Laiko Vima
Encyclopedia
Laiko Vima is a bi-weekly newspaper published in Gjirokastër
, that serves the local Greek communities in Albania
. It was founded in 1945 and was the only newspaper printed in the Greek
language during the Socialist People's Republic of Albania.
, Albania as part of the Eastern Bloc
, was governed by a Communist regime led by Enver Hoxha
. Communist Albania was one of the last surviving Stalinist
regimes worldwide, in which press remained under tight dictatorial control until the collapse of the Eastern Bloc political class.
This regime suppressed the local Greek communities, and took measures to disperse it or at least keep it loyal to Albania. Under these circumstances, ethnic Greeks, who are traditionally concentrated in parts of the country’s south (Northern Epirus
), were subject to serious human rights abuses, particularly in terms of religious freedom, education in Greek language and freedom of publication.
. The newspaper was an organ of the local branch of the Party of Labour, and every article was subject to heavy censorship.
In 1956 Laiko Vima started to host a literary page, initially edited by Panos Tsoukas, who was an active member of the Party of Labour. During 1960-1968 the literary page was suspended but reappeared in 1968-1988, this time edited by the poet Andreas Zarbalas
. From 1988 to 1991 it evolved into a separate literary magazine with the title: The people's literary tribune . This featured poems and prose pieces by both established and new writers, for whom it functioned as the antechamber for further publishing. Moreover, various poems used allegory
and metaphor
s in order to evade censorship.
In 1970, after 25 years of circulation, the newspaper was awarded by Enver Hoxha as having played a major role in the revolutionary education of the Greek minority.
.
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
, that serves the local Greek communities in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. It was founded in 1945 and was the only newspaper printed in the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
language during the Socialist People's Republic of Albania.
Background
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Albania as part of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
, was governed by a Communist regime led by Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
. Communist Albania was one of the last surviving Stalinist
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
regimes worldwide, in which press remained under tight dictatorial control until the collapse of the Eastern Bloc political class.
This regime suppressed the local Greek communities, and took measures to disperse it or at least keep it loyal to Albania. Under these circumstances, ethnic Greeks, who are traditionally concentrated in parts of the country’s south (Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
), were subject to serious human rights abuses, particularly in terms of religious freedom, education in Greek language and freedom of publication.
Founding and censorship (1945-1991)
Laiko Vima was founded on 25 May 1945, by the local branch of the Party of Labour of Albania and was the only newspaper in the Greek language for the needs of the local communities. Laiko Vima was published in Gjirokastër, home to large number of Greek minority members, and was distributed only to Gjirokastër DistrictGjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
. The newspaper was an organ of the local branch of the Party of Labour, and every article was subject to heavy censorship.
In 1956 Laiko Vima started to host a literary page, initially edited by Panos Tsoukas, who was an active member of the Party of Labour. During 1960-1968 the literary page was suspended but reappeared in 1968-1988, this time edited by the poet Andreas Zarbalas
Andreas Zarbalas
Andreas Zarbalas is an Albanian poet and journalist of Greek ethnicity.Zarbalas, was born in the village of Llazat near Sarandë, in southern Albania. He initially worked as a Greek language teacher in local schools...
. From 1988 to 1991 it evolved into a separate literary magazine with the title: The people's literary tribune . This featured poems and prose pieces by both established and new writers, for whom it functioned as the antechamber for further publishing. Moreover, various poems used allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
and metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s in order to evade censorship.
In 1970, after 25 years of circulation, the newspaper was awarded by Enver Hoxha as having played a major role in the revolutionary education of the Greek minority.
Post-communist period
In early 1991, following the fall of the communist regime and liberalization in Albania, Laiko Vima continued to be published but now as a private newspaper owned by local Greeks in Gjirokastër. Besides Laiko Vima, which is still in circulation, several other Greek newspapers as well as magazines are published in the areas in which ethnic Greek communities live and are also available in parts of nearby GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
See also
- Eastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information dissemination was controlled directly by each country's Communist party, which controlled the state media, censorship and propaganda organs...
- Greek Culture in Albania
- Newspapers in Albania