It has been four months since the political parties, giving greater weight to Albania’s extremely difficult situation than to the precarious position of the victorious Socialist Party, which could not govern the country, agreed to join a coalition government. They certainly did not look to their narrow party interests, because those interests called for the Communists to fail completely; but that would have meant even greater misery for the Homeland. Thus, they agreed to cooperate and govern together with the party that, for nearly 50 years, systematically led us to catastrophe with its bookish socialist utopias. But today, after four months, can we say that this government has justified itself? It is difficult to answer this question with a yes or no, as you might just have thought. Without denying the positive aspects, however, the efforts to establish at least some laws, contacts with the world, admission to the IMF, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, our country’s acceptance as a beneficiary of the Group of 24, etc., are achievements of this government, in which the opposition ministers certainly play a leading role. But a realistic analysis of a government’s four-month period must not look only at achievements, as we did in the era of red monism. We must focus more on shortcomings and weaknesses, since our lives are not improving. Indeed, the horizon is not all that clear. First of all, this government is not managing to create a state that functions democratically. The more effective a state is, the better organized it is at preventing and punishing every crime. Because crime and democracy are not synonyms, but antonyms. And if this is recognized everywhere in the world, why doesn’t the government take measures, even if that means dismissing the relevant minister or those officials who are unable to restore calm? Why must the minister necessarily be a depoliticized Communist-Socialist, when this department is providing no evidence of fundamental reform? The same applies to SHIK. It is said that no one knows where the 650 Security officers went or where they were assigned, apart from those incorporated into the maintenance of order! How did the Security specialists, who knew how many teeth each person had, so quickly become sidelined, and now close their eyes when they see cars without any license plates at all in the middle of the capital?! The people have reason to think that they are acting with malicious intent to return us to some dictatorship, or to create suitable conditions for declaring a state of emergency and strengthening the lost position of Mr. Ramiz Alia as president, whom the people openly no longer want to lead them. And what is the point of efforts to connect with the world (which is showing itself willing), when these two vital organizations, led by Communist-Socialists who have formally been depoliticized, remain in service? And before the government calls on the people In a government’s four-month period, one must not look only at the achievements we used to claim in the era of harsh monism. We must focus more on the this government is not managing to establish the calm that is needed. It was said that the department responsible for maintaining order needed laws to act, that salaries had to be increased, etc. It was demanded that the notorious State Security service be dismantled too, but what has happened so far? Maintaining public order continues to be the most delicate issue in our lives. It is true that break-ins and robberies have increased threefold compared with a year ago, and the rate of murders has also risen. But what is this department doing? Where is the preventive work, where is the professional training needed to prevent these phenomena or, when they occur, to respond immediately? The relevant department has acted so sluggishly, as numerous examples show. Some have also been reported in the press: even when notified, the police remain inactive and wait for the crime to be registered. Is this how the calm so essential to democracy is established? Because of this inefficiency, the people have come to believe that this department, independent of the Socialists (PPSH), is deliberately pretending to fight crime, while in fact doing nothing, so that they can portray themselves as innocent. “You want democracy? Here you are: take what comes with it, property and even your life.” No, gentlemen! Democracy does not bring crime, but freedom of speech and thought, so that it can… [text continues with a duplicated and corrupted passage from the article above] RTSH hierarchy, headed by a director general. This demand, the fairest and most professional, was not taken into consideration Under these circumstances, the Independent RTV Trade Union has become convinced that Albanian RTV will resolve its problems and serve the nation when it is headed by those whom the people want to lead it. remain in the hands of the old order? And before the government calls on the people to help it, as well as the political parties, it must first stop and analyze the activity of these organizations and take concrete measures. Then the people will not withhold their help, nor will the opposition political parties, which want the work to proceed at all costs and not the postponement and prolongation of decisions, as the Socialists want and do, in order to shift the blame onto the opposition and democracy. So, on this vital issue, the government is far from stability. There are other areas too where, by acting late or only halfway, it has caused destabilization instead of stability. The breakup of the agricultural cooperatives is a well-known example. When the peasants took the land for themselves, the President suggested that the cooperatives might also be preserved, or that the peasants should decide for themselves?! The government delayed the land law because the Socialists opposed it, wanting the land to remain state property. By the time they changed their minds, time had passed, the land had remained unsown, and until recently it had been divided in only 248 villages, while Albania has approximately 2,970 villages. Faced with this situation, the government had a duty to strengthen the agricultural enterprises so that the market would be supplied and fruit and vegetable shops would not close. and so that they would continue to There are many problems, and mistakes too. This is partly due to a lack of experience, but more often it is done deliberately by the party in power, which at all costs wants to prolong the period until the elections, forgetting that it may indeed survive, perhaps even win, but that survival will come at the cost of our misery. Therefore, if the Government of Stability is to deserve its name, it must first intervene in those departments that the Communist-Socialists are directing so badly, destabilizing and directly undermining this government, which was achieved through common consensus. Even without speaking of our well-being, the people understand this clearly: it does not fall from the sky, and we cannot even take the first step while being led by those who brought us to this state, even if they claim to be reformers.

