By Dashnor Kaloçi
Part Eighteen
Memorie.al / Exactly 43 years ago, on the morning of December 18, 1981, the Albanian Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, who had held that position since 1953, was found dead in his bedroom (according to the official version, from a bullet from a pistol) in the villa where he lived with his family, at the entrance of the “Block” of the high leadership of the Albanian Party of Labor, just a few meters from the building of the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labor and also from Enver Hoxha’s villa. Although more than four decades have passed since that day, considered one of the most serious and notorious events of that regime, there is still no clear and accurate version regarding what happened to the former Albanian Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu on the night leading to December 18, 1981! However, even after the 1990s, dozens of testimonies and archival documents have been made public regarding that event, “the murder or suicide of Mehmet Shehu,” which continues to be the subject of numerous debates and discussions, even wrapping it further in mystery around the truth.
Based on this fact, in the context of publishing dozens of testimonies and files with archival documents from the secret fund of the former State Security and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labor, which we have published over the decades since the collapse of Enver Hoxha’s communist regime and his successor, Ramiz Alia, Memorie.al has secured the voluminous file “of the enemy Mehmet Shehu,” which has been extracted from the secret fund of the former State Security at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (now part of the fund of the Authority for Information on the Documents of the former State Security), where, with a few minor exceptions, most of them have never seen the light of publication and are made public for the first time in full.
In the mentioned file, there are the relevant facsimiles, the expert report of the investigative-operational group that was set up immediately on the morning of December 18, 1981, led by Koço Josifi (head of the Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tirana), the forensic doctors Dr. Fatos Hartito and Docent Bashkim Çuberi, the prime minister’s doctors, Milto Kostaqi and Llesh Rroku, as well as the criminalist expert from the Central Criminalistic Laboratory of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Estref Myftari, assisted by high officials of that ministry, Xhule Çiraku, Elham Gjika, and Lahedin Bardhi.
Also, in the voluminous file that we are making public, there are testimonies from the family members of former Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, from the service personnel, and his escort group, as well as from all other individuals who were summoned and testified about that event. Moreover, the documents in question, which we are publishing along with the facsimiles and relevant photos, provide more information regarding this matter.
However, even though we are dealing only with archival documents, it should be emphasized that; knowing how that system operated before the ’90s, we cannot claim absolute truth regarding what is written there, as not only from the individuals who provided their testimonies, but also from the investigators of this case, it has been made known that the testimonies were obtained under pressure, intimidation, and physical and psychological violence, with some investigators going so far as to write them themselves while the witnesses or defendants merely signed them.
Continued from the previous issue
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT, WITH THE PROTOCOL OF THE INTERROGATION OF JONUZ RUSHIT LUTO, OFFICER OF THE ESCORT GROUP OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER MEHMET SHEHU, BY THE INVESTIGATORS OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, SOKOL KOLEKA AND BASHKIM CAKA
P R O T O C O L
(OF THE WITNESS INTERROGATION)
Today, on the date 15.5.1983, in the city of Tirana.
We, Sokol Koleka and Bashkim Caka, investigators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, interrogated as a witness, Jonuz Rrushit Luto, born in 1935, with secondary education, (driver-officer), residing in Reparti 313 Tirana, convicted, expelled from the Party. Convicted for theft and smuggling………………!
The investigator warned me regarding my basic criminal responsibility under Article 202 of the Penal Code for false testimony.
Witness
Jonuz Luto
In connection with the matter, I can say the following:
I remember that in October 1981, Fiqrete spoke on the phone from the Party School with Zija Këlliçi, to send a letter and something that Skënder Shehu had forgotten to take with him when he went to Sweden. Fiqrete sent this letter or package for Skënder. I do not know what this letter or package was and I have not seen it, but I know this because Fiqrete herself told me about it, as she was handling this issue…………………!
After the 8th Congress of the Party of Labor of Albania, Fiqrete sent a letter to Skënder Shehu in Sweden with a courier from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who was taking materials for the 8th Congress of the Party of Labor of Albania there. What this letter contained and with which courier Fiqrete sent it to Skënder, I do not know…………………………………!
Regarding Fiqrete Shehu, I must say that she was like a wicked witch, and for the smallest matter, she would inform Mehmet Shehu, and together they left nothing unsaid. She and Mehmet Shehu were the main instigators of the degeneration of their children, affecting us service workers as well, causing us to commit various offenses that were punishable by state laws…………………………………………….!
I remember that in the last days before Mehmet Shehu killed himself, he and Fiqrete had become like wet chickens; they no longer yelled, did not behave as before, and asked us not to spend too much. By their orders, we often turned off most of the lights in their courtyard, etc.
In the last months of 1981, the keys to the side door of Mehmet Shehu’s house were such that one remained on the door from the inside, one with the guard officer, and then with the service officer, and finally, recently, one key was taken by Vladimir Shehu, who would come home late at night………………………..!
I often entered Mehmet Shehu’s house with Ali Çeno through the kitchen, and the service workers sometimes went to Party House No. 1 to play billiards with its waiters when there were no leaders around, etc…………………!
