By Dashnor Kaloçi
The first part
Ramiz Alia: “For now only we know the health condition of Comrade Enver, no one else, so no one should find out”!
Memorie.al / Exactly 39 years ago, at midnight on April 11, 1985, after two days in a coma, the main leader of communist Albania, dictator Enver Hoxha, the man who had ruled his country with an iron hand, died. , since November 1944, when he came to power immediately after the departure of the German forces, which also marked the end of the War. His death also came as a result of a disease (diabetes), which had appeared to him since the first years after the war, which also caused an acute heart attack, which he suffered in 1973, narrowly escaping death. , but since the beginning of the 80s, he became extremely irritated, giving him many complications, this also led to his death at midnight on April 11, 1985.
But the deterioration of Enver Hoxha’s health began in the first days of February 1984, which caused a real alarm among the “leadership comrades”, making Ramiz Alia, the man whom Enver, after the elimination, – Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, in December 1981, had “baptized and promoted him as his successor, to gather several times in working meetings the members and candidates of the Political Bureau, to inform them about the serious health situation, which is the “Commander” passed, or communicated from time to time, about his illness and the “measures the Party was taking” to overcome that extremely difficult situation.
Among other things, this fact is made known by some documents with the motto “Highly secret of a special importance”, extracted from the Archive of the former Central Committee of the APS, (Fund 14, App. O.U)
The first thing that stands out from these documents and the minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau, held on February 17, 1984, is the fact that Ramiz Alia had already taken the “reins” of the Albanian state and in some way he was already the “de facto” head of the Labor Party of Albania, deciding everything himself. And the other thing that can be noticed in these documents is the great preoccupation of Ramiz Ali and all the “friends of the leadership” to keep Enver’s illness and his health condition as secret as possible.
After making a summary of the health condition of Enver Hoxha and the team of Albanian doctors who were engaged in that direction, Ramiz Alia discussed with the “friends of the Bureau” also about the possibility of bringing some specialist doctors from abroad, mainly from France, but it was not accepted by Enver himself, nor by Ramizi and Nexhmija, as they were afraid of the news of the world press, because a Greek newspaper had written that Enver Hoxha had died.
Based on this, in those meetings, Ramiz Alia ordered the “friends of the Bureau” to be careful in maintaining the secret “about Comrade Enver’s health”, not even to talk to their family members at home or in public , keep laughing, so that the people do not understand anything.
But for more, we are familiar with the following documents with the minutes of the meetings of the Political Bureau of February 17 and November 11, 1984, which we are publishing.
ARCHIVE DOCUMENT WITH THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU, FEBRUARY 17, 1984, ABOUT ENVER’S ILLNESS
“Top secret, of special importance”
Minutes of the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party of Labor of Albania, dated February 17, 1984.
This meeting was called today at around 1:30 pm by Comrade Ramiz Alia, with the members and candidates of the Political Bureau who are in Tirana, to inform them about a disturbing health phenomenon that happened to Comrade Enver yesterday at around 5 pm.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: I called you a little while ago, friends, to inform you about the state of health of Comrade Enver. The general state of his health, you know, but yesterday around 5-5:30 p.m. he had an unpleasant phenomenon, a slight ischemia in the form of a spasm, which caused some difficulty in his right hand and arm and in the left leg. The doctors were immediately called, with whom I also met. In general, after their intervention, the situation stabilized and improved somewhat since last night.
I went to see him now, after the meeting of the Secretariat that we had today. As soon as I entered, my friend Enver saw me and asked me if we made the meeting. Without going into details, I replied that we did and it went very well. That’s all I told him and I apologized to all of you, I didn’t linger any longer. As it appears today, Comrade Enver’s condition is somewhat good, an improvement after so far, that these types of phenomena, such as spasms or ischemia, happen to be repeated. Therefore, now all the efforts, so to speak, are being made to dominate the situation, to avoid repetitions.
RAMIZ ALIA: Ajli Alushani together with the doctors is closely monitoring the situation. For this purpose, a group of specialist doctors from various fields was immediately created with all the appropriate tools available, at the head of which is the Minister of Health, Ajli Alushani. He went to the country from the beginning and continues to stay there with all the other doctors, who are providing Comrade Enver with all the necessary services.
Comrade Enver’s health condition, as can be seen, has a trend and is moving towards improvement. Now the whole war, all efforts and therapies are being done first, to dominate the situation, as I said, so that there is no repetition of these disturbing phenomena. The second goal is to avoid, if possible, the consequences that the heart disease can cause and not to burden the heart. Comrade Enver has no heart problems.
A few years ago, as we know, there was a small episode and he was complaining, but in general his heart is now in good condition. However, the worrying risk that the weakening of the organism itself can cause consequences in this organ. In short, this is the state of health of Comrade Enver, since yesterday afternoon when the disturbing phenomena appeared.
Rather, I don’t know what to tell you. We will follow his condition and with the efforts that are being made, we will see what he has specifically, because what exactly is this phenomenon, it is not yet clear whether we are facing ischemia, a simple spasm or something else.
This is exactly what the doctors are looking at. They are taking care and will do all the services properly. Before such a situation, to tell you the truth, I considered it necessary to inform you friends that I could not bear this great concern alone.
