Tirana, Central Albania
Albania

The Threat

Since February 2018, with growing public and international support, activists, artists and citizens have engaged to block the construction of a new Theater at the city center of Tirana, after the old one was demolished in an illegal action initiated by the Municipality of Tirana. Several lawsuits are underway addressed to the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Erion Veliaj, and other public officials involved in this situation.

The demolition of the National Theater Building was carried out on 17 May 2020 as a result of an operation ordered by the Municipality of Tirana, supported by around 1500 police officers, which was internationally condemned as a barbaric action and an infringement of the rule of law and of the public safety measures applied under the Covid-19 regime.

The European Union, through Commissioner for Culture Mariya Gabriel and Europa Nostra, the most distinguished European body dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage had few days before the demolition, called upon the Albanian government to not proceed with destroying the historic building of the National Theater, which on March 24 had been included in the 2020 “7 Most Endangered Heritage Sites” programme of Europa Nostra. The activists and artists were working with Europa Nostra towards their aim of restoring the Teatri Kombëtar (National Theater) and once the flights after the pandemic would be again possible, the Europa Nostra team were expecting to visit the National Theater and start with the technical consultations with regard to the work ahead.

The law infringements related to the new Theater project and the daily protests of the citizens since almost 28 months now, have led to:

1) Two open cases at the Constitutional Court, which due to the vetting process is blocked and when it becomes functional has to rule on: (1) the special law passed by the Albanian parliament in 2018 while the president rejected twice to confirm it, which would transfer the public National Theater ground to a private company for development: (2) the Council of Ministers decision of the 8th of May 2020 which transferred this public National Theater ground from the Ministry of Culture to the Municipality of Tirana;

2) The Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure of Albania to open investigations on the misdoings of many high state officials, including the Mayor and Deputy-Mayor of Tirana related to the National Theater project.

3) The Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana to start investigations on the technical and legal acts that led to the demolition of the National Theater.

4) The Ombudsman of Albania to start investigations on the Decision of the Council of Ministers that transferred the National Theater ground to the Municipality of Tirana and all the acts and actions that followed it up to the demolition of the Theater and the violence exerted against artists and citizens.

Description of the Site

“The Italo-Albanian Circle SKANDERBEG” consisted of two parallel buildings, separated by a half-patio organized as a relaxing setting with a pool in the middle and a fitness room, making it exemplary for the time. It was a design respecting the contemporary parameters of the constructions of an era known as the fascist “il Ventennio” for such complexes.

The building on the left side of the complex was initially called “The Cinema-Theater SAVOJA”. It was designed for film screenings, as well as theatrical performances, concerts, etc., and was categorized as “first class” at the time. It was also well suited for important political events, including those of the chiefs of state. At the entrance, there was an atrium which included a hall where the public would gather before the show or during intermissions.

This complex was an architectonic space that dissolved into an urban space in the square lying before it and naturally reaching further towards the main boulevard, thus bringing a special projective value to emptiness, one of the rare cases that still survived in the city. The complex could be characterized by humility, simplicity, human proportions, and a light and penetrating architecture.

This is one of the most modern elements of this architecture, which, while differing from other objects of the monumental Italian architecture as seen in Albania, in all scale and detail, aims at being simple, related to the earth and integrated with the surrounding space. On the other side, this object as well as other objects of Italian architecture are works that belong to the teenage phase of our architecture, the time before World War II that is related to the Monarchy.

The complex is a turning point on the monumental axis, as it is the first rationalist object after a period of neoclassical construction. It is also one of the first rationalist buildings in Albania. The facility was first realized with prefabricated elements and innovative materials at the time, not only in Albania but also beyond. The cultural and sports complex is also the first facility with the pool still present in the atrium. Scholars classify it as a rationalist building with the influences of De Chirico’s futurism and paintings.

Site History

The historic building in question was designed, drawn and built precisely as a complex. It was completed in 1940, when Albania was annexed under the “empire” of fascist Italy. The complex was named “The Italian-Albanian Circle SKANDERBEG”.

