By Dashnor Kaloçi
Part Thirteen
Memorie.al / From the end of November 1944, when he officially came to power, until his death in 1985, the communist dictator Enver Hoxha, wanting to emulate his idol, Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, and following his “path,” would occasionally carry out purges in the high leadership of the PPSH (Albanian Party of Labour). He had practically started this from 1941, with Anastas Lula and Sadik Premte, continued with Koçi Xoxe (and his group) in 1948-’49, and ended in 1981-’82, with the so-called “hostile group of Mehmet Shehu and Kadri Hazbiu.” In this time interval of more than four decades, as is already known, he eliminated almost all the founders of the Albanian Communist Party, the members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH, and the main leaders of the so-called “National Liberation Anti-Fascist War.” As a result, from 1960 until the collapse of the communist regime in 1990, only Pilo Peristeri had escaped prison or internment, enjoying privileges as a perpetual candidate of the Political Bureau and the function of director of the “Enver Hoxha” Autotractor Combine!
However, unlike what he had done until the early ’70s, where Enver Hoxha’s “sword” had fallen mainly on the high leadership of the PKSH (Albanian Communist Party), (Koçi Xoxe, Kristo Themelko, Sotir Vullkani, Ramadan Çitaku, Tuk Jakova, Bedri Spahiu, Liri Gega, Gjin Marku, Koço Tashko, Liri Belishova, etc.), whom he had accused of “deviating from the Party line” and had condemned as “traitors and enemies of the people,” in the mid-’70s, the dictator Enver Hoxha began to strike against some members of the Political Bureau who also held ministerial posts, such as Abdyl Këllezi and Koço Theodhosi, accusing them also as “saboteurs of the Socialist Economy”!
And just as he had done with Beqir Balluku, Petrit Duma, and Hito Çako (who were sentenced to death and executed), where, to prove their “hostile activity,” Enver Hoxha also sentenced a large group of senior officers to prison and internment. Similarly, with the so-called “Economic Sabotage Group,” which, in addition to Këllezi and Theodhosi, also included the two ministers Kiço Ngjela and Vasil Kati, some senior officials of the Trade sector were accused and sentenced, including well-known directors and specialists such as Andrea Manço, Ahmet Jegeni, Bardhyl Frashëri, etc., as well as those from the Oil sector, such as well-known leaders, engineers, and specialists like Filip Nashi, Beqir Alija, Koço Plaku, Milto Gjikopulli, Protoko Murati, Dhimitër Stefa, Jani Konomi, Nuredin Skrapari, etc.
As we will see in the documents in question, the investigative process against the so-called “Hostile and Sabotage Group of the Economy,” which the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security had carried out with fabricated accusations and false testimonies or those obtained under torture, etc., was also continued by the Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of Albania, headed by Aranit Çela, “channeling” the accusations from a “legal” standpoint to “prove” what Enver Hoxha had said in the Plenums of the Central Committee of the PPSH against Abdyl Këllezi, Koço Theodhosi, Kiço Ngjela, Vasil Kati, etc.
Much has been said and written about all these individuals since the ’90s, by members of those “groups,” their family members, etc. Memorie.al has secured the archival documents of the Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of Albania of that time and the former Presidium of the People’s Assembly, where the “Hostile Group of the Economy,” “Trade,” and “Oil” were reviewed. These documents are seeing the light of publication for the first time, and we are publishing them in several issues, along with the corresponding photos and facsimiles.
In the first and second parts of this series of articles, we published documents about the former director of Makinaimport, Andrea Manço, originally from the village of Boboshtica in Korça, whose brother, Todo Manço, had served for years as chief engineer and director of the Bulqiza chromium mine, and also as a member of the People’s Assembly for several legislatures. When he passed away on November 6, 1974, a grand funeral ceremony was held for him, with tributes in the center of Tirana, where in addition to Enver Hoxha, the entire high leadership of the PPSH, led by Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, participated. While Todo Manço (“Hero of Socialist Labour”) received all these honors, his brother, Andrea, almost two years later, would be tortured in the cells of the State Security and sentenced to death by firing squad as an “enemy of the people” and “agent of foreign agencies,” and his grave has still not been found!
