Parliament passes law of “Communist files”, guarantees information rights

Although the opposition voted against, the majority passed the law for opening the communist files. 

With this law, Erion Veliaj closed his term as Minister of Social Welfare. He explained how the law will be implemented, and how it is based on transparency and not on lustration, which goes against the Constitution.

“There is a parliamentary group leader, there is also a chairman of the Commission of Laws and Parliament Members who used to work for the regime. You cannot do Pontius Pilate”, declared Mesila Doad, MP of the Democratic Party.

Fatmir Mediu, from the Republican Party, declared: “How can we talk about communist prosecution and try to make a law for opening the files, when Enver Hoxha is still considered a hero. You should open the files of the Secret Service collaborators, because transparency is the first element of a normal functionality in a society. Lustration is necessary. Despite the voting of today, this doesn’t end here”.

The Socialist Party MP, Pandeli Majko, declared that the propositions brought by the opposition were rejected by the Constitutional Court.

“Those who are to blame for what happened in Albania are not the persons that will have their files openn. Everyone must take what they deserve”, Majko declared.

“This law allows the former political prisoners and the civil society the right to get informed, but not lustration. The majority has asked that some of the high-rank officials, before they are appointed in a public administration post, should be verified if they have collaborated with the Secret Service in the past.