CommunistCrimes. The importance of Transitional Justice in societies like Albania. Retrieved from http://bunkart.al/2/database. (2020). Albanias inability to expose the abuses of its totalitarian regime and establish justice has also led to the downplaying and denial of the old dictatorships human rights abuses. Alia also organized a meeting with leading intellectuals of the time on ways to reform the Albanian political system. The Limits and Ambiguities of the Albanian "National Question" in Post-communism: Political Parties, Albanian Nationalism, and External Actors. The Socialist Party came out as the winner of the elections with 52.75 % of votes (ShtetiWeb, 2020). The effect of property laws on the process of the restitution and compensation. 1946 - Purges of non-communists from government positions. In Kosovo thousands flee attacks by Serb forces. However, the negotiations took place and by the beginning of 1991 a pluralistic party system had been implemented with many parties being established. Mikhail Gorbachev had adopted new policies of glasnost and perestroika in the Soviet Union in 1985. (2015). This half-century-long regime transformed Albania into a massive detention camp. Some of the highest political and legal institutions are still run by former protgs of the former regime. In January 1990, the first revolts started in Shkodra, where a few hundred people wanted to demolish Joseph Stalin's statue, and from there they spread to a few other cities. Currently Albania is an associated country to join the EU and the Council approved opening the accession negotiations on 24 March 2020. The nine participating states were: Austria, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey. Elections in June 1997 brought the opposition Socialist Party (former communist party) to power, and it ruled under various prime ministers until 2005. Mr Rama's main campaign pledges in 2013 were to revive Albania's ailing economy, combat widespread corruption and crime, and speed up the country's integration into the European Union. (2020). After almost fifty years of a lack of pluralism, the Democratic Party of Albania (DP) was created. E-International Relations, 1-19. Albanias experience with democracy started with the end of the former communist system and the country was the last one to orient towards democracy in Eastern Europe (1991). Albanians watching TV in Tirana's main square. Civil society and victims groups may be very articulate and organized in some places but disparate and weak in others, with less capacity to put pressure on governments to act or to engage in meaningful ways. The change from communism to capitalism evidently had many challenges. The government took control of the economy and revoked civil liberties. (1997, November). Albanian Telegraphic Agency. A committee of "national salvation" took over but also collapsed within six months. Bunkart. The harshest punishments for the former communist elite were given in the period 1995 1996, in the trials under the controversial Genocide Law.
Albania Remains Hostage to its Communist Past. The results of the elections of 29 June 1997 were dramatic for the Democratic Party, which managed to receive 25.0 % of votes. Kali, R. (2019). The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution. Main Political Parties during 30 years of (never-ending) transition. He then signed the Helsinki Agreement which then forced conformity to Western European human rights standards. This is an independent, public institution in Albania, responsible for implementing the law relating to the collection, administration, processing and use of former state security documents (The Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents, 2015). Law. Estonian Institute of Historical Memory. The fall of Communism in Albania, the last such event in Europe outside the Soviet Union, started in December 1990 with student demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, although protests started in January that year in other cities like Shkodra and Kavaja. His predecessor as prime minister, Sali Berisha, dominated the country's political scene for more than 20 years, but by 2013 the electorate appeared to have become tired of the lack of economic progress under Mr Berisha and his perceived failure to tackle organised crime. Therefore, such figures of convicts and politically persecuted clearly demonstrate the repressive and severe nature of the installed regime in Albania. Initially a member of the Socialist Party, he set up his own party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, in 2004. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Transitional Justice in Eastern Europe: Present Dilemmas of the Communist Past. Institutions and Compensations: A calvary of initiatives, Many institutions were created to follow the issue of justice restoration, compensation and the study of communist crimes in transitional Albania. Two companies offer digital terrestrial and satellite packages. Albania's former communists were routed in elections in March 1992 amid economic collapse and social unrest, with the Democratic Party winning most seats and its party head, Sali Berisha, becoming president. [3], During the revolutions of 1989, many Albanians remained unaware of events because of state controlled information in the isolated country. (2018). 1991 - In multiparty elections, the Communist Party and allies win 169 of the 250 seats, the newly-formed Democratic Party takes 75. Lastly, Albanias failure to reckon with the communist regimes human rights abuses has had serious consequences for its democratic direction. Linz, J. J. This was the first step towards restoring justice in the society. & Lipinski, A. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America and Post-Communist Europe. 1985 - After ruling for nearly half a century, Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha dies. Many Albanians left the country in search of work; the money they send home remains an important source of revenue. The second phase of both political and legal development starts from 1997 and continues until 2005.
