FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Here's the plan for Spaçi, Gonxhe doesn't ask for criticism...
Former political prisoners, and especially those who have served time in Spaç, have been demanding for years that it be turned into a museum. A museum where the infamous prison's slavery towards all those who raised their voices against the system would be witnessed. Hundreds and hundreds of people have served their sentences in Spaç, who shudder with their accounts of the suffering they have endured there.
But, instead of witnessing the bitter past of this prison, in recent days it has been noticed that the plastering of the buildings in Spaç has begun, covering everything. For 3-4 days, a wide debate has erupted, where activists and specialists have strongly opposed such a project, while the government itself seems to have no intention of stopping.
The concern was initially shared by architect Arnen Sula. He shared photos of the plastered walls on social media. While the Ministry of Culture justified that this is not a restoration, but rather a partial intervention, part of a film script.
But despite the justifications, there has been much criticism of this project. One of those who have suffered in Spaç is Fatos Lubonja, who has strongly criticized it.
" I spent almost 10 years in Spaç, out of 17 years in prison in total. I was exposed to the demolition of Spaç early on and the color white has always struck me. Since the early 90s, there has been intervention in Spaç and the demolition began. A Canadian company had come to the mine and demolished part of the camp. Now there is a Turkish company nearby and there is a lot of noise with trucks. While it should have been quiet. A destruction of memory. They want to make money even with the memory of suffering. Now they are doing something else to us in the name of reconstruction. They are erasing traces of history, historical events. It is a bad feeling, of the destruction of memory. It is not anger and accusation. There are many arguments why they should not have intervened in Spaç ," said Lubonja.
But despite much criticism, Blendi Gonxhja showed no sign of backing down yesterday. He reacted with contemptuous language towards the project's opponents, calling them "the Sancho Panchos of old politics" and the strong public reaction an "unnecessary smokescreen."
" Recently, an unnecessary 'smokescreen' has been created regarding the former Spaç prison, ignoring not only the extreme physical degradation, but also fabricating fables about 'distortion of historical memory' or 'scams' for the sake of a film, which is misinforming, but also malicious in essence."
For all those truly concerned about the fate of this place, a symbol of national memory, and about the allusions and anathemas expressed, we clarify some important facts:
For more than three years, director Namik Ajazi, together with writer Visar Zhiti, himself a political prisoner and witness to that reality, have been undertaking an ambitious film project, which aims to bring to the screen one of the most important events of the anti-communist resistance in Albania: the Spaç Prisoners' Revolt in May 1973 ," the reaction states.
Plan for Spaci
The National Institute of Cultural Heritage, in November 2024, approved the project: "Conservation-restoration interventions in Spaç prison".
The project was designed by architects Genci Tufi and Klejdia Kore and engineer Sokol Ismaili and aims to intervene in 8 spaces: guardhouse, command, meeting room, infirmary, kitchen/canteen, dormitory, roll call and toilets. The project has a value of approximately 100 thousand euros.
According to the plan, the following interventions will be made:
• Installation of metal gates between buildings no. 3a and 3b.
• Intervention in the fencing of the upper (low) and lower (high) sakarpata with woven wire mesh.
• Installation of handrails on the stairs of building no. 3a, interior plastering and painting.
• Installation of wooden gates on the second floor of building no. 3.
• Installation of handrails on the second floor balcony of building no. 3.
• Intervention in the installation of high fencing in the southern part of building no. 3.
• Intervention in the enclosure of the inner courtyard of building no. 4 and building no. 6a.
• Interference with the placement of the observation tower.
• Completing brick walls and installing wooden windows with single glazing in buildings 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6.
• Installation of railings in buildings 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 6.
• Intervention in filling the brick walls in building 3b, 5 and the ruins of the toilets.
• Interference with the placement of the observation tower.
• Repair of concrete stairs in building 5.
But as long as there are no consultations, no transparency and Blendi Gonxhe does not accept any critical voices, the signals are that Spaçi will end up with plaster, concrete and bricks. /Pamphlet
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