In this article, we are publishing the documents about the so-called “Hostile Group in the oil sector,” led by well-known cadres and engineers, Filip Nashi, Beqir Alija, Koço Plaku, Dhimitër Stefa, Protoko Murati, Milto Gjikopulli, Nuredin Skrapari, Jani Konomi, etc., as well as the minutes of the meeting of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania, where the request of those sentenced to death, Koço Plaku, Andrea Manço, and Milto Gjikopulli, to have their lives spared was reviewed.
Continued from the previous issue
DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT, PRESIDED BY ARANIT ÇELA, SENT TO THE PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY, REGARDING THE CONVICTION OF THE “HOSTILE GROUP” IN THE OIL SECTOR, LED BY FILIP NASHI, BEQIR ALIJA, KOÇO PLAKU, MILTO GJIKOPULLI, ETC.
REPORT
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
SUPREME COURT
No. 381
Tirana, June 21, 1976
To the Presidium of the People’s Assembly
Tirana
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
SUPREME COURT
No.12. Main Register
No. 13 of the Decision
DECISION
IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE
The Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of Albania composed of:
Chair of the session: Eleni Selenica, Deputy Chair of the Supreme Court
Deputy Judge of the session: Mitat Goskova
Deputy Judge of the session: Fehmi Legreta
Assisted by the secretary Sadik Mema, with the participation of Prosecutor Sotiraq Samara, Deputy General Prosecutor, from June 11-17, 1976, reviewed in a closed court session, criminal case No. 12 concerning the defendants:
- Jani Agustin Konomi
a) Based on article 72, in combination with article 12 of the Criminal Code, he is sentenced to 23 years of imprisonment and confiscation of his property. Based on article 28 of the Criminal Code, to the loss of electoral rights for 5 years and based on article 29 of the Criminal Code, to the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds.
b) Based on the first paragraph of article 73 of the Criminal Code, in combination with article 12 of the Criminal Code, to 20 years of imprisonment and confiscation of his property. Based on article 28 of the Criminal Code, to the loss of electoral rights for 5 years and based on article 29 of the Criminal Code, to the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds.
Finally, based on article 48 of the Criminal Code, by combining the sentences, he is sentenced to 23 years of imprisonment, confiscation of his property, loss of electoral rights for 5 years, and the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds, with the sentence starting from the date of his arrest, April 17, 1975.
- Dhimitër Nikollë Stefa
a) Based on article 72, in combination with article 12 of the Criminal Code, he is sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment and confiscation of his property. Based on article 28 of the Criminal Code, to the loss of electoral rights for 5 years and based on article 29 of the Criminal Code, to the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds.
b) Based on the first paragraph of article 73, in combination with article 12 of the Criminal Code, to 8 years of imprisonment and confiscation of his property. Based on article 28 of the Criminal Code, to the loss of electoral rights for 5 years and based on article 29 of the Criminal Code, to the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds.
Finally, based on article 48 of the Criminal Code, by combining the sentences, he is sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment, confiscation of his property, loss of electoral rights for 5 years, and the revocation of all titles and decorations he holds, with the sentence starting from the date of his arrest, April 17, 1975.
- Nuredin Mentor Skrapari
Based on article 72, in combination with article 12 of the Criminal Code, he is sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and confiscation of his property. Based on article 28 of the Criminal Code, to the loss of electoral rights for 5 years.
Finally, since the defendant Nuredin Skrapari is serving a sentence for the crime of agitation and propaganda against the people’s power, based on article 49 of the Criminal Code, by combining the sentences, he is sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, confiscation of his property, and the loss of electoral rights for 5 years, with the sentence starting from the date of arrest, March 15, 1974.
