50 international representatives of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform, mainly from Eastern European countries, first stopped at the Communist Crime Memory Museum in Shkodra where, in collaboration with the Albanian Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture, has been opened the exhibition "Totalitarianism in Europe".
The Director of the Institute, Jonila Godole, said that besides the 14 European countries such as Poland, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary or Bulgaria, Albania is also presented with two stands reflecting the persecution during the communist period.
"For the first time in Albania, we have such an exhibition, which starts now in Shkodra and then in the National Museum. But above all, we have an exhibition in which we have figures on victims, names and faces of persecutors and the persons responsible for crimes committed during World War II, but also committed during communism in all these countries. This is a novelty for Albania as we have never spoken openly of who are the main responsible for the crimes committed in Albania in the past 45 years."
President of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform, Lukas Kaminski, said that Albania, like many former communist countries, continues to face problems with the past.
"All the former communist countries, now in the European Union, have had a difficult experience and, even today have a problem with dealing with the past. In these 30 years we have learned that in order to build a modern democracy and stable institutions in the country, a prerequisite is dealing with the past. "
Kaminski said that one of the slogans that support democracy in Europe is the rule of law. But how can the law rule in a country where the perpetrators have not been convicted and still remain in parliament or other public institutions?
In this way, he added, there is a risk that politicians will not be held accountable, and they will continue to do the same without giving any account of their activity. We hope, Mr. Kaminski said, that the current Albanian political elite will find the strength and willingness to work in the field of dealing with the past.
Like most Eastern European countries, Albania is a member of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform. According to Ms. Godole, this is an opportunity for Albania's voice on Communist crimes to be heard in the European Parliament as well.
"The European Platform of Memory and its membership is important especially in Albania where the work to uncover the crimes of communism and dealing with the past is not supported by the state, it is not supported by national institutions. For this reason exist these institutions where we can exchange opinions with one another, as there are many members who come with similar stories to us and to tell what has happened in Albania so that we are not isolated and only we can speak for what has happened in Albania, but for Albania to have a voice up to the European Parliament for what has happened in Albania for the past 45 years."
After Shkodra, the members of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform delegation along with the exhibition "Totalitarianism in Europe" will travel to other places of historical memory; in Lezha and Tirana.
The Director of the Institute, Jonila Godole, said that besides the 14 European countries such as Poland, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary or Bulgaria, Albania is also presented with two stands reflecting the persecution during the communist period.
"For the first time in Albania, we have such an exhibition, which starts now in Shkodra and then in the National Museum. But above all, we have an exhibition in which we have figures on victims, names and faces of persecutors and the persons responsible for crimes committed during World War II, but also committed during communism in all these countries. This is a novelty for Albania as we have never spoken openly of who are the main responsible for the crimes committed in Albania in the past 45 years."
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| Lukas Kaminski |
"All the former communist countries, now in the European Union, have had a difficult experience and, even today have a problem with dealing with the past. In these 30 years we have learned that in order to build a modern democracy and stable institutions in the country, a prerequisite is dealing with the past. "
Kaminski said that one of the slogans that support democracy in Europe is the rule of law. But how can the law rule in a country where the perpetrators have not been convicted and still remain in parliament or other public institutions?
In this way, he added, there is a risk that politicians will not be held accountable, and they will continue to do the same without giving any account of their activity. We hope, Mr. Kaminski said, that the current Albanian political elite will find the strength and willingness to work in the field of dealing with the past.
Like most Eastern European countries, Albania is a member of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform. According to Ms. Godole, this is an opportunity for Albania's voice on Communist crimes to be heard in the European Parliament as well.
"The European Platform of Memory and its membership is important especially in Albania where the work to uncover the crimes of communism and dealing with the past is not supported by the state, it is not supported by national institutions. For this reason exist these institutions where we can exchange opinions with one another, as there are many members who come with similar stories to us and to tell what has happened in Albania so that we are not isolated and only we can speak for what has happened in Albania, but for Albania to have a voice up to the European Parliament for what has happened in Albania for the past 45 years."
After Shkodra, the members of the European Memory and Consciousness Platform delegation along with the exhibition "Totalitarianism in Europe" will travel to other places of historical memory; in Lezha and Tirana.