By Frank Shkreli
Prime Minister Edi Rama, at the same time Chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania: “Communism was on the right side of history.”
Fatbardh Kadilli, candidate for Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania: said in recent days that he will separate his “democratic” party from the “culture of anti-communism”.
The historic military exercise of the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO, “Defender Europe 21” is taking place in Albanian lands and beyond, an event that should be welcomed by all Albanians who believe in Western values, which NATO has promoted and defended. since its founding in April 1949. This exercise is truly an event that gives us hope that Albania can become, eventually, despite the inability of the Albanian political class of these 30 years to build a state. Respect for the men and women in uniform, our military and our allies from many countries, on both sides of the ocean.
I remind the reader that the basic objective of the NATO Alliance was and remains the protection of the freedom and security of the member countries of this military alliance, with all the political and military means at its disposal. The NATO Alliance therefore remains the main instrument of security of the transatlantic community, which with its military activity, at the same time, expresses and protects the common values of democracy, freedom and justice. Thank God we have NATO that otherwise, if it were completely in the hands of this political class of these past 30 years, Albania would be even worse today than it is.
But what are these “common democratic values” that NATO defends and that should be shared by all NATO allies, including Albania. As we are always in the atmosphere of the April 25 elections, free, fair and democratic elections are a key element for a democratic society. For 30 years of transition, Albania, including the recent elections, has not held elections that are undisputed and acceptable to all, as free and democratic, including international entities such as the ODIHR and key Albanian political actors. For the violation and disregard of Western values by the Albanian governments of the past three decades, it is enough to read the annual reports on human rights of various Western entities, where Albania, although a member of NATO, continues to remain “partly free” and among the most corrupt countries in the world.
Nevertheless, Western diplomats in Tirana treat Albanian politicians as if they were “Jeffersonian democrats”, democrats like Jefferson, one of the fathers of the American Nation. No, more no, they are not, nor do they want to be. They have nothing in common with either Jefferson or democracy. For 30 years now, they have not distanced themselves from the communist past – of which they are a descendant – nor have they taken any serious measures to decommunize Albanian society. The current Albanian politics, with an arrogant shamelessness, praises the “benefits and successes” of the regime of Enver Hoxha, one of the most brutal dictators that European and world history has known. Guess how bad things are, a candidate announced for Chairman of the Democratic Party (Fatbardh Kadilli), in opposition, said in recent days that he will separate his “democratic” party from the culture of anti-communism ”. Sir, from which “anti-communism”? What did you do for the decommunization of the Albanian society during these years? The whole Albanian society, what it has sown during the last three decades, is reaping now. On the brink of collapse, politically, economically, while we expect former communist prosecutors to bring justice to that country. You are at a crossroads – to distance yourself from communism, be afraid, but do not have the moral and political conviction that you should do such a thing. There are a number of statements and actions by representatives of the ruling party, which have been set in motion recently, which imply that the official distancing from the past communism and decommunization of Albanian society is not on the agenda with these rulers, although the presence of NATO ships in Durrës.
The current prime minister does not hide his support for the former dictatorial regime, while in recent months he has expressed from the rostrum of the Assembly, among other things, that “communism was on the right side of history.” Other persons elected to the next Assembly have expressed the same feelings. In the meantime, the Academy of Sciences of Albania has announced the beginning of a review of history to establish once and for all, according to some observers, the Enveristo-Stalinist hegemony – historical and cultural – over the Albanian Nation by almost the same nostalgic “historians” of communism , who originally wrote that story. What a tragedy-comedy! Meanwhile, while these Albanian leaders were taking pictures from the NATO ship platforms in Durrës with the US Ambassador in Tirana and with the high American military authorities – in the middle of Tirana, in front of the Prime Minister and the Presidency, it was damaged in those days. , for several times, the “Postblock” that unites (prison) Spaç with Berlin – a memorial that commemorates the victims of communism in Albania. Open your eyes and react. This shows that the communist past is not gone, honorable diplomats, but it is current, right in the center of Tirana where you live and work. If you do not want to see it, this is your job, but this communist past is becoming a reality in the political and economic life of the country, for days and more. Maybe you can not stop this new nostalgic spirit for communism in Albania, but at least I would beg you not to side with evil, not to be silent to these phenomena that you are the ones who should represent and defend Western values of freedom and democracy, exactly the values for which NATO exists. Dear Western representatives in Albania, please as a simple Albanian-American and I call on you: do not become part of the “shame in the ranks of the shameless”! Talk about the decommunization of Albania, before it is too late.
This is also about justice, especially on the anniversary of the anti-communist revolt in Spaç prison. Look at how low Albanian politics has fallen in 30 years of post-communism. Unfortunately, Albanian voters have two political alternatives, neither better than the other: one, the Socialist Party, which proudly defends communism as a system that “was on the right side of history,” according to Prime Minister Rama, and the Democratic Party, a candidate of declared its chairman calls for this party to leave “anti-communism”, which means becoming more like the party as a socialist sister. Is this the alternative that the Democratic Party offers, at least through its candidacy for new president? But what is the difference between you? Better get together, the two main parties, because this is also being promoted by the internationals there in Tirana – a party-state with an eternal leader – with a cult of personality. Gather everyone around him and applaud. Long live the Albanian-Albanian democracy!
And good for Albania!
Whatever you take, whatever you think, dear representatives of the Albanian diplomatic and political class – Albania can not and will not become a worthy NATO ally without the once decommunization of the Albanian society and without distancing itself (but also the convincing cleansing) of this Albanian political class – today and tomorrow – from the communist legacy, as have other former communist countries, which are now worthy members of NATO. As an American taxpayer, I would like the United States and other Western countries to always be close to Albania, not only on an issue – albeit a very important one – such as the administration of justice in the country – but also close to it. in defense of all other common Western democratic values defended by NATO – including the decommunization of society and distancing itself from Enver Hoxha’s communist gulag. It is clear that the ruling Party nomenclature cadres do not believe in distancing themselves from the communist past, but this is the only way to make Albania part of the European and Euro-Atlantic family, as well as a worthy NATO member. of which we will all be proud, wherever we are. The silence of the diplomatic representatives of NATO member countries in Tirana regarding this issue does not honor either the countries they represent or NATO, which is currently conducting the military exercise “Defender Europe 21”. In this 48th anniversary of the anti-communist Revolt in Spaç prison, you may need a refresher of the memory of what Enver Hoxha’s regime represented. To see up close and in part Enver Hoxha’s Gulag, I would suggest that diplomatic representatives in Tirana, and especially current Albanian politicians and those claiming to be leaders of that country tomorrow, visit Spaç, Tepelena and other places of persecution, and of the murders of innocent victims of communism – Spaç’s horror which former US Ambassador Donald Lu, during a visit there, described as “a proof of human brutality”.
