The Unfinished Business of rT ansitional Justice: Reparation of oF rmer Political Prisoners in Post-Communist Albania regime or should we forget about it? Little has been done to explore the human rights violations and wrongdoing of the communist regime and we are far from establishing a common truth. Some authors think that today’s crisis of democracy in Albania has its roots in its failure to make peace with the bloody past, which has created a climate of cynicism and impunity that is still eroding the nation’s spirit.118 Parliament has recently proposed an amendment to the law to prevent the Institute for the Study of Communist Crimes from studying crimes committed during the Second World War.119 The passed amendment separated the Second World War from period of the communist regime that was established after the war. Nevertheless, such an initative is perceived as a malicious act to prevent the study of communist crimes committed during the Second World War. All interviewees stated that it is important that current generations learn about the atrocities committed during the communist past. They express concern that the history of the communist past is being forgotten and few memory sites exist about what happened in the past. Asked whether new generations should learn about crimes committed during communism, some interviewees declared: Of course, this is a huge handicap. Not only the history of former political prisoners prosecuted but also the history of Albanian nationalism, precisely the history of the Second World War.120 This is the weakest point, the new generations know nothing about what happened because school books have nothing about it [what happened during the communist regime]. They [new generations] do not know what communism was, knowledge should be also for general culture to prevent its repetition.121 […] many roads continue to be named after persecutors whereas the anti-communist heroes are not mentioned, instead they continue to be treated in the history as enemies. The problem remains the history and literature in pre-university education. Little information is provided in these books about what happened during the communist past. Little or almost nothing is done to revise history.122 More than for us [political prisoners], [knowing the history] is good for citizens to be aware of what has been done. I usually go to the House of Leaves Museum123 to talk with high school children. And I have noticed that they know nothing about what has happened in the era of their parents. What has happened 30-40 years ago. I want to raise awareness among Albanian citizens to get familiar with what has happened with our fellow citizens.124 Of course there should be memory places, for example, this government opened the House of Leaves Museum, BunkArt125 there is a plan for the Tepelena Museum. All this should have been opened by the previous government. Because this is crucial, in all other places there is a memorial for former political prosecuted, the last one was built in Romania, however, here the decision has passed in Parliament but has not been executed.126 118. Gazmend Kapllani, ‘Pas krizës aktuale të Shqipërisë qëndrojnë krimet e pandëshkuara’ (2019) Reporter.al < https://www.reporter. al/pas-krizes-aktuale-te-shqiperise-qendrojne-krimet-e-pandeshkuara/> accessed 29 September 2019 119. Gjergj Erbara, ‘Socialistët synojnë të ndalojnë studimin e Luftës së Dytë Botërore si “pjesë e komunizmit”’ (2019) Reporter. al < https://www.reporter.al/socialistet-synojne-te-ndalojne-studimin-e-luftes-se-dyte-boterore-si-pjese-e-komunizmit/> accessed 29 September 2019 120. Reshat Kripa 121. Gjeto Vucaj 122. Nebli Cika 123. The Museum of Secret Surveillance < http://muzeugjethi.gov.al/home/historia-e-muzeut/?lang=en> 124. Uran Kostreci 125. BUNK’ART Museum < http://bunkart.al/1/faqe/about-us> 126. Reshat Kripa 49

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