The Buçpapaj Family and Their Communist Saga – Flamur Buçpapaj to Run Again for Director-General of RTSH
THE BUÇPAPAJ FAMILY AND THEIR COMMUNIST SAGA
FLAMUR BUÇPAPAJ TO RUN AGAIN FOR DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF RTSH
By Flamur Buçpapaj
FROM A STUDENT EXPELLED BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILY BACKGROUND TO A WRITER, SCHOLAR, PLAYWRIGHT AND BUSINESSMAN
I, Flamur Buçpapaj, am today a businessman, writer, scholar, playwright and Albanian publicist. My works have been published in more than 12 foreign languages and have reached Albanian, European and American markets; my books have been made available through bookstores and platforms in international markets. But my path has not been easy. I come from a politically persecuted family, and I myself was expelled from school because of my family background. Today, when I look back, I see clearly that the journey from exclusion and discrimination to literature, scholarship, business and media is evidence of what a person can achieve when he refuses to surrender.
I was one of the founders of political pluralism in Albania, chairman of the Student Movement in Shkodër, and an active participant in demonstrations and hunger strikes in Shkodër and Tirana. I was detained and arrested by the police more than 30 times. Today, after more than three decades, I have decided to enter another public battle: to run once again for Director-General of RTSH.
I do not even know myself how I came to the decision to run for RTSH. Perhaps because, when you have spent a lifetime fighting injustice, it is difficult to remain indifferent when you see a public institution sliding into crisis.
RTSH is a public institution which, in my view, has entered a profound institutional, financial, technical, administrative and editorial crisis. Instead of stopping this crisis, I believe the current leadership risks deepening it further. This is precisely why I have decided to run again.
THE BUÇPAPAJ FAMILY — A FAMILY PERSECUTED BY COMMUNISM
First of all, I want to make clear that our family was openly opposed to the Party of Labour of Albania. My maternal uncle, Isuf Meshi from Has, was sentenced to 28 years in political prison. My paternal uncle, Fasli Buçpapaj, was sentenced to 15 years in political prison. My sister married the nephew of Tahir Hoxha of Gash, a nationalist and a fighter against the partisans and the Communist Party.
Therefore, I did not learn about communism from books.
I experienced it myself.
I experienced communism from primary school, when I was denied a scholarship despite receiving top marks in all subjects. I was expelled from secondary school because of my family background. In front of all the students of that time, I was told:
“You are not worthy of this school.”
The ordeal continued.
I enrolled in a peripheral high school in Fierzë, where I walked three or four hours to get to school, without any proper physical facilities. I often found myself freezing on the road because of the snow and the bitter cold of those years.
There, at that peripheral school, I encountered teachers who, in my experience, were products of a politicized and inadequate educational system. Many had graduated from two- or three-year institutes in Shkodër, and I later learned that some had been among the weakest students themselves, despite having passed their studies.
One particular teacher, whom I understood to have links with the State Security apparatus and who had been my physics teacher, was, in my experience, an immoral and Machiavellian figure. He was later removed from his position and sent back to the area from which he had come, in the villages of Malësia e Madhe. Later I learned that this teacher had been one of the weakest students in mathematics and physics at the three-year institute in Shkodër.
I will not dwell on this.
But getting top marks was extremely difficult—not because of lack of knowledge, but because certain students were destined to be favored, particularly those with a “good political background,” and they were given artificially high grades, nines and tens. Those of us with a “bad political background” found it extremely difficult to receive high marks.
Nevertheless, I succeeded.
I graduated with an average grade of 9.5 and, in 1989, entered higher education, at a time when communism was dying and the class struggle was almost over.
FROM AN EXPELLED STUDENT TO A LEADER OF THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
In Shkodër, I became one of the leaders of the Student Movement.
I was detained and arrested by the police more than 30 times. The newspaper Rilindja Demokratike, in 1991, also wrote about what I regarded as police violence against me and other students.
