By Dashnor Kaloçi
Part Two
Memorie.al – Throughout the nearly 45-year period of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha and his successor, Ramiz Alia, from the beginning of 1945 until 1991, Albania’s territorial waters – from the northernmost tip near Franz Josef Island of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, down to Cape Stillo at the country’s southernmost point on the border with Greece – witnessed hundreds of cross-border maritime incidents, as they were frequently violated by foreign ships and other floating vessels, such as motorboats, skiffs, yachts, etc., belonging to various states. These ranged from those of neighboring countries – Greek, Italian, and Yugoslav – to Israeli, American, and Soviet vessels, which for official Tirana and its leader, Enver Hoxha, were considered the three most hostile countries, with which the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania had no – and categorically refused to establish – official relations.
Continued from the previous issue...
If we take a look at the archival documents containing the operational communiqués of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it appears that the violation of territorial waters by foreign ships was most pronounced from 1968 until 1990, when the ruling communist regime began to waver, a situation that ultimately led to its downfall in early 1991. Throughout this entire period, the area with the most maritime incidents and where the most foreign ships and motorboats were captured turns out to be the zone around Sazan Island and along the coast of Vlora, from Porto-Palermo and Zvërnec up to near the mouth of the Seman River.
Given the situation of those years – now known as the Cold War period – almost all foreign ships and watercraft that violated Albanian territorial waters were considered “hostile” by the ruling communist regime, and “they came for reconnaissance and sabotage purposes,” which led to them being pursued and escorted by ships of the Albanian Naval Fleet (torpedo boats) to the nearest ports, such as Saranda, Vlora, Durrës, and Shëngjin. Regarding these and other matters, we are informed by a number of secret archival documents (now declassified), extracted from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which are published for the first time with their respective facsimiles by Memorie.al.
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED JANUARY 9, 1971, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF THE TURKISH VESSEL “ISMAIL GILJE GLU SOMSUN” IN THE BAY OF SAZAN
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 9.1.1971
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 8
VLORA
On 8.1.1971, at 24:00, a Turkish vessel named “Ismail Gilje – Glu Somsun”, due to bad weather, entered the Bay of Sazan in Vlora and requested shelter, dropping anchor. A patrol boat from our naval fleet went to the spot and invited it to come to port, but the Turkish crew refused, whereupon our patrol boat remained on guard duty. At 06:40 on 9.1.1971, it raised anchor and set course to leave. The Ministry of People’s Defence was notified. After 5 hours, the Turkish vessel refused to return to the port of Vlora. The matter is being followed up by the 3rd Branch. The comrade minister was notified by the Director of the 1st Directorate.
9/1/1971 DEPUTY DIRECTOR
PETRIT HAKANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED JANUARY 23, 1971, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF THE GREEK VESSEL “SHËN – SOFIA” BETWEEN SAZAN AND KARABURUN
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 23.1.1971
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 19
VLORA
On 22.1.1971, at 09:00, the Greek vessel “Shën Sofia”, which was travelling from Greece to Italy loaded with manganese, entered our territorial waters in the channel between Karaburun and Sazan. The vessel has a crew of 9 persons; they claim they came there due to bad weather and request our assistance. The vessel has been kept at anchorage under the control of our warships until the matter is clarified.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
PETRIT HAKANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED FEBRUARY 3, 1971, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF THE ITALIAN VESSEL “KINIFORD” NEAR SAZAN ISLAND
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 3.2.1971
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 27
VLORA
The Italian tanker “Kiniford” with a crew of 10, travelling from Constanța, Romania, to Venice, at around 10:00 on 2.2.1973 [*translator’s note: likely a typo for 1971 in the original*], entered our waters 2 miles from Sazan and set course for Durrës. Near the mouth of the Vjosa River, 3 miles from the coast, it was intercepted by a flotilla of our forces and escorted to Vlora. They claim they entered our waters due to bad weather, which is also confirmed by our competent authorities. On the afternoon of the above date, the vessel was released to its destination.