Constellations. When the schemes collapsed, there was uncontained rioting, the government fell, and the country descended into anarchy and a near civil war in which some 2,000 people were killed (Jarvis, 2000). Albania joined NATO in 2009 and is aiming to join the European Union in the future. By the late 1980s, it is estimated to have recruited tens of thousands of people, while more than one third of the total population formed part of its extensive information network. During the transition, the political sphere saw a rise in the number of political parties, mainly coming from the fragmentation of big parties. New York: Oxford University Press. There is little public information about these trials and the public has forgotten that these trials took place. East European Politics & Societies. Read about our approach to external linking. The process was halted due to political interests for many years, accompanied by a divided public opinion. (2004). Retrieved from https://www.drejtesia.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Ligj_per_kthimin_dhe_kompensimin_e_prones-1.pdf. European Integration process and accession negotiations of Albania are expected to positively impact TJ processes, given that the EU has adopted a Transitional Justice Framework under the Human Rights component (European Union). Approaching twenty per cent of the population are Christians, divided mainly between the Orthodox and smaller Catholic denominations. Transitional Justice in Eastern Europe: Present Dilemmas of the Communist Past. Transitional Justice and International Civil Society: Toward a Normative Framework. Elster, J. Three decades on, Albania continues to float in a protracted transition to nowhere, still hostage to the ghosts of its communist past that haunt the present and its future. [2] March 1991 elections left the Party of Labour in power, but a general strike and urban opposition led to the formation of a "stability government" that included non-communists. After the fall of the regime and establishment of a democratic system, there was a need for justice restoration and societal reconciliation. 2014 - The European Commission recommends Albania as a candidate for European Union membership. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Some Albanians did not know that the Berlin Wall had fallen in November 1989.[4]. Barbullushi, O. Thats why, in the beginning of the 1990s Albania had all political and historical credentials to pursue a radical and transformative model in dealing with its communist criminal past. This March marked the 30th anniversary of the first multi-party elections in Albania that followed the fall of the communist regime, which, according to Neil Kritz, researcher at the American Institute for Peace, was one of the most tightly closed regimes in the world. Institute for the Studies of Communist Crimes and Consequences in Albania. 1989 - Communist rule in Eastern Europe collapses. Albanian Telegraphic Agency. Institute for the Studies of Communist Crimes and Consequences in Albania. [1] The Central Committee of the communist Party of Labour of Albania allowed political pluralism on 11 December and the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party, was founded the next day. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. CENTRAL EUROPEAN CASE STUDIES-Universitas Gyor, 89. Lack of databases and common understanding of the number of victims weakens the victim-centered processes of TJ, by making it difficult to promote internal reconciliation of the society. Shortly afterwards, in 1999, the law was completely overturned by the Constitutional Court. Jarvis, C. (2000). 2009 - Albania officially joins Nato and formally applies for membership of the European Union. These were the first attempts towards requesting a change in the regime. Albanias failure to make a radical break with its brutal communist dictatorship has distorted its memory of the past, and damaged its transition from post-totalitarian society to functioning democracy. This post is also available in this language: Along with neighbouring and mainly Albanian-inhabited Kosovo, it has a Muslim majority - a legacy of its centuries of Ottoman rule. Copyright BIRN 2015 | Terms of use | Privacy Policy. Enver Hoxha, who ruled the Socialist People's Republic of Albania for four decades, died on April 11, 1985. Altin Gjeta holds a Master of Arts in International Relations and Politics from the University of Westminster, London. In 1997, Albania faced national turmoil and state collapse, caused by huge financial pyramid schemes. The Socialist Party came out as the winner of the elections with 52.75 % of votes (ShtetiWeb, 2020). The opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of BIRN. Transitional Justice: The Quest for Theory to Inform Policy. 