Dashnor Kaloçi
Part twenty-one
Memorie.al/ publishes some archival documents issued by the institution of the Authority for Information of Former State Security Files, where is the voluminous file (forms, investigative and court), of Myrteza Bajraktari originating from Gostivar, who after finishing school high school in the city of Tetovo, in 1952, began his higher studies at the University of Skopje, in the branch of Philosophy, where in addition to teaching he was employed as a journalist in the newspaper “Flaka e Vllaznimit” published in Skopje, from where he was fired soon after, he published an article where he was openly against the displacement of Yugoslav Albanians to Turkey and as a result, he was appointed as a teacher in the 7-year school “Shaban Zeneli” in Kumanovo. Myrtezai was arrested by the UDB in 1952, after he was part of a secret organization called the ‘Albanian National-Democratic Organization’, and he was sentenced to seven years in political prison, which he served in the Nis prison and Idrizovo. Escape from Yugoslavia and coming to Albania, where after staying for some time in the internment camp in Seman of Fier, he was given the right to high school, graduating from the University of Tirana in Language and Literature, but after refusing the appointment in the city of Berat, in 1971, he was arrested and sentenced to seven years in political prison, on charges of “agitation and propaganda”. Release from prison and leaving without work until the collapse of the communist regime and his appointment as Consul General of Albania in Switzerland, until 1993, and then his election as Honorary President of the Albanian League in the World, for the countries of Benelux, where he worked for the cause of Kosovo, until he passed away on December 11, 2020. The entire complete file of Myrteza Bajraktari, with the names of officials and officers of the State Security, the nicknames of collaborators, “colleagues” and The “compatriots” who followed and monitored him, the provocateurs in the investigation cells, the witnesses who appeared in court, the letters sent to Enver Hoxha and the high official instances where he demanded his innocence, etc., etc., are published for the first time by Memorie .al
Continued from the previous issue
The secret document with the report-information prepared by the Deputy Director of the III Directorate of State Security, Haki Keta, regarding the complaints and requests submitted by the former political prisoner, Myrteza Bajraktari
SECRET
Examples No. 1.
Temporary, 2 years
Tirana, on 5/8/1974
I N F O R M A T I O N
On 7/31/1974, in a meeting we had with Myrteza Bajraktari, a former convict of three years with the group of Kapllan Resuli, he said, among other things: “I want my moral-political figure to be clarified. I want to be clear about where I am.
Once this is done, I am ready to be put at the disposal of the Party and of power, for all the cardinal things, not only with my person, but with all the members of the family, outside and inside. I have reason for doubt. From my file, I have two documents, which are not good. In 1966, before I went to college, I was asked if I was fit. Contradictory and cursory notes are made in it.
The second document is the clarification of a letter by the investigator. I received this letter from my sister’s husband when I was in Seman and I had made 24 prayers and requests to come to school. I later gave up because I was promised school. This letter has fallen into your hands after my arrest. In both of these documents, which were given to the woman when my personal belongings were handed over, there are interpretations, in order to obscure my figure as much as possible.
I think that these were not handed over to the woman by mistake, but to put me in such a position, so that I would not seek innocence, that is, to put pressure on me. However, further, I do not know how to say about them.
One thing, I want to be clear, whatever is done to me, no matter how you treat me, I do not waver. I will be dragged away and I will not leave Albania. The vile, no matter how good it is treated, remains the same, just as the good, no matter how badly treated, remains the same.
Even if there are doubts about me, at least, I stay with you and I do not feel them, though, I have so long, that I have come and my person should have been clarified. I ask you to sit down and explain to me, any moment that may be, still suspicious in my file. I understand that all the confusion lies with my being in prison twice, before I came to Albania “.
In the end, he raised the issue of housing and job stabilization, although I consider these to be secondary, compared to the above issues.
The documents were requested and after an hour, I brought them. They did not ask for further clarifications regarding them, only that he said that he had found them some time ago, when he had checked the returned items. These documents are: Two operative notes, a sheet of biographical notes and the brother-in-law’s letter. He also brought a notebook and the minutes of the delivery of the items. These documents are attached to the information.
Regarding this conversation and the documents brought, we think:
-The fall into his hands is a flagrant case and shows carelessness in maintaining the state secret by the comrades of the Tirana Directorate. Through these documents, he has learned many things about our actions as a body.
-These materials frightened him, therefore there is no demarche related to them.
-Recently, he was kept close, which probably prompted him to present these documents to us.
– The possibility is not ruled out that he has shown these to other people as well. For such a thing, we did not ask and did not order it.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTORATE III
Haki Keta
Conc. and dakt. V.P.
The secret document with the report-information drafted by the chairman of the IV Branch of the State Security, Tahir Malo, regarding the data extracted from the conversation with Myrteza Bajraktari at the post-block of the Ministry of Interior, where he presents, after his sister left Albania
SECRET
Examples No. 2
Temporary, 2 years
Tirana, on 20/8/1974
I N F O R M A T I O N
On 8/19/1974, Myrteza Bajraktari came to the post-block and requested a meeting. During the conversation, he posed as follows:
“I accompanied my sister to Pogradec, and from there I went by bus. My brother-in-law and my little sister were waiting for him at the border. I was informed by telegram that he had arrived well. She was pleased to stay here. I asked him about the situation there and he told me what he knew, which I wrote down and gave to you. I do not know how the material is. I told my sister that I needed these things for myself.
