Historical context and program

Historical context:  

The oil industry was one of the most important and profitable sectors of the economy, in which the communist regime, after the nationalization of Italian companies in 1945, decided to initiate its research and exploitation with the help of specialists from the Soviet Union.
In 1949, the decision was made to establish the General Directorate of the Oil Combine in Kuçova, while in 1965 the Oil Institute was established immediately after the severance of relations with the Soviet Union. The efforts of Albanian engineers over the years, as well as the discovery of several sources, led to oil and gas production reaching its peak in 1974, with 2,248,227 tons (according to AKBN).
In 1973 and 1979, the world economy was hit by two oil crises, which led to an increase in its price from OPEC countries, as a result of which the export prices of less developed or developing countries, such as Albania, fell sharply. Domestic oil production in the early 1980s saw a sharp decline, halving from 2.5 million tons per year to less than 1 million tons per year.
The country faced the failure to realize economic plans, with significant deficits in oil and electricity, a sharp decline in exports, and a deterioration in the trade and foreign exchange balance. All of this increased the pressure of the government on the leaders of the oil sector, shifting the solution to the crisis to the extraction of hostile groups in oil.
“Oil breaks the blockade” was the propaganda of the regime, while for each crisis it punished engineers who had previously discovered oil resources and had been the honor of this sector, as well as enjoying work orders and high decorations for bravery.
The arrests of most of the oil engineers were carried out on March 25, 1975, and after several months of investigation, amidst pressure and torture, the following engineers were convicted in 1976: Filip Nashi, Beqir Alia, Koço Plaku, Protoko Murati, Milto Gjikopulli, Dhimitër Stefa, Jani Konomi and Nuredin Skrapari. They were accused of being saboteurs of the government, of agitation and propaganda, and of destroying public property.
According to documents and testimonies of survivors of the time, the process was instigated by several anonymous letters, followed by meetings of the Politburo and manipulative work by the State Security.
Engineers Koço Plaku and Milto Gjikopullin were sentenced to death and shot. Their bodies are still missing today.
The aim of this symposium is to bring attention to and open a multidisciplinary scientific and public debate on the approach of the State Security, as a weapon of the Party of Labor, to the exploration and development of the oil sector in Albania during the period 1945 - 1991, the treatment of scientists and oil workers, the documentation of the repression that characterized the supervision that the Security and the Party of Labor had over science, as well as the documentation of the memory of scientists and employees of the sector who lived and worked at that time.

What do we find in the AIDSSH archives about oil?

The symposium "Exploration and Development of the Oil Sector under the Control of the State Security", which is held in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy with the participation of researchers of history, economics and jurisprudence, oil engineers, witnesses of the time, opens for the first time documents of the former State Security. This fund, consisting of 255 archival documents from 1978 - 1983, years when the oil sector, after a positive balance, had begun to decline in production, testifies to the feverish search for new sources of oil and gas, as well as the political pressure that was growing through the structure of the State Security, Party organizations and senior state leaders. Among the archival documents are: Annual analysis of work in the oil security sector; Correspondence with the Fier Internal Affairs Branch and the First Directorate on persons involved in processing; Analysis of the work carried out in the direction of the agency; Report on accountability in the basic party organization; Information sent to the Party Committee on the accountability of the cadres of the Oil Security Branch; Information sent to the First Directorate on the condition of the gas field; Information on several serious violations; Information on breakdowns that occurred in the work of searching for oil and gas in various districts; Report on the causes of the weak dynamics in the implementation of agency processing for sabotage and damage in the Oil Security Branch: files formed and files of Special Facilities such as the Fier Oil Institute, the Ballsh Plant and other oil industry facilities. etc.

The symposium focuses on these main topics:

• The politics of the time in the oil industry; Unknown documents of the Security and statistics and analysis; challenges and consequences on the privacy and freedom of individuals in the industry.
• The role of oil in economic development and contribution to the country's economy, exports and social development, as well as aspects of international relations;
• The conviction and persecution of the so-called "scapegoats". Evidence of attempts to destroy political opponents and domestic victims.
• Resistance: Activism and the voice of those who did not agree with state policies in the oil industry.
• Determination of measures taken by the government regarding the exploitation of oil resources and their impact on the environment and society.
• Determination of the distribution of revenues generated from the exploitation of oil and assessment of transparency and accountability in the administration of these revenues.
• Identification of issues of security and protection of oil resources, including the measures taken.
• Determining and monitoring the impact of oil exploitation on the political, economic and social stability of communist Albania, including analysis at the domestic and international levels.
• Identifying and assessing justice-related issues in the field of oil exploitation, including human rights violations.
  
  

Program

10:00 - 10:20               Documentary exhibition from the AIDSSH archive

10.20 – 10.30                Screening of the documentary: “Albanian Oil in the Years 1918 – 1990” Written by economic journalist Kreshnik Kuçaj, ScanTv

10:30 – 11:00             Opening remarks: 

Dr. Gentiana Sula, Chairwoman of AIDSSH

11:00 – 12:00              PANEL I               Moderation: Dr. Edlir Orhani

Exploration and Development of the Oil Sector under the Optics of State Security.    
       

Prof. Dr. Nevton Kodhelaj, Faculty of Geology and Mining – “The Development of the Oil and Gas Extraction and Processing Sector in Albania and the Communist-Labor Whip on It”. Mr. Altin Hoxha, Member of AIDSSH – Statistics of persecution in the oil sector, study and analysis of documents.

Dr. Ermal Frashëri, Researcher – The role of oil in economic development and contribution to the country's economy (online);

Mr. Ilia Germany, MIE Hydrocarbon exploration and production in Albania

Msc. Gerla Kotka, AIDSSH, Msc. Enxhi Beka – “The persecution and punishment of two oil engineers: Koço Plaku and Milto Gjikopulli in the files of the former State Security”;

Msc. Jonel Hibo, AIDSSH– “The activities of Stanislav Zuberi, Riza Alizoti, Lipe Nashi and Nuredin Skrapari, seen in the files of the former State Security”.

Dr. Alda Biçoku, National Library - "The Oil Industry and Its Scientists. The Activity and Persecution of Academician. Prof. Teki Biçoku".

PANEL II 

12:00 – 13:00 Greetings from family members

Biographical profiles of scientists and oil workers – Family members testify.

1. Agim Gjikopulli, son of Milto Gjikopulli, in the trial against oil engineers;
   
   
2. Jovan Plaku, son of Koço Plaku, convicted in the trial against oil engineers;
3.  

Ms. Kozeta Bushati, daughter of Beqir Ali, convicted in the trial against oil engineers;

Ms. Nezi Alizoti, daughter of engineer Riza Alizoti.

13:00 – 13:20 Conclusions (Dr. Gentiana Sula. Mr. Altin Hoxha Prof. dr. Nevton Kodhelaj, Dr. Ermal Frashëri and family)