I would also like to point out to you that for now only we who are here know about this event, no one else, so no one should know about this matter. We can talk to each other; the point is not to make a habit of it and to have conversations where we can, especially in places where there may be others besides us.
LOYAL COMRADE BESNIK BEKTESHI: For example, when we talk to each other on the phone, there is no need to ask how you are, let’s not ask such questions at all. When we meet and are alone is another matter.
COMRADE HEKURAN ISAI: The main thing now is to stop the disease process.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: That matters. Here, now that I was there and met with Comrade Enver, as I saw his condition which is better, I sat a little in his armchair, although I did not stay long, I informed him a little about the meeting.
COMRADE MANUSH MYFTIU: There are not a few cases of such phenomena in our country, but when they are caught in time and treated, they do not leave any marks.
FRIEND LENKA CUKO: Bile does not leave marks even in old age.
COMRADE HEKURAN ISAI: There are cases when some people fall two or three times in a row and overcome the crisis.
COMRADE MANUSH MYFTIU: Well, I have my brother who had a stroke and although he is 58 years old, he is back to normal. Such phenomena pass, if treated with care.
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: I have full confidence that Enver will pass this condition.
COMRADE ADIL CHARCANI: They pass, they pass. Comrade Enver will surely pass it too.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: As I said comrades, we will stand on their heads. The team of doctors who are there will provide all the services. I only let you know about this situation. Of our best doctors, only Petrit Gaçe is not at the moment, because he is abroad, but he too will return tonight or tomorrow, although in the current state there is no work for him.
COMRADE LENKA CUKO: However, he should come back soon and be here, because he is the best specialist we have for these types of diseases.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: So, so far this is the situation. If there’s anything else, I’ll keep you posted as and when I need to. In this case, I think there is no need to make any decision. The group of doctors is made up of our best specialists. Yesterday we also called Bajram Preza, neurologist specialist, so that he could discuss this issue with others.
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: We can immediately bring from abroad any kind of necessary preparation that the doctors may need.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: If there is a need, not only the preparation, but everything else necessary that may be needed, we bring it from abroad for this occasion.
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: There may also be a need for a specialist.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: We will also look at this matter, but of course such a thing has another side that must be looked at.
COMRADE BESNIK BEKTESHI: This is the other side of the coin. Vigilance is needed.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: You must be convinced, comrades, that we will take all the necessary and appropriate measures, but I emphasize once again, let’s keep in mind that the problem is very serious, that there have been rumors, no our people will find out, most likely.
Why do I say this? Because they talk. And what do I tell you? Let me start with myself. Maybe the friends who were with me at the Central Committee meeting today did not notice that I couldn’t hold myself back. Involuntarily, I spoke in a slightly irritated tone and was not in the mood. I did not express them in my usual tone. But the other one, of psychology.
COMRADE SIMON STEFANI: That’s the way Comrade Ramiz is, that’s why we should try to be careful with the humor in this case, not to change it from the usual one.
COMRADE SIMON STEFANI: We must be very careful in our attitudes.
COMRADE SIMON STEFANI: That our people know our nature.
COMRADE LENKA CUKO: All of us who were at the meeting of the Central Committee tried not to give ourselves up.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: Last night, when I came home looking at me without humor, the girl asked me “What’s up daddy”? I had a job with friend Enver – I answered – and that’s how I ended this conversation. People look at you when you are not in your usual mood.
COMRADE BESNIK BEKTESHI: They asked you because they didn’t see you in your usual mood.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: Therefore, let’s also take this aspect into account, that the problem is very serious and if words are opened, trouble can be caused to the Party. Words have been spoken other times, but to shut people up, they told Comrade Enver to go to a public meeting, so that he could take the television, so people calmed down.
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: This issue has come before us several times.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: I had this to say to you friends, what else can I tell you?!
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: Our great wish is that Comrade Enver overcomes this condition as soon as possible.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: Nexhmija told me that Enveri could not move either his arm or his leg.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: It will pass; I have the conviction that it will pass. Here I am telling you that compared to yesterday afternoon, his condition today has many changes for the better. Second, from what the doctors told me at the beginning, to be honest, I had formed a different vision, a bit pessimistic, that Comrade Enver’s condition seemed more serious. Even Nexhmija, when she called me yesterday on the phone to go quickly and I immediately ran there, although I did not see my friend Enver, because I did not enter the room.
At that time, she told me that he could not move his hand, his arm, or his right leg. But after two hours the situation started to change positively. But today, when I saw it with my own eyes, I did not find the situation disturbing, on the contrary, it seemed good. It goes without saying that Comrade Enver is also a patient, these types of diseases are like that, but the fact is that today when he saw me, he asked me about the meeting and as I told you, I told him.
COMRADE ADIL ÇARÇANI: The important thing is that the turn for the better has begun.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: That’s right, the turnaround has started well.
COMRADE ADIL CHARCANI: The doctors immediately dominated the situation and this is very important.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: They dominated that the measures were taken quickly.
COMRADE BESNIK BEKTESHI: Speed in these cases is of great importance in taking measures.
COMRADE LENKA CUKO: Now the doctors who are working there should be ordered for what we said that they and others enter and leave there and the word opens.
COMRADE RAMIZ ALIA: We have taken measures for everything there, both for the doctors and for the service personnel. However, we must be very careful in this matter. Alright friends, that’s it. Memorie.al
Tirana, on 18.2.1984.
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