Search for Victims of Albanian Communism Impeded by Prosecutors

Matthew Holliday of the International Commission on Missing Persons speaks to media on Thursday. Photo: Gjergj Erebara/BIRN.

"Today I am pleased to announce that ICMP early this week submitted two DNA match reports at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Republic of Albania," Matthew Holliday, head of the Western Balkans Programme at the ICMP, told journalists.

But further progress has been impeded because prosecutors have not agreed to allow digging at Dajti near Tirana and at another known grave site in Ballshi in southern Albania.

"We are still waiting for the prosecutors in Fieri and Tirana to issue orders for excavation in the graveyards of Dajti and Ballsh," Holliday said.

His concerns were echoed by Monica Bilayte, head of the political, economic and information section at the European Union delegation to Albania, whose office financed the ICMP project.

"It is absolutely critical that the responsible prosecutors issue court orders to excavate the sites of Dajti and Ballsh, with line ministries and municipalities doing their share in this as well," Bilayte said.

The prosecutors have given no reasons for their inaction, and the prosecutor's offices of Tirana and Fieri did not immediately respond to BIRN's requests for comments.

The ICMP project started nearly two years ago and is expected to end in December, but Holliday said he has already requested an extension, hoping that more victims of the Communist regime will be identified.

However, the complex process requires collaboration between various state bodies, from prosecutors who should issue excavation orders to the Interior Ministry, where archival information about possible grave sites can be found, and local authorities that should help ICMP experts with...