I spent approximately one month in isolation as a result of the violence inflicted upon me by the structures of the communist regime in Shkodër.
Therefore, when I speak about political pluralism, I am not speaking from books.
I lived it.
And my journey from a student expelled because of his family background, from a young man who walked three or four hours through snow to reach school, has taken me today into another life: I am a businessman, writer, scholar, playwright and publicist. My works have been published in more than 12 foreign languages, and I have worked to bring Albanian literature to Albanian, European and American markets.
But one thing has never changed:
My belief that public property and public institutions belong to the people, not to individuals or private groups.
FROM RADIO NACIONAL TO RTSH
Even today, in my view, an absurd situation continues.
Former Minister Margariti terminated the contract relating to the building of Nacional, the Radio-TV organization that, in my assessment, had become one of the most followed Albanian media outlets in the Balkans, despite the conditions that I maintain I had fulfilled and my readiness for privatization.
In my view, she believed that the property could be used for another construction project and that a 22-storey building could be erected there, while I have raised the allegation that two floors would benefit her together with other individuals. These are allegations that must be established through documents and judicial proceedings.
For these matters, I have filed a legal case and sought legal accountability. My case is scheduled to be heard in court on September 29, according to the information I have regarding the proceedings.
Among other things, I demand to know where the decorative stones from the former Kinostudio are; where are the roof tiles, iron, roof trusses and other materials from demolished buildings? Where are these materials? What happened to their value?
According to information and estimates I have received, the value of these materials may reach approximately ALL 25 million in old lek.
Where are they?
Where is the Art Park?
Where are the trees that were planted and have since dried up?
Where are the concrete, stones and waste that I allege were buried?
Where are the documents?
Where are the invoices?
Who gave the orders?
Who signed them?
Who benefited?
In my view, the State Supreme Audit Institution, KLSH, must verify every element of this investment and any potential economic damage. If the documents establish violations, law-enforcement institutions must intervene.
I will not withdraw from this legal battle. I will document everything that I allege constitutes theft, abuse of office or other abusive conduct, and I will leave it to the competent institutions to determine whether such actions constitute criminal offenses.
BUT NOW LET US RETURN TO RTSH
Having led a new media organization that emerged and survived in Albania, I thought I could try to save RTSH from the hands of those who, in my view, have used, mismanaged and exploited public property for approximately 30 years.
Why do I say this?
Because, in my assessment, different directors have been appointed for political interests, while equipment has disappeared, studios have deteriorated and technical assets have been depleted, to the point where RTSH today risks looking like an old caricature of an institution that should instead be Albania’s modern public broadcaster.
I tried to stop this.
But I could not.
The opposition Democratic Party also voted and approved decisions of the Governing Council. I warned about this because I still care deeply about Albania.
ENI VASILI AND THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF RTSH
Today, RTSH is headed by Eni Vasili, who was elected by the Governing Council with seven votes and has a five-year mandate. Any information that she “will be removed very soon,” unless accompanied by an official decision, should be regarded as political or unofficial information rather than a confirmed fact.
Nevertheless, according to political sources I have received, a rapid change in the leadership of RTSH is expected. Time will show whether this information proves accurate.
But I have concrete questions for the current leadership.
Is RTSH becoming more professional?
Is it becoming more independent?
Is public property being managed better?
Is quality improving?
Are professionals being given opportunities?
Are expenditures being properly controlled?
Is clientelism being stopped?
Is a European public broadcaster being built?
These are questions every Albanian citizen should ask.
Official RTSH documents also show decision-making concerning contracts and the organization of the institution. The existence of such decisions requires full transparency regarding their criteria, costs and results.
I want to know: Who are these people? What responsibilities do they have? How much are they paid? Why is the existing structure insufficient? And according to what criteria are they selected?
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL LEGAL CONSEQUENCES IF ABUSES ARE PROVEN?
Here we must be scientific and legally precise.
It is not enough to say that a director, minister or public official should go to prison. Imprisonment can only be imposed by a court after a criminal offense has been proven.