On 31.10, Mr. Sabri Godo took part in a meeting organized by the Steering Committee of the district branch of the PR. Concerns facing ordinary people every day were raised and discussed. Speakers said that the situation regarding children’s clothing and food is catastrophic. Bread is lacking, salt is bought at 10 lek per kg, and disgraceful practices are taking place in the distribution of aid: goods are sold directly to profiteers and speculators, even from warehouses, leaving shops—especially village shops—without supplies. Many speakers felt that the authorities in the district are unable to respond to the problems and hardships faced by the people of Dibër. In our view, this is a corrupt local administration, and it is not pluralist in every village. The chairman of the PR branch, Mr. Dyrmish Shehu, reviewed the branch’s work from its establishment until now. In his remarks, Mr. Skënder Sala focused on the organization of the PR branch in Dibër, which needs to work more at both the grassroots and central levels. Mr. Sabri Godo also spoke at the meeting. After discussing several organizational issues concerning the party, he offered some views on matters relating to the current situation and on the role Republicans are playing in resolving them. He stressed that efforts must be made to bring Dibër’s young people closer to Republican ideas and to keep the district’s intellectuals engaged, since this will make the party better able to speak with strength and authority. That same day, Mr. Sabri Godo took part in a meeting at the cinema in the town of Peshkopi. Discussing the political situation in the country, Mr. Godo said that democracy had achieved some victories compared with December, but much remained to be done to attain genuine democracy, because the PP still holds 60% of local power and continues to dominate the State Security service, TV, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Turning to the PR’s position on economic issues, he emphasized that, as Republicans, we support immediate privatization. The government seems to be working toward this, but in fact the new bureaucracy that is emerging is obstructing the long-awaited process of privatization. Mr. Godo went on to address several issues, including the position on the land law, the Çam issue and foreign policy. On November 1, Mr. Sabri Godo took part in a meeting with the people of the village of Rrethkullas. An overview of the situation in the village and of the problems with which (Continued on page 2) the residents of the capital are confronted—housing, supplies, strengthening public order, privatization and auctions—was presented. The meeting was opened by Mr. Maksim Haviari, chairman of the PR branch in Tirana. The meeting was open, with questions and free discussion from those present in the hall. Mr. Petrit Konci, a member of the Executive Committee of Neighborhood 59, said that “the multitude of problems awaiting solutions is currently great and difficult. In the circumstances we are going through, when no one is working and raw materials are lacking, this wound becomes even worse. For this reason, we are powerless to meet citizens’ legitimate demands for housing. The employment of thousands of unemployed people remains just as serious a problem.” Meanwhile, Mr. Guido Khimitiku, deputy chairman of the Pluralist Committee of Neighborhood 62, conveyed the concern of thousands of residents of that neighborhood about the continuing contamination of drinking water. “What is planned to be done about this phenomenon, and how long will we keep drinking such water? Likewise,” he said, “another concern is the invasion of apartment blocks that are not yet finished by homeless people. Other groups are getting ready to occupy buildings that are still little more than foundations. ‘As long as enterprise directors with monist views remain in office,’ said Shefqet Seseri, deputy chairman of the Pluralist Committee of Neighborhood 43, ‘things will continue to go backwards for us. On the threshold of winter, the distribution of firewood ration cards remains a problem. The idea of finding employment abroad is a soap bubble created by the Government. So people rightly ask: who is lying—the people like us, who are in direct contact with the public, the Greater Executive Committee, or the employment council?’ Mr. Musa Zeneli, a member of the pluralist committee of Region No. 2, proposed closer cooperation among Republican members of pluralist committees in the city and beyond. ‘Our newspapers, Republika and Flatra, should give greater prominence to the work of our representatives in leadership positions, so that people can see and feel the support of genuine Republicans in resolving their everyday hardships.’ Thanas Qerama, a journalist, emphasized the need to draft and promote a clear and understandable platform for Republicans concerning the upcoming election campaign. Abdulla Kullazi, deputy chairman of Tirana’s pluralist executive committee, said: ‘I have reservations about and criticize the PR’s position, because it does not insist on proposing as many section chiefs of Republican persuasion as possible for this committee. Personally, I could not imagine,’ he emphasized, ‘that the housing problem in Tirana would be so acute; for now it is insoluble. The idea of employment abroad was deliberately created to pull the wool over people’s eyes. Who benefits from this game, and how long will it continue to…’

