By DASHNOR KALOÇI
Part Two
Memorie.al – Exactly 36 years ago, in late June and early July 1990, thousands of Albanian citizens, mainly from Tirana but also from various districts of the country, broke through the railings and walls of foreign embassies and entered their premises, seeking political asylum with the aim of leaving Albania. Regarding these events, now known as the “Embassy Event of July 2, 1990,” from that time onwards, for nearly 35 years, much has been said and written, with testimonies from the persons who entered the embassies, the main protagonists of those days’ events, or former high-ranking state officials of that time, police chiefs, etc., as well as with archival documents, mainly extracted from the Central State Archive, part of the fund of the former Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania.
But even after the publication of dozens of writings, even today, not everything that happened during those hot July days in Tirana has been clarified, such as who were the first citizens who entered the embassies, how the clash with the police began, who were the persons arrested, etc., etc. Based on this, in order to shed some light on those events, in this writing, we are publishing some archival documents extracted from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which contain secret operational communications (now declassified), where the leadership groups of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have recorded almost everything that happened during those days with the embassies, as well as the disturbances in the camps and political prisons, which showed solidarity with the events of July 2. These documents are published for the first time along with their respective facsimiles by Memorie.al.
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JUNE 22, 1990, REGARDING THE ATTEMPT OF SOME CITIZENS TO ENTER THE ARAB EMBASSY IN TIRANA
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, June 22, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 147
TIRANA
On June 22, 1990, according to preliminary information at 24:05, the police officer on duty at the Hungarian embassy observed from the terrace of the Arab ambassador’s residence that a person wearing a white shirt lowered a rope. The operative group went to the scene where the ambassador said that we will clarify it tomorrow.
(The incident to be reported urgently. The problem was clarified, Fadil Cani. Dt. June 23, 1990).
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
MAKSIM PINCI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JUNE 25, 1990, REGARDING THE ENTRY OF 6 PERSONS INTO THE ITALIAN EMBASSY WITH AN “IFA” VEHICLE
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, June 25, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 148
TIRANA
On June 23, 1990, at 21:45, 6 persons forcefully entered the territory of the Italian embassy via an IFA vehicle.
On June 24, 1990, around 20:30, two Albanian citizens entered the Turkish embassy through the wall, seeking political asylum.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
FLORJAN KOLANECI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JUNE 29, 1990, REGARDING THE ENTRY OF TWO CITIZENS INTO THE CUBAN EMBASSY IN TIRANA
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, June 29, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 152
TIRANA
On June 29, 1990, Gëzim Bedri Mullet, aged 36, miner, and Fatos Isak Kadriu, aged 36, driver at the Travelers’ Park, were detained for having entered the Cuban embassy.
On June 26, 1990, Alfred Vasil Vasili, a soldier in unit 9125 Vlorë, was detained for attempting to enter the Turkish embassy.
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FADIL CANAJ
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JUNE 30, 1990, REGARDING AN EXPLOSION AT THE “ENVER HOXHA” MUSEUM AND THE ENTRY OF 12 CITIZENS INTO THE ALGERIAN EMBASSY
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, June 30, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 153
TIRANA
On June 29, 1990, in the front part of the “Enver Hoxha” Museum, a loud blast was heard. At the scene, a metallic object measuring 6.5 cm x 2.5 cm was found, which had exploded in the air from an east-west direction. The investigation shows that the object was a flare/signalling device and is not military equipment.
On June 30, 1990, at 01:30, 12 persons (3 females) entered the Algerian embassy, breaking the windows on the second floor. They met the ambassador and are requesting to be taken out of the country.
The latter engaged in discussions and told them that he would talk with the Albanian government to give them passports according to the law in force; that you have not acted correctly, since life here in Albania is very good, do not be deceived by television. Regarding this problem, I will discuss with the comrades at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that you can leave the residence tomorrow. The readiness group went to the scene, for any eventuality.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
BESNIK CANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JULY 9, 1990, REGARDING THE DETENTION BY THE POLICE OF HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE FOREIGN EMBASSIES ACCREDITED IN TIRANA
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, July 9, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 159
TIRANA
On July 7, 1990, Vladimir Olloman Elezi, aged 28, was detained for being caught at the wall of the Italian embassy, communicating with those inside.
On July 7, 1990, 472 citizens, mainly young people, were escorted to the police precinct, caught near the embassies: Durrës 152 persons, Shkodra 130, Kruja 24, Elbasan 24, Vlora 20, Fier 15, and the remainder from the districts of Berat, Lushnje, Gjirokastër, Korçë, and Dibër.
On July 7, 1990, Pal Marash Delia, aged 33, resident of Krujë, journalist, was detained for violently opposing a police officer.
On July 8, 1990, at the Bank, the employee of the Yugoslav embassy, Shapsedin Mustafa, who was driving the vehicle TD 065, collided with the bus with plate TR 00-352. The operative group went to the scene.
On July 8, 1990, Suzana Riza Trushi, aged 31, worker, was detained for insulting the police officers at the Italian embassy.
On July 8, 1990, from the organized service for sweeping the streets, 412 persons were escorted to the precinct: Shkodra 69, Vlora 45, Mirdita 10, Lezha 12, Puka 4, Librazhd 2, Lushnja 16, Saranda 4, Erseka and Pogradec 1 each, Elbasan 47, Berat 22, Kruja 50, Korça 40, Tepelena 4, Laçi 50, Fier 21, and Burrel 4.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
RAKIP NELI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JULY 12, 1990, REGARDING THE DETENTION BY THE POLICE OF TWO CITIZENS WHO INSULTED POLICE OFFICERS AT THE ITALIAN AND TURKISH EMBASSIES
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, July 12, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 162
TIRANA
On July 11, 1990, Besnik Elmaz Shameti, aged 27, unemployed, was detained for insulting the Leader of the Party and the State in front of the Turkish embassy.
On July 11, 1990, Elisabeta Trifon Qirici, aged 27, unemployed, was detained for insulting police officers in front of the Italian embassy.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP
MIÇO NAKO
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT WITH THE OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED JULY 13, 1990, REGARDING THE DETENTION OF SOME POLISH CITIZENS WHO HAD ARRIVED AT RINAS AIRPORT
SOCIALIST PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Tirana, July 13, 1990
GENERAL DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION NO. 163
TIRANA
On July 12, 1990, 4 Poles arrived at Rinas airport on the Hungarian plane. They claim to be from the Red Cross. They had 8 sleeping bags with them with medicine, to bring to their embassy in Tirana. Upon orders from the Ministry’s leadership, visas were not issued, and they remained at the airport. Likewise, an Englishman, who says “I am a photojournalist,” and a Turk, also a journalist.
On July 31, 1990, Kujtim Bajram Meçe, aged 27, was detained for attempting to enter the Polish embassy./ Memorie.al
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ET’HEM SALLA