The National and Experimental Theater Complex was a historical artefact that has witnessed many events related to the creation of the Albanian Theater. It has also served as a stage for artistic, academic and political events in post-World War II Albania. The complex represented various historical layer including the architectural and engineering styles of the time of its construction. It represents an important stage in the history of urban planning and modern Albanian architecture.

The Albanian spectator at the Cinema-Theater had the chance to fall in love with great actors such as Greta Garbo, Alida Valli, Anna Magnani, Laurence Olivier, Amadeo Nazzari, Vittorio de Sica, and many others. Additionally, series of musical concerts were hosted at this site, including the music of  Scarlatti, Cherubini, Corelli, Vivaldi, Boccherini, Cimarosa, Paganini, Rameau, Schumann, De Gallot, Chopin, etc. Many art lovers in the capital enjoyed them there for the very first time! Even selected pieces from the Opera repertoire from Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and one from Mascagni, which was perceived at a time as “Bolshevik” by the journalist Mussolini, were performed there.

The historic building has also witnessed many political ceremonies, of which the most were carried out under occupation, by the then Prime Ministers and Ministers of Albania, including His Excellency Francesco Jacomoni di San Savino, Viceroy of Albania. It was there and nowhere else that the meeting of the “The very First Assembly of Albanian Studies” took place, between April 9 and 13, 1940. At the KOSOVO Cinema-Theater the Nazi propaganda probably inconvenienced spectators of the capital with its Wehrmachtberichte reports that proclaimed military victories of the Third Reich. But, at the same time selected opera pieces from Wagner were put to scene there: “Tannhäuser”, “Lohengrin”, “Tristan and Isolde”.

After the Second World War was finished, in November 1944, the communist partisans took power and immediately launched arrests and shootings of public figures who were perceived as having collaborated with the occupier or who had not aided the Anti-Fascist National Liberation Movement. The Special Trial was upheld by the newly-arrived communist regime against those labeled “enemies of the people” and “war criminals”.

Given these historical facts, this architectural complex is part of the country’s cultural and national identity.
(The history of the site is subtracted from an article of the researcher at the Academy of Albanological Studies, Prof. Dr. Aurel Plasari, who is a bearer, among other, of the “Honorary Order of the Nation” of the Republic of Albania, and the “Al Merito” Order of the Italian Republic.)

Efforts to Save Teatri Kombëtar (National Theater)

The protest for the protection of Teatri Kombëtar/National Theater lasted 27 months. Every day artists, activists and citizens gathered at the theater square, to an open microphone creating the first agora for the city of Tirana.

On 24-th of July 2019, the police forces went to force out the protesters, in order to empty the building. There was a 15 hours’ confrontation, until on 10.30 PM they left the square.
Since that day, the activists, occupied the building, and organized a Festival for the protection of the theater. Until March 9,2020 the first day of lockdown in Albania due to the pandemic, artists and activists organized over 70 performances, exhibitions, cultural activities with the participation of artists from many European countries and the USA in the premises of the National Theater.

The police attacked the National Theater, on May 17, 2020 at 4.30 AM, on the last day of the pandemic restrictions. Activists and artists were beaten, dragged and several of them were arrested. The next three days, people protested peacefully, even though hundreds of citizens were violated, arrested and others threatened to not protest!

The Chronology of all efforts made in 27 months to protect the Site is displayed follows:

7-8 February 2018:

Cinematographers protest the non-amendment of the law on the Cinema at the Black Box Hall, Academy of Arts. The next day the stage artists gather in the Black Box hall to oppose the relocation of the National Theater troupe to Art Turbina and the first signals that the National Theater would be destroyed. The meeting took place at the Black Box Hall at the Academy of Arts to discuss the law on Theater. This group would set the basis for the creation of the Alliance for the Protection of the Theater, which would resist and protest until the end in defense of the Theater building.

19 March 2018:

Meeting of artists and intellectuals for the protection of the National Theater.