1941 - Enver Hoxha becomes head of new Albanian Communist Party. The establishment of power by Enver Hoxha, In the countries with negotiated transition, The second phase of both political and legal development starts from 1997 and continues until 2005. The 1992 elections ended 47 years of communist rule, but the latter half of the decade saw a quick turnover of presidents and prime ministers. The duration of the previous regime augments the constraints on the new regimes ability to pursue transitional justice, because older regimes are more likely to become deeply institutionalized. The first law approved in Albania providing the former persecuted and imprisoned persons with the right of compensation passed on September (Law no 7514, 1991). He joined politics in 1990 by taking part in the student movement that helped to bring about the collapse of communism in Albania. (1996). 1955 - Albania becomes a founding member of the Warsaw Pact. The Rise and Fall of Albania's Pyramid Schemes. [5][6] Meanwhile, a student demonstration was crushed by the state police in Tirana's Student City dormitories. EU Policy Framework on Support to Transitional Justice. As Verdeja coined it, reparations can promote a number of worthy goals, including the reaffirmation of moral respect and dignity of victims (Verdeja, 2006). (2020, April 25).
1999 - Nato air strikes against Yugoslav military targets. (2020, April 26). King Zog flees to Greece. Initially, in 1993 the Committee of former Politically Condemned and Persecuted Persons was created (CFPCP). Crocker, D. (2008). Transitional Justice and International Civil Society: Toward a Normative Framework. Elster, J. Cynthia Horne, a transitional justice scholar, in her book Building Trust and Democracy, writes that Albania is the only country in former communist Eastern Europe that has such laws on its books, but failed to put them into practice. Life expectancy 74 years (men), 80 years (women). In the countries with negotiated transition[ii], the old elites are reframed but are still active in the public life. A third party entered the political scene in 2004, LSI (Lvizja Socialiste pr Integrim)/Socialist Movement for Integration as a faction of SP. 1944 - Germans withdraw after Communist resistance. The first phase of Transitional Justice and establishment of compensation as a victim-centered TJ tool in Albania extends from 1991 until 1997. [8], The government fell in 1997 after the collapse of a number of large "pyramid schemes" (more accurately, Ponzi schemes) and widespread corruption, which caused disorder and rebellion throughout the country. 7514, dated 30.9.1991 For the innocence, amnesty and rehabilitation of former convicts and the politically persecuted acknowledges the crimes of the communist regime and grants innocence to the politically persecuted and prisoners. Albania is a small, mountainous country in the Balkan peninsula, with a long Adriatic and Ionian coastline. Other parallel initiatives that the country is going through back up societal reconciliation. Albania 30 years after the fall of theThe most radical communist regime: Has justice been restored? Ligj nr. The establishment of the system and expansion of power during communist Albania was accompanied by imprisonments, killings, and internments of those opposing the regime in many camps and prisons built across the country. International Center for Transitional Justice. Retribution and Reparation in the. The failure to cleanse state institutions of the people who served the oppressive machinery of the communist regime facilitated the continuation of the totalitarian regimes elite. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. The International Studies Association. Since the end of communism, the country became more aligned towards the West than its, albeit unenthused, relations with Russia or China. Ramiz Alia succeeded Hoxha as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour, and gradually introduced economic reforms and opened diplomatic ties with Western European countries. The main reasons for the fragmentation are the internal organization of the parties, which is mainly authoritarian, and secondly, the desire for individual power and narrow interests of certain individuals (Jano, 2008). Read about our approach to external linking. TV is the most popular medium, but the internet is beginning to close the gap. The twelfth installment is expected to take place within upcoming months. The Limits and Ambiguities of the Albanian "National Question" in Post-communism: Political Parties, Albanian Nationalism, and External Actors. [11] The Democratic