Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes the document with the initials “Top Secret of 1962, where the chairman of the Commission Society, Vangjel Pecani, informs Enver Hoxha about the fabulous wealth of Vangjel and Kostandin Zhapa, as well as how it could be obtained through their heirs who were in Albania. As well as the fear that the top leadership of Tirana had regarding the attempts for the appropriation of that property, where, among other things, in the secret report, it was said: There is a danger that if the issue is dragged out and free conversation will take place everywhere, this problem of this property, as well as their personal opinions, may fall to the ears of the Turkish Legation in Tirana prematurely and that they may take action before we start the action and when we have finished the work, we will “We may be faced with a fact that we will need time to clarify.”
As it is already known, with his coming to power in November 1944, the communist government of Tirana headed by Colonel-General Enver Hoxha, began the seizures and nationalization of real estate of many of its citizens, as well as to those foreigners that the end of the war found in Albania, such as villas, houses, land, farms, workshops, mines, etc. Which “went parallel” with the law “On the tax of war”, where all traders and the rich strata of Albanian society, was forced to pay large sums of money, on the accusation that they were unjustly enriched in time of war, at the expense of the people”?! Those wealthy merchants or families who refused to pay the “war profit tax” ended up in prisons and internments, while some others who did not show who hid the gold died in torture in the dark cells of the State Security… To this “reform” as considered by the communist government of Tirana, a few years later was added the one of “currency change”, which made many of the merchants or the rich of that time, take out and hand over their money, as otherwise they were not worth it?! After this mass robbery committed by the communist government of Tirana to its citizens, from the beginning of the 50’s onwards, through the Commission Society, official Tirana began to be interested in the assets of Albanian citizens abroad, wherever they they were available in different countries of the world. Which made many of the well-known Albanian families who owned a lot of real estate abroad, such as; Vangjel Manushi, Vllazë Dabërdaku, Mediha Libohova, Enver Libohova, Ihsan Libohova, Ismail Tartari, Behire Vila, Vllazë Gurashi, Leka, Ali Hasho, Emine Shaska etc (which we will see in the articles in the coming days), issued power of attorneys and they went in favor of the Albanian state, which through the Commission Company, sold them or rented them. And as a result, only from the sequestration and nationalization of the properties of the above-mentioned families, the Albanian state benefited only in 1961, full of 1 million 276,000 thousand dollars. After that, the “appetite” of the Albanian government increased significantly and in the same year, began its attempt to acquire the wealth of brothers Vangjel and Kostandin Zhapa, wealth which was spread in several countries, such as Romania, Greece and Turkey. A property which, according to the secret report of the chairman of the Commission Society, Vangjel Pecani, had become an “apple of discord” between these three countries before 1900?! Regarding these and the attempts of the Albanian state to manipulate the heirs of the famous Zhapjas originating from Labova e Zhapa in Gjirokastra, who lived in Albania, we know this archival document that is published for memorie.al in the pages of which where Enver Hoxha did he put his note?!
SOCIETY COMMISSIONER VERY SECRET
Tirana, on 10.XI.1961
Landa: ON THE PROPERTY OF ZHAPAJS IN TURKEY
This property is located in Istanbul, Turkey. A good part of the heirs of this considerable wealth are located in our country and a part in Greece. According to rumors this can be in the millions of dollars as movable and immovable property.
As such, it has taken on a private character, over interest in income, and has always been a political issue between Romania, Greece and Turkey.
The heirs are Vangjel and Konstandin Zhapa from Labova in Gjirokastra, who from the poor, in one way or another managed to become millionaires, die unmarried, even a madman. This happened almost 100 years ago.
The Greek government, which has always benefited through religion, has taken a secret will from one of them and inherited it. This has been the subject of discussions between Romania and Greece, which is why Romania claimed by calling them its citizens. It got to the point where these two countries waited for diplomatic relations between them since 1900.
In 1896, the Romanian court of second instance, after 20 years of hearings, rejected both the claims of Romania and Greece and transferred all the property to the heirs.
The names of the heirs are mentioned in the court decision. Most of their descendants are in our country and manage to be about 60 people. Until the war they received some income, while after the war these were discontinued and the Turkish and Greek governments resigned.
