for all colleagues, in no case and never have I offended colleagues, as this is my characteristic. This time I was in front of an action and made my self-criticism. My stay here in China is not easy, I have to do my job well, but I have children in Albania and it is natural to worry about them.
If the Central Committee thinks about my transfer, I will ask them to stay until the end of this cure, which continues for up to 6 months. Regarding the problems of the facilities sector, which we analyzed recently in the basic organization, I do not agree with this assessment, since this sector has an important job and for a long time 2 people work there when before 4 people worked.
But as I saw, the information was not complete, so I thought I would bother you with this information. Among other things, my friend Xhoxhi told me that: “The friends of the center are thinking of transferring you, but I don’t know when, that’s why the request you made for my wife to go to Albania with a permit, falls down because you can be transferred” .
I was impressed by this matter because, friend Xhoxhi knows that I have come here for a cure, as I suffer from a serious disease “Endoarthritis Obliteral” and that recently Chinese doctors have been practicing a cure with folk remedies.
Since I came here, I continue the treatment and the work at the same time, without avoiding it for a second. I did not ask to come here, but the Central Committee, seeing my condition, sent me for treatment and at the same time to do the work.
This order was communicated to me by my friend Xhafer Spahiu. For this special care of the Party, I am very grateful and will reward you with work. I told Comrade Xhoxhi: “My transfer is decided by the center, but if this transfer is related to the dispute that took place for work reasons, I think the center was not informed enough.” I am now turning 2 years old and the opinion will be created that if you criticize those responsible, measures will be taken since the latter serve the material and inform.
So my transfer is also related to the quarrel, and for the friends here, the consistent attitude creates obstacles for you. I have never disturbed the leadership of the Central Committee, but I have followed the Party line. For more than 20 years I have been the Director of the “21 Dhjetori” Company and a Member of the Tirana Plenum. After transferring to the Ministry of Construction in 1965, I was elected deputy secretary until I was assigned to Beijing.
Wherever and whenever I have had love and respect for all colleagues, in no case and never have I offended colleagues, as this is my characteristic. This time I was in front of an action and made my self-criticism. My stay here in China is not easy, I have to do my job well, but I have children in Albania and it is natural to worry about them.
If the Central Committee thinks about my transfer, I will ask them to stay until the end of this cure, which continues for up to 6 months. Regarding the problems of the facilities sector, which we analyzed recently in the basic organization, I do not agree with this assessment, since this sector has an important job and for a long time 2 people work there when before 4 people worked.
The volume of work for the works increases and their follow-up must be made continuous as they must be well studied. I have not found support in the issues raised. In the organization, it was said that this problem should be studied, and its independence, the work it has, and the priority of the work in the future should be looked at. For the defects of our work, I have my own responsibility, and it is possible that in my tact as secretary, I would go deeper still.
In this information, I am raising some main issues and that the bureau and the organization, and in particular Comrade Xhoxhi, have been made aware of many other issues. Throughout the time of my work of about 30 years, in the construction of Socialism, I have tried to be correct and implement the tasks of the Party, correctly understand the directives and role of the responsible, and implement every task in every circumstance.
The Party has never taught us not to have debates and opinions even when they are contrary to the opinions of superiors. I am not small enough not to understand the importance of the implementation of the order, but when opinions are given about that order to be seen with the main responsibility that is Comrade Spiro, then one cannot speak with such tones and epithets as: haughty or blackguard, as friend Cleo did.
Cleo knows that for the time I have worked here, he has hardly worked at all, making the excuse that he is without a family and that he is about to leave. Both friend Xhoxhi and friend Spiro know this very well. I was not allowed to give him an offensive answer, but we would clarify this issue later.
These happen, and others why they are not criticized in time and addressed, but the findings are given in general, an action that needs to be improved both by the state leadership and by the organization.
With conscience, I feel uneasy, because at a time when you have many problems and are busy with many and serious jobs, I am worrying you about issues that we should solve ourselves.
I raised these problems for clarification, as well as to help you in our work. Both in the past and in the future, I will always struggle to learn lessons, breaking down the constant orders of the Party and Comrade Enver and putting them into practice. Memorie.al
With much respect
Beijing on 10.10.1972
Necho Konomi
