“Whenever their chef was absent, Mehmet and Fiqreta would hire one from Vlorë, E.L., because they didn’t like me. But by order, on the night of the incident, they told me to prepare dinner for the doctor, Ll. Rr., but he refused…” / The sensational testimony of the former chef of the Block.

By Dashnor Kaloçi   

Part twenty-five

Memorie.al / Exactly 43 years ago, on the morning of December 18, 1981, the Albanian Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, who had held that position since 1953, was found dead in his bedroom (according to the official version, from a bullet from a pistol) in the villa where he lived with his family, at the entrance of the “Block” of the high leadership of the Albanian Party of Labor, just a few meters from the building of the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labor and also from Enver Hoxha’s villa. Although more than four decades have passed since that day, considered one of the most serious and notorious events of that regime, there is still no clear and accurate version regarding what happened to the former Albanian Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu on the night leading to December 18, 1981! However, even after the 1990s, dozens of testimonies and archival documents have been made public regarding that event, “the murder or suicide of Mehmet Shehu,” which continues to be the subject of numerous debates and discussions, even wrapping it further in mystery around the truth.

Based on this fact, in the context of publishing dozens of testimonies and files with archival documents from the secret fund of the former State Security and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labor, which we have published over the decades since the collapse of Enver Hoxha’s communist regime and his successor, Ramiz Alia, Memorie.al has secured the voluminous file “of the enemy Mehmet Shehu,” which has been extracted from the secret fund of the former State Security at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (now part of the fund of the Authority for Information on the Documents of the former State Security), where, with a few minor exceptions, most of them have never seen the light of publication and are made public for the first time in full.

In the mentioned file, there are the relevant facsimiles, the expert report of the investigative-operational group that was set up immediately on the morning of December 18, 1981, led by Koço Josifi (head of the Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tirana), the forensic doctors Dr. Fatos Hartito and Docent Bashkim Çuberi, the prime minister’s doctors, Milto Kostaqi and Llesh Rroku, as well as the criminalist expert from the Central Criminalistic Laboratory of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Estref Myftari, assisted by high officials of that ministry, Xhule Çiraku, Elham Gjika, and Lahedin Bardhi.

Also, in the voluminous file that we are making public, there are testimonies from the family members of former Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, from the service personnel, and his escort group, as well as from all other individuals who were summoned and testified about that event. Moreover, the documents in question, which we are publishing along with the facsimiles and relevant photos, provide more information regarding this matter.

However, even though we are dealing only with archival documents, it should be emphasized that; knowing how that system operated before the ’90s, we cannot claim absolute truth regarding what is written there, as not only from the individuals who provided their testimonies, but also from the investigators of this case, it has been made known that the testimonies were obtained under pressure, intimidation, and physical and psychological violence, with some investigators going so far as to write them themselves while the witnesses or defendants merely signed them.

                                         Continued from the previous issue

PROTOCOL OF THE INTERROGATION OF QAIML GJELI, FORMER CHEF OF THE RECEPTION DIRECTORATE, WHO WAS SENT TO THE FAMILY OF PRIME MINISTER MEHMET SHEHU A WEEK BEFORE THE EVENTS OF DECEMBER 18, 1981, BY THE INVESTIGATORS SOKOL KOLEKA AND BASHKIM CAKA

PROTOCOL

(Of the witness interrogation)

Today, on June 9, 1983, in Tirana.

We, the investigators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sokol Koleka and Bashkim Caka, are questioning Qemal Gjeli as a witness.

1. Name, father’s name, surname: Qemal Mustafa Gjeli
2. Date of birth (day month year): 1935 in Kavajë.
3. Education: 8 grades (two vocational cooking schools).
4. Place of residence: Neighborhood No. 8, “Dora D’istria” Street, Palace 12/1, Ap. 23, Shk 3. Tirana
5. Position: Cook at the Reception Directorate
6. Party membership: Party member.
7. Has he been convicted: Not convicted?
8. ID number: Not with him.
9. Relationship with the defendant: No family ties.

The investigator warned me about the criminal responsibility under Article 202 of the Penal Code for false testimony.

SIGNATURE OF THE WITNESS
Qemal Gjeli

Regarding the case, I can tell you as follows:

I have been working as a cook for almost 21 years at the Reception Directorate and during this time, at various periods, I also worked in the house of the enemy Mehmet Shehu. During the time I worked there, both from Mehmet Shehu and from Fiqret Shehu, I only heard insults, offenses, and curses, as they supposedly didn’t like us, under the pretext that I didn’t know how to make yogurt.

Even at the official receptions held at the Brigade Palace, etc., they came, especially Fiqret Shehu, who would return the dish back ten times because she didn’t like it! For everything, Fiqret would discuss with Qamil Peshqeshi, and he would reprimand us in service.

In many instances in recent years, when the household cook, Fatmir Gjeli, whom I am related to, was absent, Fiqret would bring in the cook from Vlorë, Eqerem Lulja, to replace him. On December 13, 1981, since Fatmir Gjeli took his usual leave, Qamil Peshqeshi ordered me to go there, even though they didn’t want me.

During the time I worked there, up to the day of Mehmet Shehu’s suicide, Mehmet Shehu, Fiqret, and their children had become like wet chickens. Usually, in the kitchen, we were the service staff, and Jonuz Luto, Milto Kostaqi, and sometimes Ali Çeno would often come.

I want to say that Ali Çeno and Jonuz often went to the Party House No. 1 to play billiards when there were no leaders around. On December 17, 1981, Jonuz instructed me to prepare food for Dr. Milto Kostaqi and Llesh Rroku. Milto came and ate, while Llesh Rroku said he would come later because he was busy.

At that time, it was past 9:00 PM, but I don’t know the exact time. Farije Koçiaj also came into the kitchen and told me that Mehmet Shehu had ordered me to bring two coffees to the studio room; she made the coffees and took them where they were requested.

Then Farija went back, and since she had no more work, we both left for our homes together. That evening, I didn’t see Ali Çeno, and while I was in the kitchen, he did not come there. The next morning, I arrived at work at 6:00 AM and made breakfast as usual.

Around 8 AM, Jonuz Luto came into the kitchen and told us, looking worried and shouting, that Mehmet Shehu had killed himself.

What I said above, I read the statements; they are true, and I sign. Memorie.al

Witness                                                                                      Investigators

Qemal Gjeli                                                                   Bashkim Caka Sokol Koleka

                                                 To be continued in the next issue