From DASHNOR KALOÇI
Part One
Memorie.al – A full 36 years ago, in late June and early July 1990, thousands of Albanian citizens, mainly from Tirana but also from various districts of the country, broke through the railings and walls of foreign embassies and entered their perimeters, seeking political asylum with the aim of leaving Albania. Regarding these events, now known as the “Embassy Incident of July 2, 1990,” from that time onwards, for nearly 35 consecutive years, much has been said and written, both through testimonies of persons who entered the embassies, as well as former high-ranking state officials of that time, police chiefs, etc., and also with archival documents, mainly extracted from the Central State Archive, part of the fonds of the former Central Committee of the PPSH (Party of Labour of Albania).
But even after the publication of dozens of articles, even today not everything that happened during those hot July days in Tirana has been clarified, such as: who were the first citizens to enter the embassies, how did the clash with the police begin, who were the persons arrested, etc., etc. Based on this, in order to shed some light on those events, in this article we are publishing several archival documents extracted from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which contain secret operational communiqués (now declassified) where the leadership groups of the Ministry of Internal Affairs recorded almost everything that happened during those days with the embassies, as well as the disturbances in the political camps and prisons, which showed solidarity with the events of July 2. These documents are being published for the first time, with the respective facsimiles from Memorie.al
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DATED JULY 2, 1990, CONCERNING THE INCIDENT AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY WITH THE VEHICLE THAT ATTEMPTED TO ENTER, WITH FIVE PERSONS IN ITS BODY
THE PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, 2.7.1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 154
TIRANA
On date 1.7.1990, behind the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, the “Robur” car, TR 01-928, attempted to enter the embassy, coming towards the police officer on duty, with the intention of running him over. The police officer fired twice with his pistol; at this time, the vehicle scraped against the wall face, where four or five people climbed out onto the roof and from the covered body and entered the embassy. Several bloodstains were found on the vehicle.
HEAD OF THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
HAKI LIÇAJ
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DATED JULY 3, 1990, CONCERNING THE ARREST OF SEVERAL PERSONS WHO ATTEMPTED TO ENTER SEVERAL EMBASSIES IN TIRANA
THE PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, 3.7.1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 155
TIRANA
On date 2.7.1889, Luan Bektash Kokona, age 18, unemployed, was detained, for the reason that he violently opposed a police officer while he was entering the Hungarian embassy.
On date 2.7.1889, Ramazan Sejfulla Zifi, age 36, driver at the Municipal Enterprise, was detained, for the reason that he struck a police officer when the latter attempted to enter the Turkish embassy.
On date 2.7.1889, Sokol Xhemal Qordezi, age 29, worker at the shoe factory, was detained, for the reason that he struck a police officer in the line of duty when he attempted to enter the embassy.
HEAD OF THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
ASTRIT MEHJA
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DATED JULY 3, 1990, CONCERNING THE ARRESTS OF SEVERAL PERSONS IN TIRANA, ON CHARGES OF OVERTHROWING THE PEOPLE’S POWER AND COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION IN FRONT OF THE EMBASSIES
THE PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, 3.7.1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 156
TIRANA
On date 3.7.1889, Xhevdet Sami Agolli, age 33, worker at the Food Combine, Ilmi Sami Agolli, age 26, worker, Arjan Isa Mançe, age 26, driver at the Municipal Enterprise, Lefter Mazllëm Ferhati, age 24, worker at the Wood Combine, Napolon Ligor Aleksi, age 27, worker at the Municipal Enterprise, were detained, for the reason that they participated in organizing the overthrow of the people’s power and violently opposed representatives of the authorities.
On date 3.7.1990, Ardian Stefan Konomi, age 24, unemployed, previously convicted once, was detained, for the reason that he violently opposed police officers of Unit 326; Avdio Sherif Lekaj, age 21, miner, for the reason that he participated in the counter-revolutionary organization in front of the embassies; Ilia Petrit Beshiri, age 30, worker at Funeral Decor, previously convicted four times for various crimes; Shkëlqim Dalip Halili, guard at the Pioneers’ Camp, for counter-revolutionary organization in front of the embassies.
On date 3.7.1990, an explosive was thrown inside the surrounding wall of the Cuban embassy, and as a result, several windows of the embassy were broken. For this, the following were detained: Përparim Isak Kadria, age 38, driver at the Industrial-Mining Park, previously convicted once; Agim Isak Sadria, age 35, worker at the Artistic Enterprise; Muharrem Ramazan Thorra, age 51, worker at the “Partizani” Factory, previously convicted three times.
HEAD OF THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
GËZIM ISUFI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DATED JULY 3, 1990, CONCERNING THE ARRESTS OF SEVERAL PERSONS IN TIRANA AND THE POLITICAL PRISONERS OF THE “KOSOVË” PRISON IN LUSHNJË WHO SHOWED SOLIDARITY WITH THE EMBASSY EVENTS
THE PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, 7.7.1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 158
TIRANA
On date 6.7.1990, Përparim Isa Dodi, age 29, worker, was detained, for the reason that he opposed and insulted a police officer in the line of duty.
On date 6.7.1990, Julja Petrit Kruja, age 29, female worker, previously convicted once; Pëllumb Ramadan Petriti, age 32, previously convicted 12 times for various crimes; Sulejman Neshit Dervishi, age 29, worker, previously convicted three times; and Mehdi Refik Hidri, age 30, unemployed, previously convicted three times, were detained, for the reason that they threw stones at a police officer near the Chinese embassy.
LUSHNJË
On date 5.7.1990, the political prisoners of Unit 318 “Kosovë” refused to eat dinner. Likewise, they refused to eat the guaranteed food rations for the 5th and 6th. The reason is a sign of solidarity with the actions that occurred on 2.7.1990 at the embassies in Tirana. They request a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the Chairman of the Supreme Court.
On date 6.7.1990, in Unit 318 “Kosovë”, when Comrade Ramiz Alia’s speech at the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee of the PPSH was shown on television, many political prisoners maintained a negative attitude until the television was turned off and expressed themselves negatively towards the leadership of the Party and the State. / Memorie.al
HEAD OF THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
BAJRAM NELI