All defendants are obligated, jointly and severally, to compensate for the damage caused to the Oil and Gas industry, amounting to 891,876,800 ALL. In particular, the defendant Filip Nashi shall compensate for the damage of 5,944,400 ALL, and the defendant Beqir Alija, for the damage of 384,800 ALL. The convicts sentenced to death, Koço Plaku and Milto Gjikopulli, have the right, based on article 349 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to address the Presidium of the People’s Assembly for the sparing of their lives, within 3 days.
The decision for these convicts cannot be executed without receiving a response to their pleas for mercy from the Presidium of the People’s Assembly.
This decision is final.
Announced in Tirana, on June 17, 1976.
Assistant Judge Assistant Judge The President
- Legrata M. Goskova E. Selenica
THE REQUEST OF THE CONVICT SENTENCED TO DEATH, KOÇO JOSIF PLAKU, SENT TO THE PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY, FOR THE SPARING OF HIS LIFE
Request
To the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania
Tirana
I, the convict Koço Josif Plaku, with the decision of the Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of Albania, dated 17.6.1976, was sentenced to death by firing squad. I feel very guilty for the crimes I have committed as a saboteur in the Oil and Gas industry, as well as for the hostility I have had towards the Party and the People’s Power. I will not mention here the struggle and work that I and my relatives (excluding the enemy and traitor Panajot Plaku) have done for the cause of the Party and the People, because the Party knows these things. For my faults as a saboteur and enemy, I ask for mercy from the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, to spare my life. I am also accused of serving Soviet Intelligence.
I tell you with an open heart and I swear in the name of the blood of Jorgo, and the sweat of Kalo, in the name of my fallen comrades, for the cause of the Party and the People, whom I have covered with my hands so that their blood would not be spilled, in the name of my minor son, in the name of my life, that I have never been an agent and that I have not served Soviet espionage. I am convinced that the Russians want revenge for the contribution I have given in implementing the Party’s decisions, in oil exploration, and for unmasking them as saboteurs. For what I have said above, I once again beg the Presidium of the People’s Assembly to spare my life, always being indebted to the Party and the People.
The Convict
Koço Josif Plaku
Tirana, 8.6.1976
THE REQUEST OF THE CONVICT SENTENCED TO DEATH, MILTO VASIL GJIKOPULLI, SENT TO THE PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY, FOR THE SPARING OF HIS LIFE
Request
To the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania
I, the convict Milto Vasil Gjikopulli, with the decision of the Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of Albania, dated 17.6.1976, was sentenced to death by firing squad. After I have heard the words of the main leader of the PPSH, written in “Preliminary notes on oil,” dated 10.2.1975, the decision of the Political Bureau dated 6.3.1975, regarding the situation in the Oil and Gas industry, as well as after I have explained with sincerity and repentance, both in the investigative and judicial process, all my faults and crimes, to the detriment of the high interests of the Homeland, ending up as a revisionist in ideology, an enemy in politics, a saboteur in oil and gas exploration, a traitor and agent in the service of Soviet Intelligence, my conviction, expressed in the national Party active in Oil, dated 22.3.1975, has been reinforced even more deeply, that with these faults and crimes, I cannot repay the Party, the People, and the Homeland with sweat and work, but with blood and with my head, and I accepted this just decision of the Supreme Court with my head bowed.
To atone even a little for this great political-economic damage that I have caused to the Party and the People, and above all, to do justice to my minor children, to grow up and work under the shadow of the PPSH, as righteous sons and soldiers of the Party and the People, thus having a convicted and rehabilitated father, and not a vile and executed father, I beg that High Forum, and through it the merciful Party, to spare my life so that I may dedicate it to the end to what I have been and am indebted to. / Memorie.al
The Convict
Milto Vasil Gjikopulli
Tirana, June 18, 1976
To be continued in the next issue
