From DASHNOR KALOÇI
Memorie.al / The regulatory plan of Tirana and especially its center with “Skanderbeg Square” and the main axis from the corpus of the State University of Tirana up to the former Train Station, connected via “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard and “Zogu i Parë,” which after the 1990s have often been objects of “war” between governments led by the Democratic Party and those of the Socialist Party, is not an unfamiliar “melody” at all. Because the center of the Albanian capital, and in particular “Skanderbeg” Square, has been an extremely important, even major, problem even before the 1990s, during the communist regime period, where for the interventions, constructions, adaptations, demolitions, various adjustments, and reconfiguration made to that square (which was designed and built as early as the mid-1930s by the famous Italian architects Florestano de Fausto, Gherardo Bosio, and Armando Brasini), the opinion, or more precisely the approval, was given by the head of the communist state himself, Enver Hoxha, and after his death, his successor Ramiz Alia.
Among other things, this is also made known by several rare photographs from January 1975, where Enver Hoxha, together with members of the Political Bureau, are discussing in very high tones in front of the model of the Regulatory Plan of Tirana and mainly of the capital’s center and “Skanderbeg Square,” following the decision taken by the government of Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu to demolish the building of the Executive Committee (the former Municipality building from the Monarchy period) and to construct the building of the National Historical Museum there.
So major was that regulatory plan of the capital that Enver Hoxha himself and the entire Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH (its members and candidates) participated, starting with Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, and so on; Adil Çarçani, Ramiz Alia, Manush Myftiu, Koço Theodhosi, Spiro Koleka, Haki Toska, Rita Marko, Kadri Hazbiu, Pilo Peristeri, Pirro Dodbiba, and Petro Dode. (Of the Bureau members, only Avdyl Këllezi is absent.)
Likewise, present there are also the Minister of Construction, Rrahman Hanku, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Tirana District, Ndue Marashi, the Chief Architect of the Executive Committee, Faik Alimehmeti, the Director of the Institute of Designs No. 1, Sokrat Mosko, as well as a lady, who most likely must have been the technical secretary of the Design Office attached to the Tirana Executive Committee.
As can be seen from all 15 photographs, with a few small exceptions, all published for the first time, the main leader of communist Albania, Enver Hoxha, appears extremely concerned, even at times disfigured, as he looks at the model of the capital’s regulatory plan, not only walking around all four sides of the platform where it (the model) is placed, but also leaning over it and pointing with his hand at specific objects.
It is not known precisely what problem existed there, or more precisely what the reason was that caused Enver Hoxha’s fury, which naturally was also reflected in all the members of the Political Bureau, starting with Ramiz Alia, Adil Çarçani, Manush Myftiu, Rita Marko, Koço Theodhosi, etc., who stand as if frozen and only observe with astonishment the debate and discussions between Enver Hoxha and Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, or the explanations and clarifications of the Chief Architect of the Executive Committee of the Tirana District, Faik Alimehmeti, who unlike all the other participants in that hall, appears quite calm. In fact, in his portrait, one can clearly see an “Olympic calm,” as if he is not the “student” being examined, but the “professor” examining the “students”?
Likewise, Hysni Kapo appears quite calm, which, in addition to his high position as the number 2 figure of the party (after Enver Hoxha), apparently also has to do with his lack of responsibility for the problems being discussed there, which fell upon Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, as well as his subordinates, Deputy Prime Minister Spiro Koleka, the Minister of Construction, Rrahman Hanku, and down to the Chairman of the Tirana Executive Committee, Ndue Marashi, who almost throughout the entire time the discussions around the model of the capital’s regulatory plan continue, are seen with notebooks in hand taking notes. Likewise, taking notes and with documents in hand, the renowned architect and urban planner, Prof. Dr. Sokrat Mosko, who at that time held the position of Director of the Institute of Designs No. 1 in Tirana, is also seen in one photograph.
Another thing that is noticeable in the photographs in question is the hall where the three platforms with the flat tables holding the model of the capital’s regulatory plan are placed (the hall of the Executive Committee), where several wall stands are missing, and Enver Hoxha with all the other participants in that working meeting are forced to view the projects with the capital’s planimetry, spread open on some armchairs found at the edge of the hall (next to its walls), while the Chief Architect of Tirana, Faik Alimehmeti, gives his explanations and answers the questions of Enver Hoxha, or even Mehmet Shehu, who, like Enver Hoxha, is the only one leaning over the model, pointing at or touching the cardboard objects with his hand.
Regarding the discussions that took place in that hall of the Tirana Executive Committee, which would be demolished shortly afterwards (to make way for the National Historical Museum), nothing is known with precision, as to this day no archival document with the minutes of that working meeting has been published, and likewise, none of those characters from the top communist leadership of the PPSH, etc., who were present there, have given any public testimony after the 1990s. / Memorie.al