(FROM THE MEETING WITH PR REPRESENTATIVES IN TIRANA’S LOCAL GOVERNMENT) On October 29, the Tirana branch of the PR organized an expanded working meeting with Republican representatives in the capital’s local government. In addition to the many attendees, Mr. Sabri Godo, chairman of the PRSH, Mr. Zef Bushati, deputy chairman, and members of the PRSH Steering Committee were also present. The issues discussed included the organization of local government in neighborhoods and regions, speculation is rife about it.” Ms. Vala Poçi, head of the Labor Section in Region No. 2, shared this view, calling it a bluff. “Since the Republican Party can be considered the initiator of the cause of Kosovo as a Republic, it would be worthwhile for the newspaper Republika to open a regular column dealing with the problems and concerns, efforts and struggle for democracy of Albanians in Jugo-Yugoslavia,” said Miranda Gaçe, a teacher at the P. N. Luarasi secondary school. Mr. Qemal Shehi, chairman of the PR section in the village of Domje, said: “For some time now, bread has been delivered late in Valias, no telephone works there, and people rightly ask: where is the aid going, and will those in the most dire financial circumstances be given priority in receiving it?” Mr. Eduart Ypi, chairman of the pluralist committee of Region 3, said that “people are living in plastic-sheet tents and there are currently around 500 people in this region without shelter.” He went on to discuss some citizens’ concerns about privately built homes constructed illegally, privatization and auctions. Mr. Përparim Spaho, a specialist at the General Directorate of Privatization, said: “It is time for the PR to continually draw on the views of Republican specialists in all fields and publicize them in the newspaper, at meetings and in gatherings with the people. This would help people become familiar with the PR’s position on various issues, such as privatization, auctions, leasing, etc.” In his remarks, Mr. Zel Bushati, deputy chairman of the PRSH, said: “This meeting, judging from the issues it raises and the way they are being discussed, demonstrates quality and a sense of responsibility and concern. What matters,” he stressed, “is to strengthen ties among party members and among our representatives in local government. But for this to happen, we must feel and see useful work being done for the benefit of people in hardship, so that ordinary citizens can have confidence in their representatives. In his speech, Mr. Agim Zeka, chairman of the KKFS, said: “When I was in Gjakovë, I was surprised by the good and objective things I heard about the PR. The same opinion of the Party’s maturity and intelligence is also circulating here. This means we must demand more of ourselves and keep our Republican character untarnished, which is earning us respect and credibility among the people. This tired and disappointed people need concrete deeds and serious commitment from genuine Republicans, not talk.” Messrs. Medlin Hashihalili, a member of the Pluralist Committee of Neighborhood 53, Marenglen Gjonaj, a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, and many other speakers also spoke and expressed their views. In his closing remarks, Mr. Maksim Haviari said: “This is the second meeting the Tirana branch of the PR has organized with representatives of the district’s local government. But it will not be the last, because the problems we face and the many hardships of the people that we must resolve will compel us to meet again.” REZIL SHAHU

OF THE INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION OF ALBANIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION After its creation, the Independent Trade Union of RTSH set itself the goal of beginning work to gradually establish normal working conditions, resolve the thousands of problems accumulated during the monist era, restore this institution to its rightful standing as the only powerful means of national information, respect all the rights due to our employees, and organize work on a professional basis, with professional competence as the main requirement, while moving away from party positions, etc. It believed that these matters could be resolved only through a complete restructuring of the entire RTSH hierarchy, which is headed by a director general. This most fair and professional demand was not taken into consideration, and during the nine months since the left came to power.