DIRECTOR
Pilo Shanto
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED APRIL 13, 1985, REGARDING THE RUSSIAN MERCHANT VESSEL “BALTIK”, WHICH HAD ENTERED THE BAY OF RODON
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 13.4.1985
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 86
LEZHA
On 12.4.1985, at 22:00, the Shëngjin Naval Fleet reported that a foreign merchant vessel coming from the North had entered the Bay of Cape Rodon due to bad weather. After verification, it turned out that the vessel is the Russian transport “Baltik”, loaded with grain, with 18 crew members, which had come from Bari and was sailing to Odesa. It remains anchored due to the bad weather.
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS DATED APRIL 15, 1985, NOTIFYING OF A SOVIET TANKER THAT HAD ENTERED OUR TERRITORIAL WATERS NEAR KSAMIL
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 15.4.1985
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 84
Dt. 14.4.1985
08:15
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 87
SARANDA
On 14.4.1985, at 07:45, we were notified by the Navy that at Bearing 190, distance 3, (opposite Ksamili), a Soviet tanker had entered our waters. On our side, a patrol boat with a motorboat went out, with great caution, to escort it so that it would leave our waters. The Soviet vessel is moving in a North-Westerly direction.
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED APRIL 11, 1986, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF AN ITALIAN MOTORBOAT NEAR SAZAN ISLAND
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 11.4.1986
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 86
On 11.4.1986, at 21:30, on the western side of Sazan Island, near the shore, a foreign motorboat was docked and was escorted by an Army patrol boat to the Port of Vlora. On board were a young man and a young woman, Italian citizens: Marco Govani, 27 years old, senior veterinarian, and Rita Gethi, 26 years old, resident of Ferrara, Italy, senior economist. They claim they were forced to dock because the sea was rough. They were travelling from Corfu to Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. During the inspection of the motorboat, nothing suspicious was found. They admit they made a mistake and await any measure. The Fleet comrades say the sea was rough, impassable for this type of motorboat.
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED JUNE 8, 1986, REGARDING TWO AMERICAN VESSELS SAILING SEVERAL MILES NEAR THE MOUTHS OF THE SHKUMBIN AND SEMAN RIVERS
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 8.6.1986
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 134
VLORA
On 7.6.1986, at 13:30, two American vessels were detected at sea, moving from north to south, in the direction of the Shkumbin River; they were 8.5 miles from the shore, while in the direction of the Seman estuary, 22 miles. The Ministry of People’s Defence was notified to take appropriate measures.
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED OCTOBER 18, 1986, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF AN ITALIAN MOTORBOAT AT THE MOUTH OF THE ISHËM RIVER
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 18.10.1986
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 247
DURRËS
On 17.10.1986, near the mouth of the Ishëm River, a foreign motorboat was detected approaching the shore up to the shallows, with its engine off. An operational group composed of border comrades and the Port Directorate went to the spot; it turned out that the motorboat belongs to the ALB-TRANS Company, dispatched from Italy to Durrës, about which the Durrës port authorities had been aware. The motorboat had a motor defect and was therefore towed.
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED NOVEMBER 27, 1988, REGARDING A VESSEL FLYING THE LIBYAN FLAG THAT ENTERED THE PORT OF VLORA
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 27.11.1988
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 283
VLORA
On 26.11.1988, a vessel flying the Libyan flag arrived at the port of Vlora, with a crew of 23 persons, including one woman, of whom 18 were Israelis, 2 Russians, 4 Portuguese, and 1 Yugoslav. The purpose of the arrival was to load gasoline. During the inspection, two Belgian pistols with 100 rounds, 2 Soviet automatic rifles, and one light machine gun with 1,092 rounds were found on board. Initially they hesitated to surrender, but later the weapons were taken into custody and measures were taken to secure the vessel.
HEAD OF THE DIRECTION GROUP
FERDI HAXHIU
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WITH OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ DATED DECEMBER 31, 1986, REGARDING THE APPREHENSION OF TWO ITALIAN FISHING BOATS NEAR SAZAN
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Secret
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND STUDIES Tirana, 31.12.1986
OPERATIONAL COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 134
VLORA
On 30.12.1986, at 21:45, the torpedo patrol boat of the BUD [Naval Base], at a distance of 280 degrees, captured two Italian fishing boats in our waters, 6 miles west of Sazan, with a crew of 8 persons. They were escorted to the port of Vlora at 01:45 on 31.12.1986. /Memorie.al
HEAD OF THE GENERAL BRANCH
BAUDIN KAZANI