In 1956, in the political quarrels between Turkey and Greece, the question of this wealth and who would take over it arose. The Municipality of Istanbul, where this property is located, came out with a decision that no one should touch it for a period of ten years and left it in the administration of the Patriarchate, with the conditions that in case no heirs would emerge within this time, this i remains the Patriarchate.
Given that we have in hand:
- The decision of the Romanian court, which determines the heirs and these are mostly in Albania:
- Bank documents, in small quantities, but which we think are sufficient, that the heirs have income from this property:
- Given that Vangjel and Kostandin Zhapa have left money to marry three girls from their village:
- The bust of Vangjel Zhapa was erected in their village in his memory and that this village is Albanian, they do not know Greek at all, refutes the claim that they were Greeks, etc.
We have collected all these and based on them to appear on behalf of the heirs we have prepared:
- The act of heirs.
- Attorney General.
On the other hand, through the Legation, we have found a law firm with influence in the Turkish government circles, which law firm has already been interested in the property of the Zhapaj and its heirs.
Having been prepared in this way, we have invited the interested parties to complete the formalities, at no cost on their part, and to sign the power of attorney that we have prepared, that of the Commissioner.
The power of attorney is general and with full rights, for administration, deposit of money and up to sale, left as usual when the power of attorney is made for Turkey (in this case), the Second Secretary of the Legation, Comrade Lik Seiti. All the power of attorneys that we send abroad, we compile with this content in order for ease of work.
Because the power of attorney also has the right to sell and deposit money, and suspecting that anything can happen when these are entrusted to a single person, citizens Irakli Noçka, Sofokli Papajani, Qirjako Harito, Vangjel and Minella Karajani, and some other persons (18 people in total), influenced by these, refuse to sign the power of attorney.
Most of them, 42 people, have agreed to sign it without any conditions and with full confidence.
The reasons for drafting the power of attorney in this form are:
- Seeing from the development of events around this wealth that it has been a problem of governments and not of individuals, our representative in this case is the clerk of our Legation — he cannot rise without being omnipotent.
- In the absence of the power of the hereditary bureaucratic courts of Turkey or by the instigation of the claimants, the heirs may be required to appear before the court. This, in our opinion, will be very difficult for us. We think that even if we want to send them, it is enough for some of them not to be allowed by the Turkish government, the issue can drag on for years and as a consequence there is a risk of ending up to our disadvantage.
Examples of this nature, of economic-political warfare, we are living in the daily practice of our work with the US, Egypt, Turkey, Italy, etc., which have not only set strict laws regarding the issuance of currency, especially for our country, but the natural person has also been asked to appear in court or withdraw money after, they say, the state obliges the heirs to facilitate power of attorney and does not hand over the money, etc.
In the face of such a war, we have to come up with different working methods for securing the currency, which cost us a lot.
- Given that quite a number of heirs are old and may die, we want to beware of subsequent inheritance formalities, which can further complicate the matter and bring us internal turmoil, giving at the same time the other party time and materials that may harm our interests.
- There is a claim on the part of the heirs, which seems practical to us, who say that a commission of four or five people should be created from their ranks, to go to Istanbul to follow the case there until the end. We do not agree with such an opinion, taking into account the spending of currency and especially on an issue that has not yet begun, which is so complicated for both abroad and for the heirs themselves.
We are of the opinion that comrades Papajani, Nocka, Karajani, and others, should not look at the issue with such an eye.
There is a danger that if the issue is dragged out and there is free conversation everywhere, this problem of this wealth, as well as their personal opinions, may fall on the ears of the Turkish Legation in Tirana prematurely and on their part. action can be taken before we start the action and when we have finished work, we will be able to face any fact that we will need time to clarify.
COMMISSIONER SOCIETY
HEAD
(Vangjel Pecani)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …… ..
Note by Enver Hoxha (Agree)
Look at Comrade Enver
I would be of the opinion that sh. Abdyl Këllezi summoned Q. Hariton, S. Papajani, the Karajani brothers, etc. to talk and persuade them to issue a general power of attorney for the treatment of the Zhapajve property.
Vangjel Pecani
19.XI.1962
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Sh. Peter
As far as we were informed, everyone signed the power of attorney. Follow carefully.
……. Iljazi-
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