26 April 2018:

Protest of the artists and citizens in front of the Municipality of Tirana.

30 April 2018:

Request to the Ministry of Culture by artists and intellectuals to declare the complex that includes the National Theater and the National Experimental Theater as a Cultural Monument.

7 May 2018:

Public meeting of artists and citizens with members of parliament and councilors of the municipality in the Molier Hall, National Experimental Theater.

5 July 2018:

Protest of citizens and artists in front of the Albanian Parliament to not approve the Special Law.

12 July 2018:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater marches in protest in front of the Presidency, to not decree the Special Law approved by the Albanian Parliament.

The Alliance for the Protection of Theater sends a letter to the European Commission, informing it that the special law on the Theater violates the Stabilization and Association Agreement, in terms of the principles of free competition and non-discrimination.

19 July 2018:

The Pan-European Federation for the Protection of Cultural Heritage “Europa Nostra” urges the Prime Minister of Albania, the Mayor of Tirana and the Minister of Culture to renounce the decision to demolish the building of the National Theater and find the possibility of its reconstruction.

27 July 2018:

The Presidential Decree returns to parliament the special law “On determining the special procedure for negotiating and concluding a contract with the object ‘Design and implementation of the urban project and the new building of the National Theater'”.

7 September 2018:

The European Commission sends a letter to the Albanian government, concluding that the special law on granting concessions for the construction of the National Theater in conditions when the name of the company is determined, violates the principles of non-discrimination and free competition, provided by articles 72 and 74 of the SAA.

3 October 2018:

With Decision no. 582, dated 03.10.2018, the Council of Ministers decides to change the borders of the Historic Center of Tirana, reducing the territory of the Centre, which takes the building of the National Theater out of the borders.

4 October 2018:

Protest in front of the Palace of Congresses against the indifference of the European Commission.

11 October 2018:

The President of the Republic returns to the Assembly the special law on the National Theater, as according to him it has not solved any of the constitutional and legal problems raised by him in the first decree.

March of the Alliance for the Protection of the Theater to the Prime Minister’s Office.

24 July 2019:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater in a physical clash to not allow the police enter the building of the National Theater to empty it, occupies the building which then physically protects for 10 months until its demolition on the 17th of May 2020. Interruption of electric power and water connection by the government.

25 July 2019:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater signs a public contract with the opposition leader for the protection of the Theater.

27 July 2019:

Artists and activists start the organization of the Festival for the Protection of the Theater. To date, over 70 performances, exhibitions, cultural activities with the participation of artists from many European countries and the USA have taken place in the premises of the National Theater.

1 August 2019:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater in collaboration with Gjirokastra Foundation, applies to Europa Nostra program “7 Most Endangered programme 2020”.

16 September 2019:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater brings criminal charges to the Tirana Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office against the Deputy Mayor Mazniku and Shkelqim Fusha, administrator of Fusha shpk Construction Company.
The objects of the charges are:
Misuse of Office; Passive Corruption of people who exert public functions, Active Corruption of people who exert public functions.

10 December 2019:

Europa Nostra includes the National Theater in the short list of 14 sites in the process of selecting the 7 most endangered sites of European cultural heritage for the year 2020.

31 December 2019:

Submission by the Alliance for the Protection of Theater of criminal charges to the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office, SPAK for lack of transparency by the major Erion Veliaj, on all procedures regarding the National Theater project and tender procedures. The object of the charge: Misuses of Office.

24 March 2020:

The Pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage “Europa Nostra” decided to include the building of the National Theater in the list of 7 most endangered cultural sites in Europe.

3 April 2020:

European Union Commissioner for Culture Mariya Gabriel supports the list of 7 most endangered sites, published by Europa Nostra.

8 May 2020:

The Government decides to transfer the ownership of the Municipality of Tirana, the land on which the building of the National Theater is located, in order to demolish it and build a new building. Decision of the Council of Ministers 377 on the transfer of ownership from the Ministry of Culture to the Municipality.

