By DASHNOR KALOÇI
Part Nine
Memorie.al / When not even a week had passed since 2 July 1990, when thousands of Albanian citizens climbed over the railings and walls of foreign embassies in Tirana and entered their premises with the aim of leaving Albania, the high leadership of the PPSh (Party of Labour of Albania), headed by General Secretary Ramiz Alia, held the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee, which convened on 6 and 7 July. Although the agenda was set with three main points, dominated by the one on the development of education in Albania, almost throughout the proceedings of that plenum (especially under point 4, “Miscellaneous”), the event of those days, otherwise known as “2 July of the embassies,” was discussed and debated. At that plenum, in which all members and candidate members of the Central Committee of the PPSh, the first secretaries of the party committees of the districts, ministers, leading cadres of the education, culture, science, and economy sectors, leaders of the organisation of the Union of the Working Youth of Albania, from the apparatus of the Central Committee of the PPSh, Radio-Television, ATSH (Albanian Telegraphic Agency), etc., were absent: Nimet Cani, Ali Vukatana, Reiz Malile, Shpëtim Çaushi, Zylyftar Ramizi, Qemal Lame, Zef Loka, Pirro Kondi, and Hekuran Isai, who for several days had been “in the field,” “managing” the embassy event.
After the opening of the meeting by Ramiz Alia, the floor was given to the Minister of Education, Skënder Gjinushi, who also delivered the relevant report (“On the perfection of the education system and the further qualitative strengthening of the school”). The central theme of that plenum was “the embassy event,” discussing and analysing in detail how and why it happened (“the role of foreign agencies”), and extending to the tasks that arose for managing that situation in those hot July days, when over five thousand Albanian citizens from all the districts of the country were inside the premises of some of the main embassies in Tirana, waiting to leave Albania.
In addition to this, throughout that meeting, but mainly under point no. 4 of the agenda (which was discussed in the final session), several of the main events that had occurred in various districts of the country during that year were also analysed, such as: the protests in Shkodër in January for the removal of Stalin’s bust; the events in the city of Kavajë where the people of that city clashed with police forces; the mass escapes across the state borders with Yugoslavia and Greece; the mass gatherings at holy religious sites, such as the Church of Saint Anthony in Laç of Kurbin; the legal permission of religious beliefs and the opening of places of worship; or other problems raised for resolution, such as: the talks with the international factor for the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the USA, the Soviet Union (the talks held with the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister in Sofia by Sofokli Lazri); the Kosovo problem; international pressure for Albania’s opening to the world and its accession to several international conventions; the privileges of the high leadership of the PPSh and their families who lived mainly in the “Block”; the words circulating among the people about Enver Hoxha’s family and Ramiz’s relations with Nexhmije; the change of legislation and the penal code; the release of political prisoners; the stamping with passports of citizens who sought to go out as visitors to their relatives abroad; the new economic mechanism; the housing and employment of many additions in all districts of the country; the granting of land and livestock to the cooperative peasantry; and even the supply of the urban population with basic food products and various industrial goods.
As we shall also see from archival documents belonging to the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee of the PPSh, which we emphasise are being published for the first time, in addition to the leadership and some of the high officials of that time, several other high figures who continued their political careers even after the 1990s also discussed or were mentioned at that meeting, such as: Skënder Gjinushi, Fatos Nano, Sali Berisha, Rexhep Mejdani, Gramoz Pashko, Spiro Dede, Dritëro Agolli, Ismail Kadare, Moikom Zeqo, Mehmet Elezi, Lisen Bashkurti, Koço Kokëdhima, Ylli Popa, Aleks Luarasi, etc.
Likewise, in the voluminous file of this plenum, of great interest are also those documents belonging to the secretaries of the Party Committees of the districts or the “Information Group” who went to all the districts of the country and documented all the main problems that emerged in the meetings of the base organisations of the party, where “On the letter of the Central Committee” was discussed – documents that constitute the largest and also the most important part of the file in question. Indeed, it can be said to be among the most important of the entire period of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha and his successor Ramiz Alia, since that period of time, with the events that unfolded, also marked the prologue of the fall of that regime.