My sister told me that my brother, who was a colonel, with important positions in the Yugoslav Army, would come here in September. He had ordered his sister not to tell him about his arrival, except me. The brother has recently been in charge of the Federal Secretariat of Defense, for the issue of nationalities in the ranks of the Army. There he had raised the issue of the lack of military personnel, of Albanian nationality, but his views were not approved.
Under the pretext that he was ill, the brother resigned and is now retired, though, he is 49 years old. A few days ago, he sent me a postcard from Italy. I do not know which way I will come here, directly from Yugoslavia, or from any other country, since he has a passport abroad.
He wants to keep his arrival a secret, while in fact; he was at the Albanian embassy in Belgrade, where he met with the first secretary. He also wrote to me that he could go to the Merchant Navy for two years.
When I was in prison, the other brother came to me, who, had wanted to meet me, but his brother-in-law had not allowed him, saying, that; it is not good, because Myrtezai may be shocked.
Finally, I have the issue of work and home. I’m standing in vain. Without work you are not beaten. “I do not know what will be done and when he can come to get an answer.”
Note:
-My Myrtezana met P.op. Vehip Proda, to whom, before his sister left, he also gave a material, without any value, about the situation in Macedonia. P.op., did not ask for any explanation, or details, about the brother and other relatives.
I think that: the consumption of this data by Myrtezai, is suspicious and it is possible that, without his knowledge, the sister intends to open the way and opportunities for her brother, Xhemal Bajraktari, to come to our country and for him put up, we as Discovery.
-We are of the opinion that Xhemal Bajraktari is a suspicious person and we should not deal with him.
-Myrtezait told you that for the problem of work and housing, he will receive an answer from the Directorate of Internal Affairs Tirana, while, for the problem of his brother, he did not say anything to you, and he himself did not ask for our opinion.
CHAIRMAN OF THE VI BRANCH
Tahir Malo
The secret document with the information-report prepared by the chairman of the IV Branch of the State Security, Tahir Malo, regarding the requests made by Myrteza Bajraktari, to gain innocence, as a former political prisoner
SECRET
Examples No. 2
Temporary, 2 years
Tirana, on 21/8/1974
I N F O R M A T I O N
Myrteza Bajraktari requested a meeting, said:
“I came for something that I caught late, after I left you. You told me to go to the Tirana Directorate for the problems I posed. I do not understand why?! I contacted you and sh. Tahir told me that we will look into this problem.
It seems to me that, as long as you have such a thing in your hand, it is possible to carry it to the end. I tell you openly, that I am not calm at all. Life has made me always think. Never, have I ever felt warm. I think my work and housing problem could have been solved within these nine months.
Even for the problem of the documents I submitted, you did not give me any answer. And you have left in silence, how their truth stands.
I say that my sentence was unjust. I wanted to ask for this, but I left it anyway. To me in the investigator, I have been wronged. Not that I was mistreated, but that they behaved badly, until there was forgery of documents (of my firm). Not only that, but a long time of investigation, I was not in a good nervous state, and for that, I was admitted to the Psychiatric Hospital.
At the time, I spoke a lot against myself. After leaving the hospital, I was told that that process would not be considered, when in fact, it was the basic material of my indictment. In the investigator and in the court, I asked for these materials to be examined, but in fact, it was not done, as long as they remained.
Witnesses have also been one on one. Although I asked some people to testify, they brought 4-5, who did not lift weights. I say this because I do not want to plead not guilty, since I have three months to qualify for such a request. This thing bothers me a lot.
I will always be considered doomed; consequently it has influenced the removal of the woman from Radio-Television, the child in the future and me.
I am convinced that if I ask for it, I will definitely take it, innocence; consequently, I will have the right to pass in education. I have not made this request so far, because I did not want to oppose you, fearing lest we should be disappointed. I’m worried. I am inferior to my people and friends.
When someone greets me, I reply, otherwise I do not speak to them. For this, but briefly in points, I wrote to the Deputy Minister, Comrade Rexhep Kolli, who came to me twice to the investigator.
To be honest, I was outraged at the investigator because otherwise I might not have been convicted at all. Since then, I have also been shaking. I was visited and recommended some medicine, which was not here, but my sister brought it to me.
Until I went to court, I had full confidence that I would not be convicted, but, when I was convicted, I was disillusioned. However, it must be said that when I was convicted in Yugoslavia, I was proud, and the conviction here tormented me. “I am confident that the claim for innocence will be resolved in my favor.”
Note:
-The meeting took place, by P.op. Vehip Proda. He was quite excited and tried to create the impression that from the nervous system, he was not well, as a result of unjust punishment and keeping without work and housing, for several months after his release from prison.
-You said that: The Directorate of Tirana is interested in arranging it for work, therefore, from our side, it is directed there.
As for the punishment, you repeat, that; we stand by the decision taken by the court.
We think that despite the doubts, that it should be settled immediately with work, which I am constantly asking the Directorate of Tirana.
I think that he can be called by us, under the pretext of the materials submitted to us by “Operational Notes”, given incorrectly by the Directorate in Tirana, to be told our opinion and to be asked to justify himself as if he were working. At the same time, exercise control, especially to determine its current connections. Memorie.al
As a problem, follow, P. Op., Vehip Proda
CHAIRMAN OF THE IV BRANCH
Tahir Malo
Continues in the next issue
