uL stration and eV tting in post-communist Albania inter-linked
with civic trust in governmental institutions
Law No. 7748/1993 “For the status of politically ex- Voted from
convicted and prosecuted people all member of
by the communist regime”
parliament
Law No. 8217,
date 13.05.1997
Law No. 8865,
date 18.09.2000
Law No. 7698/1993 “For the return and compensation Simple majority
of properties to ex-owners”
Law No. 7736,
date 21.07.1993
Law No. 7765,
date 02.11.199_
Law No. 7832,
date 16.06.1994
Law No. 7879,
date 01.12.1994
Law No. 7981,
date 27.07.1995
The table (Table 2) illustrate the political disagreement about TJ measures. Genocide Law and
Verification Law political disagreement and the changes made in these laws several times from
Albanian parliament did not let to have impartially and transparent institutions to take decisions
or a due process for persons lustrated. Voted with simple majority, from only the party in power
did not allowed a fair implementation lustration process.
Genocide law
The harshest parlamentarian debate about lustration were during 1995 for the Law No.8001/1995
“On Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Committed in Albania During Communist
Rule for Political, Ideological and Religious Motives” known as “Genocide Law”. This law was
proposed in parliament a few months before the new parliamentary elections. At the opening of
the parliamentary session it is mentioned from the governement that this law was delayed. The
opposition party accused the government that this law was for electoral purposes and was being
approved to attack political opponents. The law main porpose was to accelarate the criminal cases
related to crimes againts humanity for political, ideological and religious motives committed by
the Communist state and to exclude former high-ranking officials and collaborators of State
Security from holding positions in central or local government, in the executive and the judiciary
branch, and mass media until 31 December 2001, up to 31 March 1991.
The law was approved in harsh parlamentarian debate, the opposition accused the ruling party
to use the law for ataccing the political opponents. Servet Pellumbi, opposition MP of Albania,
said:
“Four years ago, Berisha40, leading Democratic Party, campaigned on 22 March with the slogan “to
eradicate communism”, coupled with the famous saying “co-suffers and co-accomplice”... But we
can already say with conviction that the evidence was made, people were massively disillusioned,
because the DP’s democratic potential after coming to power, instead of growing, as expected,
came ever exhausted more and more and from the slogan “co-suffers and co-responsible” there
is nothing left, its place is occupied by political vengeance”41.
Another member of Parliament Pandeli Majko in his speech in parliament expressed:
“This law that we are discussing best describes this. It seems to announce the wrongdoers, but in
40. Sali Berisha, that time the president of Albania and Historical Leader of Democratic Party
41. Parlamentarian Debate: Year 1995, p. 1230
131
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