Likewise, of great interest are also the documents belonging to the final session of that meeting with point no. 4 of the agenda “Miscellaneous,” which constitutes the hottest point of the entire plenum, where the release from duties and retirement of three members of the Political Bureau (Rita Marko, Manush Myftiu, and Prokop Murra) were discussed, even with harsh debates, as well as the release from ministerial duties or other high functions that several other “leaders” had held for years, such as Simon Stefani, Pali Miska, Muho Asllani, Lenka Çuko, Vito Kapo, Pirro Kondi, Jovan Bardhi, etc., and the appointment of “new comrades” in the leadership of the high forums of the Party and State, such as: Xhelil Gjoni, Abdyl Backa, Niko Gjyzari, Kiço Mustaqi, etc. Regarding these and other matters, the documents in question, extracted from the Central State Archive (Fund of the former Central Committee of the PPSh), acquaint us, and they are being published for the first time along with the relevant facsimiles by Memorie.al.
Continues from the previous issue
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE 11TH PLENUM OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PPSh, HELD ON 6 AND 7 JULY 1990
MISCELLANEOUS
Several issues of today’s situations and the political problems arising from them.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA:It is necessary that we exchange opinions on several problems of today’s situations. We must understand that we are before a general organisation and assault of reaction against the Party, against Albania, against socialism and the freedom of the country. This assault is not linked to the actions of some vagabonds or hooligans, as is said and thought by some. It is linked to the activity of foreigners and to a full coalition of all Western powers and the whole of reaction, as well as of Gorbachev, who acts together with them.
Of course, the first violin in this assault are the Yugoslavs, who are directly interested in destabilising the situation in Albania and diverting the attention of public opinion from the problems of Kosovo. It is not by chance that these occurrences among us coincided immediately with the measures that Serbia took against Kosovo. The day before yesterday, Television of Prishtina was closed, all the employees of the television and the newspaper “Rilindja” were forcibly removed, and the Assembly of Kosovo was dissolved, so Kosovo was placed under a military state of siege and also under Serbia’s occupation. And all this happens when the entire world reaction has risen to its feet against socialism and communism. We have seen what happened in the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe. Regardless of the fact that the ideas of socialism in these countries had been betrayed long ago, the aim of the enemies was to erase even their name as socialist republics. In this framework, the actions being taken against us must also be seen.
They began to be organised as early as January of this year. As it seems, reaction at that time underestimated our strength and thought that with some small disturbance it could overturn the situation in Albania. After the failure it suffered then, now it tried to organise itself better, and it must be said openly that the events that occurred on 2 July found us asleep. Our State Security organs proved incapable; they failed to discover beforehand what the enemy was organising. Likewise, the Party organisation in the city of Tirana was found unprepared and in a state of sleep. The Party organisation of Durrës is also in such a state.
Whereas in Shkodër, I think that perhaps conclusions have been drawn from what happened, but in any case the Party organisation must be extremely attentive. The fact that around 30,000 people go to Laç, to pray in the Church of Saint Anthony, setting out from Puka, Mirdita, Shkodra, and Lezha, shows that the Party’s work in these districts is not combative and at the proper level. It is true that we are not accustomed to such a reaction. We are accustomed that, if the Party secretary gave an order, everything was carried out, or if a policeman drew his pistol, people retreated backwards.
However, now the internal reaction is also aggravated and has taken courage. It has been encouraged by the events in the East and has been set into action. It is a fact that in this situation such people do not even ask the Party secretary; indeed, in Tirana and Kavajë they even threw stones at them. In the minority, some come out openly and speak in the village against the Party and against socialism, something that has not happened before. The event that occurred in Tirana with the foreign embassies is not a chance episode, nor can it be considered simply as a lapse of some elements. If it were seen thus, the matter would be simplified.
The entry of our people into the embassies is incited and organised by the enemy. However, in some information sent to us by comrade Naumka Bozo, secretary of the Party Committee of Tirana, and some other comrades from the regions of Tirana, it is said that this happened because the issuing of the passport was delayed, etc. But what is the essence of the problem? None of those who entered the embassies had requested a passport. Not only that, but even until now they are not requesting passports to leave the embassies and go abroad.
Nor are the employees of the foreign embassies seeking to get these people out of Albania; they want to keep them here, in the embassies. Why do they want to keep them? Understandably, they also need a staff for these soldiers of reaction; they need the “officers” to command them. And they hope that the “officers” are still outside the embassies. Has it occurred to you that, for certain purposes, they might even want to turn the territories of the foreign embassies in Albania into refugee camps?!
Therefore there is no time for our comrades leading the Party’s work to become confused and seek justifications, as is observed in many meetings being held and in many reports sent to us, starting from the instructors of the apparatus of the Central Committee of the Party down to the base. Instead of these comrades clarifying and convincing people about this reaction that is occurring and raising the masses morally, they bring us in their information some hostile slogans that spread in the form of rumours, so much so that it seems almost as if they themselves agree with these slogans.
They content themselves with merely saying that it is observed that somewhere “there are unemployed,” “in the work centres they are working at 70 percent of the wage,” etc., etc. We know these difficulties that really exist. He who does not understand them and hides them makes a mistake, but the matter is raised that we, as a party, must explain to people that it is neither honest nor patriotic that because of these difficulties they become tools of the enemy. The true Albanian cannot sell his homeland for 30 lekë. Undoubtedly, for all that happened, our propaganda and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also bear responsibility, which reacts only within the four walls of the ministry, and by not informing the public, leaves room for rumours.
But at a time when we have issued the law for these people to leave the embassies, foreign radios and television stations speak of Western countries having requested to send planes with medicine, blankets, clothing, and food. Should this fact not make us think deeply about how far the enemy’s aims go?! These words circulate, intertwine with various slogans, but instead of thinking, some of the employees of our organisms swallow these slogans “like figs,” without showing any maturity for the importance and dangerousness of the situation we are going through.
Today it is required that all organisms, and in the first place the Party, be at the head of the situation and well mobilised. This situation brought to light a very serious problem: the Party’s ties with the people have been considerably damaged. This conclusion must make comrades gather their wits. Our cadres are detached from the masses, because they have become bureaucratised and because they have created privileges, from top to bottom. It suffices to mention to you only one simple fact, which I have emphasised to you another time as well.
Out of 50-60 letters a day that I receive from the people for complaints and various problems, I have not received a single letter from any cadre, not to mention the level of the departments, but even of the districts, down to the heads of sections and Party committees. None of the latter complains that their son or daughter has remained unemployed, or has not been given the right to study, etc. Such letters come only from the mass of the people. The sons and daughters of this category find it difficult to solve these problems, because the difficulties are created for them precisely by the children of the cadres.
Or perhaps also at work only they are “capable” of working in various offices in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, in the Export Park, in embassies abroad, etc. This very serious matter must be assessed correctly by comrades. In order to have the people close to us, a simpler life is needed, from the comrades of the Political Bureau down to the others. The people follow that cadre who fights difficulties together with them, who sits and talks with them calmly about solving problems. We must all together defend the Party, and the fight against difficulties belongs to everyone, not only to some. The situation is not understood correctly without throwing oneself into the work, without each bearing the weight that falls to him.
But does comrade Marash Hajati live with this situation, who in the newspaper “Zëri i popullit” puts the news that in Switzerland labour power is sought?! Should the news that President Mladenov of Bulgaria resigned under the pressure of demonstrators have been put even today, with a big headline in the newspaper? But does comrade Ismail Ahmeti, who speaks up and down that mechanics, masons, and specialists for the construction of hydroelectric plants are sought abroad, understand the situation correctly? Whom do these stances serve?
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: But why should the news about Mladenov’s resignation have been put in the newspaper, precisely at these moments?!
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: … because that is how Marash Hajati judged it.
COMRADE ISMAIL AHMETI: I do not know who has spoken up and down, comrade Ramiz…
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: I am not talking about you having come out to speak up and down among the people, but you have held that conversation with other ministers, you have expressed opinions also in meetings, and thus the words circulate. You do not understand the essence of the problem, Ismail, because to say that mechanics etc. are sought abroad means that we too have the possibility of exporting labour power. Who is asking us for this labour power?!