13 May 2020:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater sends a request for investigation to the Ombudsman of Albania on the Decision of the Council of Ministers nr.377.

The Municipality of Tirana send around 2 dozens of Municipal Police officers to enter the building of the National Theater with the intention to take it over. They were stopped by the citizens who were protecting it in shifts and many others who ran to the National Theater to become part of the protection act. The Municipal Police forces withdrew.

14 May 2020:

The Ombudsman of Albania accepts the request and opens an investigation which is expected to be concluded with a report to be published in September. The investigation addresses all the consequences of the Decision of the Council of Ministers nr.377, including the demolition and violence exerted on the citizens throughout the 17th of May.

The President of the Republic sends to the Constitutional Court the decision on the transfer of ownership of the land of the National Theater, arguing that it is contrary to the Constitution and international agreements.

The Municipal Council of Tirana secretly approves the decision no. 50, dated 14.05.2020 for the demolition of the building of the National Theater. The decision contains numerous legal violations.

Europa Nostra opposes the proposal for the illegal demolition of the National Theater in Tirana, one of the 7 most endangered cultural sites in Europe. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said that dialogue with civil society and cultural heritage experts is necessary before making an irreversible decision for the National Theater in Tirana. The UK Embassy supported Commissioner Gabriel’s call. Several other embassies retweeted the call.

15 May 2020:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater charges the Institute of Construction on their false expertise based on which they have declared the National Theater as dangerous for the lives of people. This Institute had already made an expertise in 2018 and three of the people who signed were not authorized to do it. In May 2020 they pretended to have been at the Theater for a second expertise which never occurred as the Theater was occupied by the citizens.

17 May 2020:

The Municipality of Tirana, the Inspectorate for Territorial Protection, the Municipal Police and the State Police demolish the building of the National Theater at 04.30 in the morning, arresting artists, intellectuals and citizens of the Alliance for the Protection of the Theater.

18 May 2020:

The Alliance for the Protection of the Theater organizes a huge civic protest where it announces the new aim of the movement: to reconstruct the National Theater of Albania.

May-July 2020:

Several actions have been taking place. 1 Protests were organized in all 12 prefectures of the Republic. 2. 3 flashmobs were organized in Tirana, on the 17th of June, on the 25th of June and on the 2nd of July. On the latter one, around a dozen citizens entered the Theater Square on occasion of the 30th anniversary of the day in which Albanians stormed the foreign embassies to leave communist Albania, painted the writing Embassy of the Republic of the National Theater, planted three olive trees, raised the Albanian flag which had been torn by the police on May 17. 3. Several lawsuits have been brought by the protesters to the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office, SPAK and the Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana. 4. A request has been sent to the Suprese State Auditing Authority of Albania for an ad hoc investigation on the economic damage created by the demolition of the National Theater. 5. The live reporting from close to the Theater square continues on a daily basis.

UPDATE

Who Should Be Held Accountable

Responsible Stakeholders held accountable for destroying the historical complex of Teatri Kombëtar of Albania are: Edi Rama, the prime minister; Erion Veliaj, mayor of Tirana; Arbian Mazniku, deputy mayer of Tirana; Bjarke Ingels, architect of BIG studio; Mirela Kumbaro, former Minister of Culture; Elva Margariti Minister of Culture; Sander Lleshaj, Minister of Interior; Toni Gogu, Chair of the Municipal Council of Tirana; Ardi Veliu, Director of the Police of State; Arta Dollani, Director of Institute of Cultural Monuments; Agron Hysenlliu, Director of the Construction Institute; Artan Lame, Director of the Agency of state Cadaster; Shkelqim Fusha administrator of Fusha shpk Construction Company; Mariglen Qato, director of the Inspectorate for the Protection of the Territory in the Municipality of Tirana; Hervin Çuli, Director of the National Theater.

