The Albanian Information Authority on Former State Security Documents (AIDSSH) has pinpointed five public and elected officials whose names appear in the files of Sigurimi, the feared intelligence arm of Albania’s oppressive communist regime.
The institution carried out an assessment of some 446 MP candidates and found that five had been involved with Sigurimi.
According to the announcement, “the Authority has recently encountered information and data on a high profile political figure. The institution was requested via email to verify the background of citizen I. M. in classified files of former State Security.”
It continues that the data was collected and forwarded to Parliament and they have been asked to intervene to resolve a situation whereby the law protects former collaborators through a loophole.
The gap in the law pertains to the fact that names of politicians that have already been reviewed by past commissions, such as the Mezini Commission and the Bezhani Commission, are not then audited by the Authority.
According to the authority, they have come across data and information in the Sigurimi files regarding a politics with the initials I.M, after a request was made to verify his background.
However, further action cannot be taken because of the law, which states that decisions and “purity certificates” made by previous commissions cannot be overridden.
“Improving the law helps us carry out our work with responsibility, integrity and transparency, so that we can preserve the credibility of the institution for Albanian society and international partners. This shall long as the figures are verified for appointment, promotion to office or as elected central and local, play an important role in decision making and public policies,” the announcement states.
The authority continued that it aims to reassure, “Albanian society, interest groups, institutions and partners that it will continue to perform with integrity, transparency and institutional responsibility the duties entrusted by law to uncover the communist past.” (can you check this word?)
The Authority has asked parliament to change the law. This morning, speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla convened party heads to discuss the finding.
Other individuals named by the announcement have the initials A.D, T.S, S.H, and S.Sh.
Tedi Blushi, ex-advisor to President Ilir Meta, who stepped down on Sunday, asked AIDSSH to publish their evidence.
“We call on AIDSSH to open today and make public every file and information of the state security and everything else, including the minutes of the youth organization of that time!” Blushi wrote on Facebook.
He added there are more important matters to consider at the moment, including the incinerator scandal and the sea agreement with Greece.
