The Spies – Instrumentalization Of The Past

It appears the draft law that will make public the files of former secret service agents of the communist regime will be passed by the Assembly by the end of this parliamentary season, 31 July 2008. There are at least three reasons to question this draft law. First of all, the speed with which the Ruling Majority, predominantly the Democratic Party, wishes to push this draft law through the parliament. Second, the moment in time chosen to debate and pass this draft law and last, but not least, the content of the draft law itself which appears to be very contentious and could have an impact on political stability.
Concerning the first reason, it is mind-boggling, but not beyond comprehension, the swiftness with which the Assembly – the major part of the Center Right, as well as segments of the Opposition, are striving to debate and pass this draft law.
It is obvious that neither the Majority nor the Opposition wish to allow any opportunity to be created for consultation debates with experts. Both political sides are working around the clock to push a draft law through parliament which experts claim that, if passed, it could send serious shock waves through political and a series of other institutions, in particular institutions of the justice system.
Second, the moment in time the government has chosen to draft and approve this legislation, otherwise known as “The Files Law”, also seems to be very appropriate. Making public the files of the secret police of the communist regime is obviously most effective in diverting attention from at least two very serious issues – illegal arms trafficking and the case which is still waiting to be opened on the corruption linked with the tragic explosion of 15 March 2008, in which 26 persons perished and 300 others, mainly women and children, were injured. In both these cases there are obvious allegations that implicate the Albanian Government, beginning with the former Minister of Defense. Two days ago, the US Ambassador to Tirana John L Withers publicly confirmed that the former Albanian Minister of Defence had tried to involve the Ambassador of the United States of America in the international arms traffic. Dominating political debate, as well as dominating parliamentary debate and agenda is an effective way of averting attention away from corrupt rackets and the involvement of important segments of the government in international arms trafficking which is obviously only being investigated into, so far, by the authorities of the United States.
Third, it is the content of the draft law on Lustration itself which makes this incentive of the government highly suspect and perhaps even dangerous.
According to local political analysts, the government is trying to intrumentalize the past for future political gain. These experts claim that if this draft law is passed, it is highly likely that political opponents within their own parties or others will be excluded from the upcoming elections. The local experts also believe that the approval of this controversial draft law would pave the road to deep-going purges of the judiciary. A number of heads of different institutions of the justice system, as well as of the Public Administration will be compelled to resign from their positions and be replaced. The draft law, at least the version that may be passed by the Assembly, apart from the former secret police agents also takes into account former middle and/or high ranking officials who were employed in the justice system or other institutions.
It seems equally interesting to see how segments of the Opposition are also interested in pushing this draft law through, an explanation of which could be the idea that the leaders of the two main parties are interested in getting rid of their respective opponents within their respective parties. Politics in Albania is re-visiting the past, not to distance itself from it, but merely to take advantage of the past and to use it for political gain.
The issue of case-files of the communist regime is being brought back in Albania two decades after the collapse of the communist regime. Precisely towards the end of its mandate, the last year, the Democratic Party of the Center Right remembers to draft and approve this law. Evidently, history repeats itself. In 1995, one year prior to the parliamentary elections of 1996, it was precisely the government of the Democratic Party of the time which drafted and passed, with its own Majority, a very controversial law, which in essence was designed to hit and marginalize the Opposition. And as it is known, this marginalization and the narrowing of dimensions of the Opposition were factors that led to the most serious crisis of 1997.
Without doubt, re-visiting the communist past is essential and gravely delayed in Albania. However, on the other hand, using the past for political gain may not only be futile, but it could be dangerous.