As a task and proposal we suggest that Operation 'helm's letters' be applied with the post against the high leaders of the communist regime in Albania, since.../ The secret CIA documents are revealed

Merita Kaloçi | Memorie.al The CIA has published documents that talk about the organization of local power in Tirana and those who were at its head, starting from the Executive Committee of the surrounding council, the Prefecture, etc., as well as the relevant sections that were under their jurisdiction. Thus, the names published by the CIA about the leaders of the State Security have come to light and the leaders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The CIA has published some other documents about security services, showing how the Sovietists started the reform of the Albanian Army which was under the direction of the Minister of National Defense, Major General Beqir Balluku. Short 1954 The State Power Organization and the Ministry of Internal Affairs The Executive Committee of Tirana is in fact the former organization of the city and is located in the former building of the city. It has a chairman, a secretary, and 11 members who each have responsibility for specific administrative matters such as trade, finances, planning, construction, education, and civil welfare. Local elections are held every two years; the last ones were held in 1952. The members of the committees appoint the leaders of the neighborhoods of Tirana, which are also divided into different sectors of functions. The members of the councils are elected after the local elections. In May 1951, the archive was transferred from the executive committee to the center, to a building on Shqipëria e Re boulevard, from the large number of applicants. The main function of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is in fact the direction of state security. It has three main departments according to the three administrative divisions of Tirana. The following persons held important administrative roles in the Executive Committee of Tirana until 1952: Bim Sina, chairman of the Executive Committee, born in Tirana, married to one of his employees named Merushe Shapllo. Both were partisans during the war and were Trotskyists. In the latest reports, Sina was in the charge of the Archive. Selaudin Bekteshi, secretary of the executive committee, born in Tirana, 28 years old, unmarried. He was also a partisan and a Trotskyist. Murat Mema, member responsible for the Trade section. Born in Tirana, 32 years old, former partisan and a Trotskyist. Qazim Mema (without relation to Murat Mema), responsible for Finance, born in Tirana, former partisan. October 1954 The People's Army At the end of 1953, there was a reorganization of the People's Army of Albania, according to the instructions of the Soviet officials. Some infantry brigades in Korçë, Tirana, Gjirokastër, and others were disbanded and in their place 3 military units with infantry brigades and regiments were created. One unit with motor vehicles was placed in the village of Zemblak, dependent on the Korçë regiment. An infantry unit was also stationed in Bilisht. The units were armed with Soviet rifles, some of which with snipers. These battalions do not have transport vehicles, but only animals such as cows and horses, with which they pull the artillery. These units conduct training every day. About 20 officers went to the Korçë battalions to participate in the training held in the Voskopojë mountains, which lasted for three weeks. By mid-1954, the commander of this zone's battalion is Captain Zarifi from Poloska, who was replaced by Colonel Lulzim Skëndo from Kurveleshi. Some sources have confirmed that the presence of so many officers in a battalion is due to the fact that the brigades have similar administrative structures to the regiments and in the case of mobilization, they can become regiments. In the barracks of the Bilisht infantry, the artillery unit is also located. This is armed with Soviet 75 mm guns. Their transport is by horses. It is not known exactly how many horses belonged to the artillery unit, as they are together with the infantry horses, but together they reach about 120 heads. Training and Recruitment A number of officers released from the army are repeatedly sent for drill letters. The residents of the Devollit area have reported battalion training in Bilisht. At the beginning of October 1954, the residents of the area were presented with the service of the military. The people were examined by the committee and those who were chosen for military service for border guards immediately started training. While others were released and it is said that they will start their service a few months later. In 1954, the duration of military service in Albania was extended by two, up to three years, while for the air and naval forces, from three to four years. The information comes from people who serve in the army. The Barracks of Bilisht The barracks are located in the southeastern part of the city near the Korçë-Kristalopigji highway. They are two stone buildings and one two-story building, where the infantry battalion and the artillerymen are stationed. The two-story building also has carpenters, shoe makers, and leatherworkers. The water for the barracks comes from the Bilisht reservoir, as well as the electricity, from the main grid. The barracks are surrounded by wire mesh, and a dividing wall is also being built with the highway. During the day, the barracks are guarded by a guard stationed at the entrance of the camp and there are also two permanent posts with machine guns. The Church of St. Anastasia near the Bilisht villages serves as a ammunition depot for the battalion and is