Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes an archival document issued by the Central State Archive in Tirana (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which contains a report-information that belongs to 1979, where the Director of the Albanian Radio Television, Çajup Rusmajli, informs the Central Committee, regarding the television noisemakers that were being placed in Tirana for foreign channels, such as the Yugoslav ones, the Italian ones, etc. The full report of the General Director of the Albanian Radio-Television, accompanied by the relevant letter of the Chief of Press in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP, Miti Tona, sent to Hysni Kapos, where he, after confirming his signal that on 23.IX.1979 the television noisy placed on the terrace of the Hotel “Tirana”, did not work, informs him in detail, regarding the work done for the placement of television noisemakers in different points and places of the Albanian capital, Tirana, in order for them to obstruct the signal of the programs of foreign television channels.
The widespread use of television sets in the early 1970s in Albanian families was one of the only ‘windows’ to see the outside world in complete isolation where the country was under the leadership of communist dictator Enver Hoxha, for whom it was said, that; somewhere with his people and close associates, he (Enver), had expressed that he had made a mistake that had allowed the mass introduction of televisions in Albania.
Beyond how much truth there is about this, it is a fact that not only television sets were introduced en masse, but until 1973-’74, when the crackdown on the so-called “Liberal group in art and culture” began, with led by Todi Lubonja and Fadil Paçrami, foreign television stations, mainly Italian and Yugoslav, as well as a few Greek ones in the South of Albania, were watched en masse and without any problems.
They were not allowed, but neither were they forbidden. Their ban began after 1974-75, when official propaganda announced the action, or more precisely the “initiative” to remove TV antennas for foreign stations. But this was never done with repressive measures, as the regime itself took care to “solve” it with the help of television noisemakers, which at that time grew everywhere in all cities of Albania, placing them at the height of buildings. different. Apparatus which the people of Shkodra, with their biting irony, labeled as “bullet cages”, as they kept very passionate about these birds on the roofs of their palaces.
These sounding devices in Tirana were commanded by the Albanian Radio-Television, while in different districts of the country, from South to North, by special persons authorized by RTSH. The noise-canceling devices were turned off only during the news programs, which were said to be followed by the senior leadership of the ALP and also that they served RTSH for any recording, mainly for news from the world.
(It was said that there was only one exception, where TV noises should be turned on immediately even during the news show, when news was announced about the head of the Vatican, Pope John Paul II, whose images categorically should not be seen in the territory of Socialist People’s Republic of Albania).
But even the installation of noise-canceling devices again did not “solve” the big problem that the communist regime of Enver Hoxha had for “stopping foreign propaganda and ideology”, because even though it forced Albanian families to remove the antennas they had outside apartments, such as terraces, balconies, roofs, etc., at that time the solution was found with small “room” antennas, inside the premises of houses, or with the famous “cans” which were known differently by Albanians, also as a “second group”.
But there were also “problems” with the noisemakers, as the persons who were authorized to turn them on and off, sometimes “erred” for minutes, leaving the extinguishing appliance off after the news schedule of the Italian and Yugoslav channels, or the apparatus of ” their power was cut off, which did not pass without consequences for the directors of the Albanian Radio Television.
But the biggest problem or rather heresy was not turning on the noise-canceling devices, when the figure of Pope John Paul II would appear on the screen, for which a “guard person” was appointed on the Albanian Radio-Television, who monitored in 24 hours of uninterrupted news broadcasts. But even with these strict measures, “human errors” still occurred, where the noisemakers did not turn on when Pope John Paul II appeared on the screen.
It is said that this caused a real “earthquake” and the work went to Enver Hoxha, who did not charge Ramiz Alia to deal with the problem in question that belonged to his sector of propaganda, art and culture, but he called Hysni Kapon “To pursue that”, who as secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, covered the organs of the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”, such as: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, State Security, Prosecution, Investigation, Courts, etc.
Related to this is the document that is being published for the first time in the pages of this book, where on March 26, 1979, the main noise in the city of Tirana did not work and Hysni Kapo pulled the “ear” of the Chief of Press of The Central Committee, Miti Tona, who also “attracted the attention” of the leaders of the Albanian Radio-Television.
The event with the problem in question, at that time forced the General Director of the Albanian Radio and Television, Çajup Rusmajli, to compile a report-information for the Central Committee of the ALP, reporting in detail on the problem of noise devices that were installed at that time in Tirana, a report which Memorie.al publishes in full in this article of the dossier section.
Letter from the Chief of Press to the Apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP, Our Myth for Hysni Kapon
Comrade Hysni
As you told us, the anti-Yugoslav television program on March 23 did not work. We drew the attention of Comrade Çajup and asked that this not be repeated.
Attached are the measures that have been taken and will be taken.
Miti Tona
26.3.1979
Information of the Director of the Albanian Radio-Television, Çajup Rusmajli, for the Central Committee of the ALP
I N F O R M A C I O N
ON THE DECISION AND FUNCTIONING OF PROGRAM OBSTACLES
YUGOSLAV AND ITALIAN TELEVISION
IN TIRANA
- On March 23, 1979, the obstruction of the second and first Yugoslav program, located in the Grand Hotel, did not work. It was found that the equipment was in order but lacking electricity. The power supply to this hotel has not stabilized and the assembly company has not yet delivered the electrical cabin. We talked to the assembly company, which has not yet submitted the work to prevent power outages, while one of our engineers was assigned to have the obstructors under constant surveillance.
- Although we have placed six obstructors of the first Yugoslav program (1 in the Bread Factory, 2 in the Kamza Hills, 1 in the Grand Hotel, 1 in the Civil Hospital, 1 in the Palace of Culture), still in some areas of Tirana they watch Yugoslav programs. We have checked the effect of interceptors with external TV antennas and found that the Yugoslav program is obstructed, but there are viewers who use indoor antennas as well as some wave propagation properties and thus reduce the effect of noise.
By May 1, we will install 3-4 more barriers to increase the disruptive effect of the first Yugoslav program.
For the obstruction of the second canal of Yugoslavia, we have placed two obstructors which in general have a good effect, but nevertheless there are areas, especially on the side of Tirana, that we do not manage to obstruct. We planned to install 2-3 other obstacles, but so far we have not realized them, because we did not have powerful lamps. We talked about this with our comrades in the Army, who promised us, but have not yet been able to provide it.
3. The Italian program on channel E5 is seen with a good antenna mainly in the upper part of Tirana, especially in the summer months. The blocking of this program can not be done because it would also prevent the rebroadcast of Italian news by repeaters, as well as the recording of some programs that we do from Italy for our needs.
In these conditions, we are of the opinion that this channel should not be obstructed. Memorie.al
Çajup Rusmajli
Tirana, March 26, 1979
