Dashnor Kaloçi
Second part
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents labeled “Top secret”, extracted from the Central State Archive in Tirana (the fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which belong to the year 1979 and are part of a file where a long correspondence with letters, reports, relations, information, instructions, notes, orders, etc., between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana, the apparatus of the Council of Ministers and the Central Committee of the PPSh, (according to the Sector of Relations with Abroad), where the head of that sector, Piro Bita, informs the secretaries of the Central Committee, Hysni Kapo and Ramiz Alina, the Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nesti Nase and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Kadri Hazbiu, regarding the problem that had appeared in the Albanian embassy in Belgrade, between its two main holders, Ambassador Sokrat Plaka and the first secretary of that embassy, Perlat Çaushi, (who was the head of Foreign Intelligence at that diplomatic mission) , who for a long time were involved in a fierce conflict with each other, dividing the staff of that embassy into two groups, where the technical staff supported Ambassador Plaka, while the diplomatic staff supported Çaushi! Full report-information drawn up by the head of the Foreign Sector, of the apparatus of the Central Committee of the PPSh,
Continues from the previous issue
The highly secret document with the information report prepared by the head of the Foreign Sector of the PPSh Central Committee, Piro Bita, for Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, regarding the conflict between the two main holders of the Albanian embassy in Belgrade, Sokrat Plaka and Perlat Çaushi.
Friend Mehmet
Comrade Hysni, he asked me to prepare this information for you. I have summarized from the materials that are in the Central Committee those issues that have some importance.
Pirro Bita
Tirana 21.7.1977
Top Secret
On the disagreements between friends Sokrat Plaka and Perlat Çaushi.
A few months ago, Comrade Sokrat Plaka, ambassador in Belgrade, informed Comrade Nesti Nase that serious disagreements had arisen between him and Comrade Perlat Çaushi, who is the First Secretary and responsible for the residency at that embassy. Comrade Hysni and Comrade Ramiz charged Comrades Kadri Hazbiu and Nesti Nase, to deal with this issue.
He was called to Tirana and Perlat Çaushi. Comrade Kadri and Comrade Nesti reported to the Central Committee that these two quarreled mainly because of work, but these quarrels had taken on a deep personal character and were greatly damaging the work of the embassy.
Comrade Sokrat Plaka suspected that Comrade Perlat Çaushi was “making trouble for him”. He had a mania for political persecution and suspected that the center no longer trusted him. He emphasized that “I don’t know what Perlati has reported to the center about the internal affairs of the embassy”.
While friend Perlat Çaushi said that: “The Center is not well informed by Socrates, who seeks glory.” Among other things, he adds that: “Socrates looks at the correct information and sends it to the center, the information he receives from bad Yugoslav people. He appropriates the work of others.”
It was seen that they did not believe, and even despised each other. The method of their work at the embassy, especially that of Socrates, had manifestations of bureaucratism, which were observed in the numerous and long meetings, in the creation and keeping of unnecessary files, in wasting time on side problems, in useless studies, etc.
The report for the annual analysis of the representative office was not prepared collegially. It was good for Perlat that this weak report passed to the employees’ meeting. Comrade Kadri and Comrade Nesti pointed out that they both do not have the right concepts about the role of the basic organization and about the norms of the party.
Sokrat Plaka, is ideologically shallow, has pronounced manifestations of bureaucratism and intellectualism, and does not properly help his friends, especially those of discovery. “You State Security have a heavy shadow,” he said. While he does not trust Perlat, he has familiarized himself with the technical staff.
Even Perlati has ideological shallowness, is conceited and hardly accepts criticism. He has fallen into unhealthy familiarity with colleagues in the Discovery sector. In the annual analysis of the representative office, he took an ironic stance, he accepted unjust accusations about Socrates, his suspicions about Socrates are with strong doses of suspicion and revenge, he did not judge with partisanship.
It was decided that their work would also be judged by the grassroots organization, in order for them to deepen the self-criticism they started in Tirana. For this purpose, comrades Bato Karafili and Peçi Orgocka were sent to Belgrade, who came to the conclusion that what is mentioned above is fully proven.
These comrades also noticed that serious efforts have been made in this embassy to find implementation of the decisions of the 7th Congress of the ALP, the orientations of the Party for our relations with Yugoslavia and Kosovo have been implemented, there are results in the field of information, trade, propaganda, etc.
On the other hand, not all problems and comrades have been subjected to the control of the basic organization. There are violations of party norms and liberalism in criticism. The basic organization was divided into two parts, on one side Sokrati with the technical staff, and on the other side Perlati with the diplomats.
Several flaws were noted in the embassy’s working method. They are not broken down properly, the tasks that are taken from the center, the monthly plans were not well studied, there is more than necessary in the office, this is the most pronounced thing in Socrates, diplomats are often carried away by their daily work, there is a violation of the preservation of the secret.
In this embassy, there are manifestations of dicasterianism and this is one of the causes of disagreements. The comrades there criticized the relevant departments that in their requests for NATO, the Warsaw Treaty, Kosovo, approximately the same studies and information are required, both from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from the Directorate of Political Intelligence.
They criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade for the poor help they are giving to embassies. Regarding their quarrels, Sokrat Plaka and Perlat Çaushi said that after returning from Tirana, they were fine and that they had benefited from the criticism there. But in fact, they both look down on each other.
Analysis of the work shows that Socrates is an active man. He admits that he is arrogant, that he has merit after graduating from the school of Diplomacy, that he monopolizes work, that he does not exercise enough control over his colleagues in the Intelligence sector, etc.
These manifestations of his bureaucratism and intellectualism were also criticized in the meeting of the basic organization, but his self-criticism was not deep.
Perlati also works and helps to solve problems, especially those of residency. But he, too, is conceited and arrogant, and insists on his ideas even when he knows they are wrong. He does not criticize his colleagues in his sector and hardly accepts criticism towards him.
It does not go well with the incumbent and has ideological shallowness as it narrowly conceives the role of the party’s basic organization. For these reasons, Comrade Hysni and Comrade Ramiz ordered the following measures to be taken:
Sokrat Plaka, Perlat Çaushi, and Halit Çoku, to return to their homeland. After 3-4 months, Sokrati will come, followed by Perlati, and then Haliti, to finish with the Trade Advisor, and the Secretary of the Basic Organization.
To gradually return and replace all those staff and employees who have many years of service abroad (Bido Mehmetaj has 8 years, Selim Malaj, Idajet Gurra, Ramadan Mici, and Hysni Luga, have 4-5 years) due to the carelessness of the relevant departments .
The Apparatus of K.Q. was charged. of the APS, and the relevant departments to make proposals on strengthening this representation with trained staff, and to take the necessary measures for the further stabilization of the work of the embassy in Belgrade. Memorie.al
Head of the Foreign Sector of K.Q. of ALP
Pirro Bita
14.7.1977
