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Who toppled the statue of Enver Hoxha on February 20? Memories of Ramiz Ali, Nexhmije Hoxha and Rajmonda Bulku
2024-02-20 14:03:47 / JETË
33 years ago, thousands of revolted Albanian citizens overthrew the bust of dictator Enver Hoxha in " Skënderbej " square, in Tirana.
The demolition of the dictator's bust was initiated by the hunger strike undertaken by hundreds of students to remove his name from the university.
That movement also marked the fall of the communist system in Albania.
Below are the attitude of the former President, Ramiz Alia, as well as the memories of Nexhmije Hoxha, Sulo Gradec and Rajmonda Bulku for February 20.
Sulo Gradeci : " You are not correct. How many speculations have been made and are being made in the name of the people! The monument was prepared to be demolished beforehand. They told us "preferably in the middle of the day, preferably in the eyes of the cameras, preferably in the eyes of the world". But you see. Since that day, Enver Hoxha's monument is being rebuilt wisely and peacefully"
Rajmonda Bulku : " On Wednesday, February 20, 1991, I left the house in the morning and took the children to my aunt, who fortunately was near and I often let him. My husband was at work. But anyway, it's not like I was getting permission from anyone. That's how I got out... After securing the children, I joined my colleagues to go up to the Student City. It was approaching 1 o'clock in the afternoon and we continued to stand there, waiting for a message from the President of that time, Ramiz Alia, regarding the demands of the students, so that they would come out of the strike. A great tension was created because I wanted to make the call. Behind me was my colleague, a well-known actress, who we have always been together. We had a little fight with the police. We asked him to leave us. He didn't show the strength to threaten us with his life, but I can't say he tolerated us. My colleague held the police while I managed to get the microphone in just a few seconds, so I made the call. I was entering the Liceu alley to go to the square, when my colleague tells me that we have three people with radios behind, broadcasting: "We have these two here, tell us what we should do". So I couldn't get to the square when the monument fell and we remained there under tension, what would happen to us. I still remember one of the three, a curly one with blue eyes. When someone on a bicycle gave us the news that Enver Hoxha's bust fell, I addressed him: Now, what are you going to do? I don't know why he was forced to tell us: We were protecting you.
Nexhmije Hoxha: It didn't take long and Ramizi and Adil came. I waited with a gloomy face. We sat in a corner of the salon. Ramizi, with a broken voice, said:
"We are sorry for what happened yesterday...". I interrupted him: "Bad?! Shame, shame, unrepentant shame! You know - I continued - when Enver died, you and no one saw me cry. It was a great consolation, a whole people cried for it... whereas yesterday I cried and howled around the house like a wounded animal... Enver was dragged to the square where you swore, friend Ramiz, to take them as 'sacrifice' to the students, who were allegedly on hunger strike, with songs and rock, to remove the name of the University that was established on his initiative. I'm sorry, friend Adil, that you ended your career with a firm to remove the name of Enver...".
"No, it's not like that - Ramizi intervened - Adili will continue to work and fight...". I smiled slightly bitterly at these kinds of illusions that had already been overthrown together with the busts of Enver and burned together in the flames of deeds, just as the Nazi squadrons used to do, when Hitler was climbing the ladder of power in Germany. I said: "They reported to you what I heard around the house today?" How did Enver's house escape from looting, demolition, burning, and how did his family escape from lynching...? How is it possible that 24 hours have passed since what for me was the second and most serious death of Enver and none of you, nor the members of the Bureau, none of the KQ secretaries, no friend, no friend remembered He didn't come to say a comforting word to me and now I'm on the street on the fifteenth and I don't know where to go...!". "Right - said Ramizi - we have been very busy, because the situation is very tense and we were engaged in several meetings".
Ramiz Alia : I cannot take the power to decide the evaluation of Enver Hoxha's personality, because for me this is not the problem that the Albanian people have today. What was done today is the greatest crime and you will hear the noise of this crime, you will hear how heavy and how fierce the response will be. People don't put up with these things, remember.
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