The Unfinished Business of rT ansitional Justice: Reparation of oF rmer Political Prisoners in Post-Communist Albania The course of actions of political prisoners, development regarding their reparation in the first years after the fall of the communist regime and the interviewees indicate that there was a gap between their needs and government measures. This study found that political prisoners underline the reluctance of the government to provide financial compensation, punish the crimes of the communist regime and the failure of property restitution. The Status Law foresees a special status for former political prisoners defining their rights and obligations according, however, as interviewees explain the law failed to be implemented in practice. One of the measures requested by us [political prisoners] was the punishment of the crimes, and responsibility for those crimes against humanity… No measures have been taken, be it on the legal, political or moral dimension. The authors of crimes during the communist regime were not touched on the contrary they continued and continue to rule the Albanian government…65 To be sincere, not much has been done [for the reparation of political prisoners …] via this association over the years we have requested to be given status as is the status for war veterans. However, this never happened.66 In 1994 the failure of the Albanian government to implement these reparation measures led the political prisoners to enter a hunger strike. The hunger strike was organized by the National Association of Former Political Prisoners demanding primarily from the government of that time the compensation of political prisoners.67 Contrary to the expectations of the hunger strikers the government cracked down using violence on this initiative without discussing or providing any reparation measures. One year later in 1995 being under continuous pressure, the government started a compensation program distributing treasury bills (Albanian: letra me vlerë) to former political prisoners. Nevertheless, political prisoners who received treasury bills consider this a mistake because they lost their value with the passing of the years.68 Speaking about the compensation measures in the first years after the fall of communist regimes, an interviewee stated “[…] the distribution of the securities was a mistake, I think that was not right, nevertheless, we were enthusiastic at that time and did not mind.69 The unwillingness to assign any resources to finance the reparation of former political prisoners at that time shows the lack of political will to address the needs of political prisoners. Reparation itself was a political project of the time but was used for short-term political gains. These measures and policies lacked any wider goals. Reparation demands treating victims as rights holders.70 Reparation of former political prisoners after the fall of the communist regime was not perceived as a state obligation toward the victims of the communist regime but as a state’s privileges. 65. Nebil Cika, chairman of Former Prosecuted Anti-Communist Association (11 July 2019, Tirana) 66. Zenel Drango, chairman of Former Political Prisoners Association in Shkodra (23 June 2019, Shkoder) 67. Fatos Lubonja, The False Apocalypse: From Stalinism to Capitalism (John Hodgson tr, Istrosbooks 2014) 68. Reshat Kripa (21 July 2019, Tirane), Zenel Drango (23 June 2019, Shkoder) 69. Reshat Kripa (21 July 2019, Tirane 70. UNGA, Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (Doc A/RES/60/147, 2006) 41