Responsible parties held accountable for destroying the historical complex of Teatri Kombëtar of Albania are: The deputies of the parliament of the Republic, who approved the anti-constitutional law, that opened the process of the demolition of Teatri Kombëtar; All members of the Council of Ministers; All members of the Tirana Municipal Council; All the members of the Technical Council of the Municipality of Tirana; Institute of Construction; Institute of Cultural Monuments.

Gallery

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Additional Info

On 1 August 2019, 7 days after the occupation of the theater, the activists and artists, applied to Europa Nostra program, “7 most endangered 2020”, to nominate the historical site, a European heritage endangered by men. Several national and international institutions and public personalities gave letters of support to this attempt to save from demolishement Teatri Kombëtar. Activists collected more than 15 letters of supports from institutions and personalities all over Europe, in just one week. The President of the Republic and the Union of Architects and Urban Planners of Albania (AUA) were the two institutions, which helped with their support letter the application to the 7-th most endangered heritage sites 2020, of Europa Nostra program. Gjirokastra foundation, took the initiative to apply to the program, as member of the European organization. The National Theater, was shortlisted on 24 march 2020, as one of the most endangered sites in Europe.

International personalities that supported the cause:

• Sabine Mitterecker, Theater Director, Theaterpunkt
• Claudio Rocca, Director “Academia di Belle Arte di Firenze”
• Elfriede Jelinek, Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Austria
• Gerhard Ruiss, Director of the Union of Austrian Authors
• GABU Heindl, Architect and Urban Planner, Viena September 2th 2019
• Uwe Matthheiß, Journalist
• Händl Klaus, Writer, Austria
• Anna Badora, Theater Director, Austria/Germany
• Edith Draxl, Theater Director, Director of uni-T and Drama Forum, Austria
• Jennifer Weiss, Dramaturg, Schauspielhaus Graz, Austria
• Aline Kunisch, Actor, Austria
• Julia Franz Richter, Actor, Austria/Germany
• Bekim Latifi, Actor, Germany
• Rica Mende, Scenography Painter, Berlin
• Maren Greinke, Professor of Scene Arts at the University of Dresden, Germany
• Ann-Kristin Meivers, Chief of artistic office at Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin, Germany
• Dimitris Mylonas, Theater Director, Greeece
• Ivica Buljan, Theater Director, Croatia
• Ralph Hammerthaler, Playwright and Writer, Germany
• Michele Placido, Actor, Italy
• Martin Henze, CDU Advisor, Germany
• Doris Pack, Politician, Germany
• Tiago Rodriguez, Artistic Director, National Theater of Portugal
• Ali Abdullah, Artistic Director, Werk-X, Vienna, Austria
• Harald Posch, Artistic director, Werk-X, Vienna, Austria
• Martin Kušej, Artistic Director, Burgtheater, Vienna, Austria
• Kira Kirsch, brut Wien, Co-production House for the independent and international Theater, performance and dance scene
• Thomas Schweigen, Artistic director, Schauspielhaus Wien, Vienna, Austria
• Arben Bajraktaraj, Actor, Kosovo/France
• Bob Berky, Actor, United States of America
• Arlinda Morina, Theater Director, Kosovo
• Naim Berisha, Actor, National Theater of Kosovo
• Vladan Jeremic, Visual Artist, Serbia
• Rena Raedle, Visual Artist, Germany/Serbia
• Jeton Neziraj, playwright, Kosovo
• Hersi Matmuja, Singer, Italy/Albania
• Jacopo Conoci, Musician, Italy
• Marco Zappa, Composer, Singer, Switzerland
• Stefano Romano, Artist, Professor of Visual Arts, Italy/Albania
• Albert Dedja, Theater Director, Italy/Albania
• Dardana Berdyna, Actress, Italy/Albania
• Avni Delvina, Painter, Graphic Design Artist, Italy/Albania
• Iva Lulashi, Visual Artist, Italy/Albania
• Mentor Nuredini, Theater Director, North Macedonia
• Burbuqe Berisha, Theater Director, Kosovo
• Ilir Tafa, Actor, Kosovo

International institutions that supported the cause:

