The International Monitoring Operation that is tasked with overseeing Albania’s vetting process has told Exit that the law that is meant to prevent those who were working with the communist regime from becoming members of the vetting institutions has been implemented.
“It is important to contribute to the recognition of, and support for all victims of the totalitarian regimes.
In line with its constitutional mandate, the International Monitoring Operation has monitored the respect of the relevant vetting law provisions requiring that members of the vetting institutions must not have been a member, collaborator or favoured by the State Security before 1990 in line with the law “On the right to information regarding the documents of the former security service of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania” and can confirm that these legal provisions have been consistently applied in the framework of the vetting process.”
Exit questioned the IOM following a letter sent to them by the Albanian Anti-Communist Politically Persecuted Association at the end of 2019. This letter detailed a number of individuals who they claim did indeed hold positions in the communist judicial system.
In the initial letter sent to Ruiz Calavera, Nebil Cika the Chairman of the Association explained how members of the Sigurimi, political police, prosecutors and judges have been appointed to the new justice institutions. He added that many of these individuals levied punishments against citizens including imprisonment, labour, torture, and even death.
The letter names Head of SPAK Arben Kraja, Deputy Prosecutor General Thoma Jano, Head of KED Ardian Dvorani, member of KLD Fatmira Luli, member of KLP Bujar Sheshi, and member of KLP Nurihan Seiti as examples of this.
Cika says that all of them worked in the communist justice system and were responsible for many arrests, political convictions, and “severe” punishments for ‘crimes’ such as trying to cross the border, ‘propaganda’, or simply opposing the regime.