However, the Albanian Criminal Code contains provisions that may become relevant if the facts and evidence establish the elements of a criminal offense.
Article 248 – Abuse of Office: may apply where a public official, intentionally and in violation of the law, performs or fails to perform an act in a manner that produces unlawful benefits or damages the legitimate interests of the state, citizens or legal entities.
Article 258 – Violation of Equality of Participants in Public Tenders or Auctions: may apply if unlawful intervention in a public procedure is proven to have provided an unjustified advantage to a person or entity.
Article 259 – Passive Corruption of Persons Exercising Public Functions: may become relevant if the requesting or receiving of an unlawful benefit in connection with public office is proven.
Article 260 – Passive Corruption of High State Officials: may become relevant only if the specific elements of the offense are established, including an unlawful benefit and its connection with the official’s function.
Article 287 – Laundering of Proceeds of Crime: may become relevant if it is proven that assets derived from a criminal offense were concealed, transferred or used with knowledge of their criminal origin.
Therefore, in the case of former Minister Margariti, the leadership of RTSH, or any other official, I am not calling for punishment without trial.
I am calling for an investigation.
I am calling for documents.
I am calling for an audit.
I am calling for transparency.
And if a criminal offense is proven, criminal responsibility must follow the law.
WHY WILL I RUN AGAIN?
Because I do not come from the nomenklatura.
I do not come from the Party of Labour.
I was not raised in the offices of communism.
My family was persecuted by communism.
I myself was persecuted.
I was arrested.
I was subjected to violence.
I was expelled.
I fought for political pluralism.
I built media organizations.
I led media organizations.
I am a businessman.
I am a writer.
I am a scholar.
I am a playwright.
I am a publicist.
My works have been published in more than 12 foreign languages, and I have worked to establish them in Albanian, European and American markets.
And I have demonstrated in practice what it means to build a media institution from the ground up.
Therefore, I am not afraid of work.
And I do not need RTSH in order to have a job.
I want RTSH because I believe Albania needs a strong public broadcaster.
An RTSH that does not serve the Prime Minister.
Not the opposition.
Not oligarchs.
Not media clans.
Not the director.
But the Albanian citizen.
If elected, I will demand a comprehensive audit of RTSH: financial, technical, administrative, editorial and asset-related. I will demand a complete inventory of equipment, properties, contracts and expenditures.
I will demand answers to the following questions:
What does RTSH own?
What has RTSH lost?
What has been transferred to third parties?
How much did it cost?
Who signed?
Who benefited?
And above all:
How can we transform RTSH into a modern European public broadcaster?
FROM THE COMMUNIST SAGA TO THE BATTLE FOR DEMOCRACY
This is my story.
From a student who was denied the right to study because of his family background.
From a student expelled from school.
From a young man who walked three or four hours through the snow to attend school.
From a student arrested more than 30 times.
From a leader of the Student Movement in Shkodër.
From one of those who fought in the streets for political pluralism.
From a family whose members were sentenced to decades of political imprisonment.
And today, after all this journey, I am a businessman, writer, scholar, playwright and publicist, with works published in more than 12 foreign languages.
But one thing has never changed: my conviction.
RTSH cannot be allowed to collapse.
Just as we once refused to submit to communism, today we must refuse to allow a public institution to become the property of anyone.
If RTSH is in crisis, we must save it.
If there are abuses, they must be investigated.
If there is incompetence, it must be corrected.
If there is corruption, it must be fought.
If there is clientelism, it must be stopped.
And if there are still people who believe in an independent, professional and national public broadcaster, then I am ready to fight once again.
That is why I will run again for Director-General of RTSH.
Not for the chair.
Not for the salary.
Not for power.
But to transform RTSH from an institution at risk of collapse into an institution that serves Albania.
And this time, before asking for the vote of the Governing Council, I will ask for the moral vote of the citizens:
Should Albania have an independent, professional and politically uncaptured public broadcaster?
My answer is:
YES.
And for this YES, I will run.
