While the dynamics of transitional justice and the attitudes towards the processing of the commun... more While the dynamics of transitional justice and the attitudes towards the processing of the communist past have been often mapped in CEE, Albania has very rarely appeared in these classifications. Where does Albania's effort in dealing with the communist past stand in relation to the rest of the communist bloc? This paper looks at Albania's approach towards the communist past by exploring its efforts in declassifying the Sigurimi secret files and its ways of dealing with the communist officials and security agents. While still a work in progress, through a comparative perspective with the rest of the Eastern bloc, the paper will argue that Albania's efforts in dealing with its past have been moderate and that the last law on communist file declassification demonstrates this approach. Drawing from the broad literature, post-communist transitional justice in Albania will be mapped by looking at two dimensions: (1) timing of lustration or declassification efforts and (2) severity of measures towards former officials and security agents. The relatively moderate approach of Albania in dealing with its communist past (late efforts and low severity of measures aiming at informing the public rather than punishing former officials) will be analyzed and to a certain extent explained through three sets of variables: (1) the dynamics of the communist rule, (2) the politics of transition and (3) the current party politics.
While the dynamics of transitional justice and the attitudes towards the processing of the commun... more While the dynamics of transitional justice and the attitudes towards the processing of the communist past have been often mapped in CEE, Albania has very rarely appeared in these classifications. Where does Albania's effort in dealing with the communist past stand in relation to the rest of the communist bloc? This paper looks at Albania's approach towards the communist past by exploring its efforts in declassifying the Sigurimi secret files and its ways of dealing with the communist officials and security agents. While still a work in progress, through a comparative perspective with the rest of the Eastern bloc, the paper will argue that Albania's efforts in dealing with its past have been moderate and that the last law on communist file declassification demonstrates this approach. Drawing from the broad literature, post-communist transitional justice in Albania will be mapped by looking at two dimensions: (1) timing of lustration or declassification efforts and (2) severity of measures towards former officials and security agents. The relatively moderate approach of Albania in dealing with its communist past (late efforts and low severity of measures aiming at informing the public rather than punishing former officials) will be analyzed and to a certain extent explained through three sets of variables: (1) the dynamics of the communist rule, (2) the politics of transition and (3) the current party politics.
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Conference Presentations by Sashenka Lleshaj