Ali Çeno had a close relationship with Orjon Trebicka, Vasil Lika, Mete Boni, and Përparim Turhani, who would go out together, eat, and drink, etc. In addition, Ali had close friends such as Ylli Daka, Lirim Pëllumbi, Feruz Mata, Lul Miraka, Gani Kodra, Servet Backa, Ali Kubati, Xhavit Ismailaga, etc. As Ali used to say, he often visited his father-in-law in Durrës………………………………………………..!
I also know that Ali Çeno had conversations with Kadri Hazbiu and Feçor Shehu, and recently, after Mehmet Shehu’s suicide, he was greatly assisted by Bato Karafili to avoid being expelled from the Party.
I remember that in 1981, Ali Çeno arranged to buy a motorcycle from customs, telling us escort officers that he needed it for service purposes, as at that time Skënder Shehu had also brought one from abroad. I know that Ali spoke with one of the deputy prime ministers and arranged and bought the motorcycle.
I know that in instances when Ali Çeno went abroad, he brought various items for himself without declaring them at customs, but together with packages from the family of Mehmet Shehu. They would pick them up at the “Zuk” of the Reception Directorate, with driver Jonuz Piri, or other cars, where Rruzhdi Tato, Shyqëri Uba, and Fejzo Bijo would receive them. The packages bore the number and initials ‘A. Çeno, F. Bijo’. The list with the numbers for the packages that belonged to them was kept secret by Shyqëri Uba and Ali Çeno, and after they picked up the car, they distributed them to their homes.
I know that packages were received in this manner by Fejzo Bijo, Ali Çeno, Milto Kostaqi, Dilaver Hysenbelli, Kajtaz Dhuli, etc., both when they came by plane and by car from Kapshtica, etc. I also remember that Shyqëri Uba returned in May 1981 from Paris, bringing 17 packages for his family, which were later distributed among the service staff, along with their goods………………….!
Furthermore, I know that the suppliers of the Reception Directorate, Rruzhdi Tato and Mustafa Bixhi, had previously given various items to Ali Çeno without following the rules, such as a library, clothing, etc. From these items, they also gave me, Lume Kekës, Thanas Kostës, Milto Kostaqit, and several drivers, etc.!
I want to say that Mehmet and Fiqrete Shehu, along with their family members, spent a lot on photographs for themselves and their friends, which were purchased with state funds. Additionally, they made several films, and I remember that the scripts for two documentary films about Mehmet Shehu, one titled “My Village,” and one about “hunting,” were written by Dritëro Agolli, with the text read by Virgjil Kule and edited at the University of Tirana’s laboratory.
I also know that Ismail Kadare was working on a screenplay for films being made about Mehmet Shehu; I had heard that Bashkim Shehu was also involved in this, but I don’t know what specifically was done. Recently, the officer Dashamir Rapaj was mainly dealing with the films………………………………..!
Additionally, along with Ali Çeno, in violation of established rules, I made many colored photographs that were expensive, using photographic paper in the name of Mehmet Shehu. For this, we had arranged with the laboratory staff of the photographic lab, Katjusha Kumi and Adelina Mezini………………..!
Regarding these expenses, I remember that in the house of Mehmet and Fiqrete Shehu, a lot of money was spent on food and drink, including lunches and dinners for their friends, children, relatives, and themselves. Fiqrete had also arranged with Qamil Peshqesh, who had his own family ties, and with Fejzo Bija, for part of these expenses to be paid by the Reception Directorate, supposedly for official lunches they hosted for party friends, ministers, deputy ministers, and a professor of Skënder Shehu in Sweden, etc. Naturally, when these expenses occurred, we in the service staff also ate.
I remember that in August 1980, the monthly food bill amounted to 7,000 ALL, and Fiqrete, shouting, said she would not pay it. After calling Qamil Peshqesh, she resolved this problem, but I don’t know how much she paid afterward.
I know that for the constant packages that Mehmet and Fiqrete Shehu sent to Skënder Shehu in Sweden and for the other children when they traveled abroad, such as with pork, food, etc., the Reception Directorate paid between 10 to 16 dollars for every kilogram sent………………………….!
Such expenses were made abundantly by Mehmet Shehu’s children abroad, with the Reception Directorate covering the costs. As for myself, I was punished by state laws and would make a turn away from the wrong path I had taken.
Regarding some issues, I want to mention that in April-May 1980, after Fejzo Bija, Koço Çome, Gjergj Çarçani, and Astrit Kuçani returned from abroad, who had gone to make orders for the items needed for the construction of Mehmet Shehu’s house, they brought along a lamp for themselves and a large five-armed chandelier, which they gave to me as a gift.
They brought these items into Albania in the name of the Reception Directorate, claiming they belonged to it. I do not know how they were purchased…………………………………….!
I also received some curtain rods for my house from the materials used to construct Mehmet Shehu’s house in Durrës in 1978. Additionally, in 1980, after Fejzo Bijo brought some samples of materials from abroad for Mehmet Shehu’s house in Tirana, I acquired some brackets for securing shelves, cabinets, and dressers.
I also received some metal frames for photographs from Fiqrete Shehu (as well as a mesh screen and tapes). With these items, Fiqrete Shehu and others attempted to compromise us, pushing us to commit offenses against the laws of the state; therefore, I want those items to be returned to the state……………!
I have read the protocol, and my statements are accurately recorded and are true, and I sign…………………….! /Memorie.al
Witness Investigators
Jonuz Luto Bashkim Caka Sokol Koleka
To be continued in the next issue