• Europa Nostra – the European voice of civil society committed to Cultural Heritage – Executive President Hermann Parzinger
• SIRA – On the behalf of the Executive Board The President of SIRA Prof. Arch. Stefano Francesco Musso; Genoa, August 27th, 2019
• DO_CO,MO.MO_ Ana Tostöes, Docomomo International Chair; Lisbon, April 12th 2018
• Drama Forum – Edith Draxi, 31 July 2019
• VOLKSTHEATER – Vienna, August 30th, 2019
• The National Theater of Kosovo Union of Artists and CoWorkers – Naim Berisha, Vice President
• La Quarta Parete – Theatrical Productions, Italy, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater in August 2019
• Fabbrica Wojtyla – Theatrical Productions, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater in September 2019
• Mërgimtari i Kroacisë/The Croatia Emmigrant – Theatrical Productions, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater in October 2019
• Thalia Theater – Hamburg Germany, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater in October 2019
• Multimedia Center – Prishtina, Kosovo, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater, December 2019
• Theaterpunkt – Theatrical Productions, Austria, brought a production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater in December 2019
• Werk-X – Theatrical Productions, Vienna, Austria, signed a support petition in Austria, December 2019
• Illyria Trio – Music Band, Italy, brought a concert production at the Festival for the Protection of the Theater February 2020

National institutions that supported the cause:

• President of Republic – Mr. Ilir Meta gave a support letter to apply to Europa Nostra Program.
• Gjirokastra Foundation – Mr. Sadi Petrela; The foundation helped the citizen to apply to Europa Nostra, as member of the organization.
• Union of Architects of Albania – Albanian architects and urban planner association, gave a support letter to fill the application to Europa Nostra program, Ledian Bregasi PhD
• Skena e Pavarur Kulturore – Albanian cultural organization, August 29th 2019, Krenar Zejno, Executive Director
• Argjiro – Franco-Albanian Association, Tirana, August 29th 2019- Ilda Mara, Executive Director
• GO2 – Sustainable Urban Planning Organization, Tirana, August 29th 2019, Mrs. Eltjana Shkreli, Urban Planner and Executive director of GO2
• Art-Kontakt- Albanian cultural organization, August 29th 2019, Andi Tepelena, Executive Director
• SASE – August 29th 2019, Krenar Zejno, Representative of CIS

Many journalists from all over Europe have supported our efforts by reporting on the National Theater cause in the course of our resistance. Here a few names:

• Adelheid Wölfl, Der Standard, Austria
• Nora Sefa, FAZ, Germany
• Bettina Müller, taz, Germany
• Gabi Wuttke, free journalist, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Germany
• Tom Mustroph free journalist, for Theater der Zeit, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
• Jack Parrock, Euronews
• Daniel McLaughlin, Irish Times, Ireland

26 November earthquake

A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Northwestern Albania on 26 November 2019. Fifty-one people were killed in the earthquake, with about 3,000 injured. The first hours of the tragedy, activists of the theater cause, self-organized an emergency rescue center, at the theater square. From 26 November to 7 of December, more than 30 thousand people came to the humanitarian aid improvised center – the National Theater building, to help, donate and contribute to dealing with the consequences of that human catastrophe. In the course of the earthquake emergency thousands of citizens from all over Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and the Diaspora trusted the Alliance for the Protection of Theater and brought aid to the National Theater. Humanitarian Aid was distributed to people in areas affected by the earthquake by a team of over 200 volunteers who have worked around the clock, collecting, sorting, and distributing around 40 tons of aid, donated by around 9000 donors.

RadarOst Deutsches Theater

Upon invitation, “What happened on the 17th of May? An outcry for help from Albania” – a short documentary prepared by the activists Doriana Musai and Lindita Komani based on the videos they shot with their cell phones during the police raid and throughout that day, was presented in the framework Berlin Festival RADAR OST of Deutsches Theater, which due to the pandemic, took place online and could be watched digitally throughout the festival days.