By Roland Qafoku
While in three months, the Albanian state will mark its 105th anniversary, a report issued by EBRD suggests that 31% of the population prefer an authoritarian system over the actual diplomatic system. This figure is three times higher than those of Western European citizens and 5% higher than those in countries of Eastern Europe, who have already lived under communism. In other words, a significant number of Albanians still prefer the communist dictatorship over the free system that we live in today. These figures cause as much astonishment as the parliamentary elections of 1997 caused to the great actor, Bujar Lako, when, running for the Democratic Party in the constituency of New Tirana, he only received 25% of the votes against his rival who received some 70% of the votes. The great actor is remembered for the famous joke that he made: Even in Moscow I would have received more votes.
But what are the reasons that force Albanians to say “we were better when we were worse off”? Is this a figure which only belongs to the nostalgic of communism or are there representatives of the generation born after 1990 within this 31%? There are a number of questions arising after this report and what’s more, there are many reasons that make almost one third of Albanians dream of the system that fell 27 years ago.
First, in these 105 years as a state, Albania has gone through almost all forms of regimes and governments, becoming a unique country in the world history. The lack of stability of systems in Albania has caused a lack of tradition in terms of a long-term system, as it’s been the case in the developed world countries. Perhaps, we may exclude here the worst possible system, communism. Of the 105 years as a state, Albania has spent 46 years under communist regime. As a result, the effect and the memory of Albanians, in a form or another, is tied to this system. The majority of Albanian families, including parents and their children, have known and have lived under the communist regime. The contrary has happened with systems such as monarchy, which, during the time of the German prince, Wilhelm von Wied, lasted only 6 months and in the period of King Zog, it lasted 11 years. We can also mention the US like presidential system which only lasted 3 years and the impact of these systems in the memory of the people is very small, almost insignificant.
Secondly, the long duration of the communist regime has left scars and has had an impact in the memory of the Albanian people. For 46 years in a row, the country saw the installment of the dictatorship of proletariat. Let us not forget that during this time in Albania, 100 thousand people were executed, arrested, imprisoned and exiled for political convictions. The rest, which was not part of these sufferings, was convinced that this was a victory for them. Within this system, there were even weird things, which culminated with 1967, when we became the only atheist country in the world. A decision which even today has its own effect on the population.
Thirdly, 46 years of communism are the period when a full generation grew up, a generation which can easily be considered as the communist generation. Those who were born after Second World War, were 46 years old in 1990 when that system was overthrown. At that age, they were indoctrinated with that system. They were born in that system, they were educated in that system, they served in that system and a part of them, they idolized that system. This way, it’s been very difficult for this generation to embrace another system, besides the communist one, however good the system may be.
Fourthly, the massive connections of the people with the State Secret Services are the biggest scar that has accompanied this nation. Data suggest that 1 in 4 Albanians have been connected to the Secret Services in one way or another, by serving as collaborators, agents and aides in different circumstances and situations. This led to a change in behavior, living style and made everyone a spy, regardless of what they were to one another, brother, father, mother, mother or friend. This brought a deformation of the character, the destruction of the best qualities of the Albanian people and the glorification of distrust, violence and vices. This part of Albanians and their descendants do not feel guilty about what they have done. To them, the communist system was a system in which they felt valued.
Fifthly, the nostalgia for the communist system continues to be alive even today. There are nostalgic of that period who, in a way or another, have lived quite well as opposed to the others, while now, they have lost any sort of privilege and they blame the democratic system for this. These communist nostalgic people have been part of every instance of power, from the highest ranks to the lowest ranks. The nostalgia is not only felt by a person who used to be in power, but also by a professional of that time too, who, in a form or another, felt important and valued.
Sixthly, the lack of law and order has made many Albanians feel nostalgia about the communist period. Every time something tragic happens in Albania, many people say that during the communist regime, such crimes were never produced. In fact, this is not true, because during the communist regime, these crimes were not made public and everything was learned from the neighborhood or the village where it happened, because the media was not allowed to report them. But the same logic also applied during the communist regime, when, after a serious crime had taken place, someone recalled the period of King Zog, when one single officer maintained order in an entire region. However, truth be told, during the communist regime, there were fewer murders and criminal events than there are today. It has been proven that dictatorships establish law and order, while the state itself commits murders on a massive scale. But can we talk of national security when there are no murders on the street and the state itself kills and executes people for political convictions?
Seventhly, the Katowica Platform is another reason why communism is preferred in Albania. Although in Albania, this theory has always sparked debates, the conviction of philosophers like Servet Pellumbi is very revealing. More than in one occasion, Pellumbi has underlined that Ramiz Alia applied the Katowica Platform, by allowing the fall of communism. However, he gave several communists properties, lands and businesses, by gaining economic power. Then, which system do these communist businessmen prefer? The figures must be within EBRD’s report.
Seventhly, the political class that has fallen from power is the most interested one. Descendants of communist leaders are still under the effect of the communist drug. In all the declarations or public interviews of the descendants of the people who were in power during that time, they refer to that period with pride; they do not feel regret, but they feel sorry that that system is gone now. And to think that their number is significant.
Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy