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: Comrade Ismail, you also sought authorisation from me to give this notice to the television correspondent as well.
COMRADE ISMAIL AHMETI: I may have consulted my opinions with you, but I have not spoken up and down…! And with some comrade I have exchanged opinions to find the most suitable way of solution…!
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: So then, do these conversations seem little to you?! Yesterday in the news of the foreign agencies that come out in the agencies, it was said that the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party will be held and that some measures will be taken for the leaders in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the Ministry of Defence, and some comrades of the Political Bureau will be moved, etc. All these are true, but these matters have been discussed only by the Political Bureau, without any written document.
The written document, only in my hand, I have here and it has not yet been typed. Let us suppose that it was merely a guess, the news that the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party will be held, but the changes that would be made no one else knew, except the comrades of the Political Bureau and the two secretaries of the Central Committee of the Party who were present when we discussed these cadre movements.
I brought this example, comrade Ismail, so that you may be convinced that the secret in this case has been leaked by one of our comrades (I say it openly). One of these comrades has gone home and told his wife, son, or daughter what was discussed among us. So then, this is how words spread up and down, without the need for you to come out and speak among the people. Therefore I think we must reflect on this fact and be extremely careful, because the enemy benefits precisely from the mistakes, the shortcomings, and the conversations and words of our comrades.
In these situations, the comrades of the Party committees in the districts must be especially careful. It must be understood that the enemy’s aim is to raise and clash the popular masses against our power, to make the power hostile to the people. Naturally, the people are not some vagabonds, nor do they represent them. Against them our police and security organs must strike hard. But in a case of turmoil, as happened, the police, unable to identify them, also shot at some honest person, whether woman, boy, or girl, worker or intellectual.
Let us not forget this. These actions make the people hostile to the Party and to the power. So the path of force and especially the use of weapons are wrong. Even in the embassy events, the police made a mistake. Under no circumstances should the weapon have been used. Some reason that the policeman used the weapon because he was threatened. By who was he threatened? Perhaps someone from the crowd threw bricks and stones. But this does not justify the use of the weapon by the policeman. Such actions are extremely dangerous provocations and are sought by the enemy. Our people must not fall into these traps.
We must be well prepared for such events, to avoid them, and when they are not avoided, to not fall into provocations. Events of this kind may occur also in Shkodër, in Vlorë, in Gjirokastër, but they may also occur in Sarandë, do not forget this. We do not know what is born in the head of reaction. Slogans of the most varied and most fantastic kind may be used, demands of the most bizarre kind may be raised, but no one should think that everything is solved by shooting with weapons. Precisely this is what the enemy wants. Therefore we must be organised, cool-blooded, and determined.
Let us well organise in the fight against these phenomena the communists, the forces of order, the forces of youth. All these forces together can neutralise the gatherings and turmoils, by entering among the people, and by preventing from the embryo the ugly occurrences. We must be very careful especially here, in Tirana, where there is a risk that these gatherings may turn into demonstrations. The Security organs must discover beforehand what activity the enemy is trying to organise, but also among all the masses of the people vigilance must be increased. Let it not be thought that the Security knows everything.
It is a fact that in the German embassy a truck with 30 people knocked down the wall and the Security knew nothing, when these people were organised and how they were organised. Or in Kavajë, crowds of people who were at the football match came out into the street and threw political slogans, and no measure had been taken beforehand for what happened. These examples speak of great weaknesses; therefore we must all be wide-eyed. For these situations, especially the Party must be more prepared, and its preparation requires intensive, daily work for explaining the events and for responding to the enemy’s slogans.
The masses must be explained what aims our enemies have, where they aim, and how we should withstand this situation. The Party must be on its feet everywhere, in zones and districts, where there are gatherings of people, as in Laç, where crowds of believers going to the former Church of Saint Anthony have been noticed, in Durrës, Kavajë, etc. From these directions people may also come to Tirana, and anything unexpected may happen. Memorie.al
Continues in the next issue