Party won parliamentary elections in 2005 and 2009, and Albania was governed again by Sali Berisha, this time as prime minister. (2015). Secondly, most of the legal measures introduced in post-communist Albania were poorly drafted and half-hearted. Tanks on the ground and fake news in the mind - (Re)thinking Warfare in Ukraine, The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the French presidential elections, and the horseshoe theory. Unlike most other former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe, even though Albania initiated several legal measures aimed at uncovering and punishing communist-era human rights abuses, it has failed to implement them altogether. Its contents are the sole responsibility of BIRN and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. 1943 - German forces invade and occupy Albania following Italian surrender. The former communist regime in Albania is considered by scholars as among the harshest ones in the Eastern bloc (Abrahams, 2015). The combination of the politics of the past with the politics of the present in post-communist Albania turned the hoped-for-reckoning with the past into a futile enterprise. Eventually, the existing regime introduced some liberalization, including measures in 1990 providing for freedom to travel abroad. Somalia drought: I remember at least five children died Video, Somalia drought: I remember at least five children died, Killed for blasphemy: 'Like a spear pierced my heart' Video, Killed for blasphemy: 'Like a spear pierced my heart', The country where having a pet could soon land you in jail, New telescope catches dead suns smashing together, Chappelle show cancelled over joke controversy, US reports first polio case in nearly a decade, Three dead in 24 hours after Spanish bull runs, Taliban detained and abused me - female journalist, Biden 'doing great' after testing positive for Covid. The country represents a complex case in the field of transitional justice. Ministry of Justice. He was succeeded by Ramiz Alia, who was in power as the leader of Peoples Republic of Albania until 1991 when the regime fell. Nevertheless, it was clear that the transition to capitalism would not be stopped. However, following the chronology of events, most of the compensations are taking place from 2013 and the process is still ongoing. Retrieved from ICTJ: https://www.ictj.org/about/transitional-justice, Institute for the Studies of Communist Crimes and Consequences in Albania. Full source in reference sections, Communications@InstituteGreaterEurope.com, Youth Association for a Greater Europe All Rights Reserved. The country has not gone through a complete transitional justice process. Alia's party won the election of March 31, 1991. Tirana: OSCE Presence in Albania. Retrieved from ISKK: http://www.iskk.gov.al/?lang=en, Instituti i ish-te Perndjekurve Politike. In 1997, Albania faced national turmoil and state collapse, caused by huge financial pyramid schemes. A target of several corruption scandals and allegations, Mr Meta has constantly denied any wrongdoing. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. This period coincides with the governments ruled by the Democratic Party of Albania. Financial compensations have been actively distributed to beneficiaries through instalments only after 2009. However, 30 years on, despite all the hopes of the people who poured onto the streets of Tirana in the cold days of December 1990, Albania is the only country behind the former Iron Curtain in Europe that has not managed to break away from its criminal, communist past. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The first one, considered as the primary category of beneficiaries, consists of former persecuted people who are still alive, while the second is comprised by heirs and successors of the ones who have already passed away. (2020). EU-Japan Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure : its influence? https://www.drejtesia.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Ligj_per_kthimin_dhe_kompensimin_e_prones-1.pdf. Moreover, the preconditions to establish a transitional justice process have not been fully met. (2020). This argument is specifically relevant to communist regimes, whose ideology transcends mere authoritarianism to establish the totalitarian subordination of all aspects of political, economic, and social life (Alexandra Barahona de Brito, 2001). Educating for Europe: Perspectives of a European Agency for Civic Education, Who is in your backyard? The pyramid scheme phenomenon in Albania is important because its scale relative to the size of the economy was unprecedented. On Parties and Party System in Albania: What Implications for Democracy.