surrounded by wire mesh. Work of the Police At the end of August, the commander of the Bilisht police, Captain Beqir Alia, gathered the residents and made a speech where he tried to convince the young people to join the voluntary work of the army, arguing that the work was necessary to build the Cërrik oil refinery. But due to the fact that only one person agreed to apply, the authorities were forced to hire employees with payment. In the village of Bilisht, there are also about 15 armed residents, who should help the police whenever necessary, to raise guards or in pursuit operations. One of them is Ahmet Çakerri, who is the most reliable for the authorities, as he is a communist. Whenever help is needed, the police turn to him. Border Fortifications Until April 1954, the residents of Kapshtica could not cross from the Kapshtica-Kristalopigji highway to reach the cattle pens on the southern side. But later the road was opened and the villagers could lead the animals to the border. Earlier, a border zone was mined, which was cleared by the authorities. About 75 percent of the residents of Bilisht are Muslim and 25 percent are Orthodox Christians. But the village has neither a mosque nor a church, so the residents do not perform religious rites. Also, the Orthodox population does not go to church, as those who do do not tolerate the young communist villagers. In Bilisht there is only one Orthodox priest, who gives the Sunday mass in the Church of St. Anastasia. His name is Kristo Llafazani. Bilisht has a hospital with about 60 beds. The hospital has a doctor who graduated in Tirana and 5 nurses (3 women and 2 men). Medical visits are free for everyone. Those hospitalized must pay 40 lek per day for treatment, plus medicines, which they must buy from people who receive rations from outside the country, due to the lack of medicines in Albania. Under all the harsh conditions of life, many residents are affected by tuberculosis, especially the young. May 27, 1952 Memorandum Comments of Jacob T. Beam regarding Albania and related issues In relation to the documents of the Cold War strategy and general operational objectives, I am passing some statements and observations made by Mr. Beam, who is the second official of our embassy in Belgrade. He has just returned from Belgrade, after a one-year mandate. Beam is a sharp political observer and his views should be of interest to us. In relation to Albania, Mr. Beam thinks that the Yugoslavs are following their policies one year behind. Their policy is to let the generations slowly die in Albania, but they do not want to do anything that would delay the current regime, for fear of any representation from the Soviets. They continue to think that if Yugoslavia is attacked by the West, they will immediately occupy all of Albania, and to the best of their knowledge, they do not want to allow participation from Greece or other countries in this occupation. The Yugoslavs believe that they have some agents entering and leaving Albania, who are well informed about the current situation in the country. The Situation in Albania Since 1948 when the Tito regime broke with the Soviet Union, Albania is isolated from contact with the Soviet satellite states. This, apart from the harsh terrain of the country itself and the old clandestine traditions of the Albanians, especially in the northern tri-border zones, seems to make Albania a promising objective for clandestine operations, with the aim of overthrowing the current communist regime. The presence of a large number of Albanian refugees in Europe suggests the development of a political center outside of Albania, composed of representatives of anti-totalitarian elements and friendly to the policies of the USA for the Balkans, which can serve as a focal point for anti-communist elements within Albania. The intelligence services of America and Britain in the summer of 1949 were responsible for the formation of the National Committee of "Free Albania" (NCFA), which is a political center for the representatives of the democratic Albanian refugees, and which can serve as a cover for secret operations in Albania. And from then on, the operations of the political and military branches were carried out in the name of the NCFA. The Proposal The NCFA is a group of representatives of Albanian refugees who act as a focal point for those who are ultimately interested in the liberation of Albania. The group acts as an official cover for the covert activities of the CIA and serves as a tool for public denunciation of the issue of the enslaved Albanians in Albania. It is controlled by the CIA and the British MI6 services. The leaders of the NCFA have made it clear that in no case they are considered the "Government in exile" of Albania. Duties and Proposals The publication of the newspaper "Albania" in the Albanian language, and the use of its main content for the propaganda brochures published by the air in Albania. The publication of periodic announcements about Albania, published in English, French, and Italian, distributed to the main agencies of the Western press. (Preparation of the content of the publication Albania was done according to the OBTUSE project, which is supported and assisted by OBLIVIOUS). The preparation of the texts of propaganda brochures and the writing of clandestine transmissions on the radio. The operation of "helm letter" with the post, against the high leaders of the communist regime in Albania. Monitoring of Radio-Tirana, monitoring of the world press for news about Albania, which can be used in our propaganda program. Links with the groups of emigrants, especially those who are part of the National Committee of Free Albania./ Memorie.al