Chairwoman of AIDSSH, Dr. Gentiana Sula: IOur institutions play a key role in the fight against extremism and building a culture of confrontation with the past
Tirana, October 3-5 – The focus was on discussions regarding issues related to the management and review process of former secret police files, as an unavoidable process following the fall of dictatorships in Central and Eastern Europe, the exchange of experiences, addressing professional challenges, and cooperation for a common European narrative.
Dr. Gentiana Sula, Chairwoman of AIDSSH said that the institutions of this network play a key role in the fight against extremism and in building a culture of confronting the past: “This is a critical moment when European and Euro-Atlantic values of democracy, freedom, and human rights face great challenges. I am increasingly convinced that the work we do is very necessary for society, and it is essential that we connect with one another. I would like to see this movement grow. I sincerely hope that Croatia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo will have the same movements and institutions.
Only by working together, building partnerships, and dedicating our resources can we deliver true justice to the victims and build a better future. This meeting coincides with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a historic event that paved the way for freedom and human rights changes in our countries. It reminds us how fragile democracy can be and how much we have to learn from the past. In this context, I want to warmly welcome the newest member of this network — Ukraine.
I believe that if even a fraction of the effort spent by a dictatorship or on war were invested in peace, human rights, and reflective projects like ours, the world would be a better place.”
Ms. Klotilda Bushka, Chairwoman of the Commission on Laws and Human Rights in her greeting: ”The Council of Europe has recently adopted the Resolution on the Right to Information and Guaranteeing Access to Historical Documents, which increases the obligation of states to ensure access to these secret documents with a commitment and interest to implement the highest human rights standards in this matter. This document is very important and has served as a basis for renewing the standards used by the Council of Europe concerning citizens' right to receive accurate, verified information that serves the truth and primarily helps in recognizing reality through unaltered facts. This helps families honor their loved ones and serves our history to prevent human rights violations from recurring. I am honored to be here today among you, appreciating that all Memory Authorities are important—not only so that the truth is equally brought to light for everyone based on facts, allowing generations to learn about it and giving communities the chance to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, but also to honor the victims, be close to their families, and to affirm that they are not forgotten. They are not forgotten not only for the sake of their suffering but also to help ensure that such events do not happen again in the future.
The Ambassador of Germany to Albania, Karl Bergner, said that: “It is important for the entire society to heal and understand the past and the mechanisms of how that system functioned, as well as to create a culture of memory and confrontation with the past within our societies. From personal experience, I can say that it took us a long time to overcome the shame and to speak openly about that part of Germany’s history, which is part of our country. Confronting those times is the foundation of the German state. People need to understand the mechanisms of those systems because oppression was not created by an abstract system, but by people.t. We want people to understand how that time functioned. We want to keep that period alive. It is just history for the young, but for us, it was a way of life. This helps to understand the importance of the democracy we have today.”
Sofi Noti, Secretary General of AIDSSHemphasized the importance of exchanging experiences in the process of opening the State Security documents, following models from Poland and Germany, as well as countries like Bulgaria and Hungary. Overall, the exchange of experiences and support for historical memory are essential for all countries in this process. Furthermore, she shared insights on the digitization process and quality control.
Svitlana Starovoit, State Archive of the Institute of National Remembrance:War has become part of daily life. The Ukrainian archive, established in 2016, faces financial and logistical challenges. Documents are accessible to the public, but citizens need guidance. Exhibitions that compare past persecutions with current ones help preserve historical memory by showing that history repeats itself. Ukraine is facing the threat of totalitarianism and is working on digitizing documents to facilitate access.
Alexandra Titze, Stasi Document Archive The work and mission of the German Authority are more or less the same as your institution. Of course, we have archived and collected files with the purpose of understanding history. German citizens have access to these documents both for study and to learn about the past. These files have also served as a form of counseling for families, providing psychological support, research assistance, education, and promotion related to these files.
Boris Mihaylov, Bulgarian Commission (COMDOS/CDDAABCSSISBNA) said that: “Bulgaria faces similar challenges as Albania, including a political class inherited from former communists. Extremism and extreme parties are on the rise, with individuals linked to former secret services in key positions. Although the archives are open to the public, society accepts the normality of former collaborators’ presence in politics. A new law requires the reporting of agents in specific cases.
Jerguš Sivoš, Institute of National Remembrance: Slovakia has developed an online archive that allows users to find information about the former security service and political elites. Two special libraries offer literature on the former security service and Marxism-Leninism. The digitized documents are accessible for download, and there is a system for tracking requests, which is open only to staff members.
Gergő Bendegúz Cseh, Historical Archives of the Services (ABTL))
Hungary has created a platform for researchers, with a pilot project expected to launch next year. It will include guarantees for the security of former State Security documents and will provide detailed information.
Marzena Kruk, IPN Marzena Kruk: A new book on the Deportation Operation in Poland highlights parallels with the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine. The network suggests publishing a joint book with the participation of all members and encourages the presentation of archives at conferences. upcoming.
Anton Dukagjini, Director of the Archive, AIDSSH: “The challenges in collecting the archive have been numerous, including the destruction of documents during the final years of the regime and difficulties in declassifying classified materials. However, with the legal changes in 2022, easier opportunities were created for handling these documents, helping to accelerate the declassification process. Digitizing archival documentation is another challenge that is improving through the use of modern technologies. This will enable information to be more easily accessed and analyzed, thereby assisting in the identification of important historical events and phenomena.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gjon Boriçi from the Institute of History – Academy of Sciences of Albania spoke about “The Role of Former State Security Documents in Reconstructing Albania’s Totalitarian Historical Past.”
Prof. Dr. Aljula Jubani, Director of the Institute for European Studies at the University of Tirana analyzed “The process of converting secret police files into educational materials,” an approach in which AIDSSH is advancing towards educating younger generations about events from our communist past through the organization and development of the platform “Learning from the Past – Open Educational Resources 1944-1991.”
After drafting the final Resolution, it is expected to be approved by the network and then made public, where the next steps for international cooperation will be established, along with the priorities for the network’s upcoming projects. These include the development of a joint digital platform and the implementation of new strategies for education and public information. Following the visit to the Archive of Former State Security Documents and the presentation of the digital archive software, the 16th Network Conference was concluded.
The theme of the 16th Conference of the European Network of Archives of Former Secret Police was “A Shared Vision – Synergistic Actions” which was attended by representatives of the Responsible Authorities from Germany, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, and Hungary, who spoke about the challenges and efforts of countries in the region to confront the past and ensure transparency in their processes.
