The Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Niko Peleshi, at the opening of the plenary session, apologized on behalf of the institution he represents, for the inclusion of dictator Enver Hoxha in the list of historical figures for the month of October.
Peleshi emphasized that Enver Hoxha's name was included not in an evaluative context, but simply because of his date of birth.
"I appreciated the seriousness and the demands for a position. On behalf of the Assembly, I would like to express my regret and apology for the misunderstanding and perception created, despite the simple informative purpose of the material, without having the intention to defend or evaluate any particular figure - especially Enver Hoxha, who was mentioned only because of his date of birth.
The text is taken without interpretation from the Encyclopedic Dictionary. The presentation of this material has created a false perception and has caused concern, especially among the families of the victims.
"I have asked the Parliamentary Institute for a complete review of the internal procedures of the Library of Parliament, to ensure that future materials are accompanied by a clear historical context," Peleshi said, euronews.al reports.
Sali Berisha's reaction was not lacking. He accused the majority that the inclusion of Enver Hoxha's name was not a technical error, but a deliberate act:
"You put Enver Hoxha on the agenda. It's not just a mistake, you put him on purpose. There is a 1992 law that prohibits and punishes communist propaganda about Enver Hoxha. This is not the job of libraries and librarians! Imagine what would happen if Hitler entered the Bundestag in April 1991! The EDU summit has praised Enver Hoxha as the post-war Hitler. How can he be included on the agenda?", said Berisha.
We recall that the inclusion of Enver Hoxha's name in a list of historical figures for the month of October, prepared by the Parliamentary Institute - which operates under the Parliament - has caused numerous reactions in public opinion and politics.
The document contains a summary of the birth and death dates of several Albanian historical figures. Among them is former dictator Enver Hoxha, described in the material as: "Leader of the Communist Party", "Hero of the People" and "Hero of Socialist Labor".
