As in February–March 1991, the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist) is launching a campaign for a coup against democratic leaders or representatives, this time also in local press circles. The newspaper «Dibra», dated December 27, 1991, creates a real sensation by publishing an interview (perhaps the highest-ranking in the world), with a bold question and the headline «Why does Mr. Saleta call the Republican Party a reserve force of the Socialist Party?». The interviewer is an (not at all) anonymous leader. The interviewee is Baftjar Rusi, deputy chairman of the steering committee of the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist) for Dibra. It is incomprehensible why what was written under Baftjar Rusi’s signature was called an interview. It is more of a statement, like those the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist) makes from time to time. No journalist with a sense of proportion would dare put at the top of Baftjar Rusi’s remarks a fundamental question: «Are we not experiencing a national catastrophe in the country, and what measures should be taken?». Mr. Rusi is certainly to be congratulated for making such a strenuous effort to answer with such concern and competence that even the chairman of the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist), Mr. Nano, or even the president, would envy him. He has taken it seriously, as if he himself had been assigned the fate of bearing the heavy burden of giving lifesaving advice; they had nothing else to do but follow the order of discipline. Mr. Rusi readily takes it upon himself to answer things he does not know and cannot know. You would have to be a fortune-teller to know what someone else had in mind when making a statement. So he begins with insulting talk about me and Sali Berisha, about careers and armchairs. To be more convincing, over the coat of the communist-socialist politician he also throws on a psychoanalyst’s robe. Over time I have become convinced that in Tirana there exists and operates a phantom center engaged in preparing and spreading disinformation, slander, insults and political subversion in order to denigrate and fight the opponents of the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist). It combines the assistance of the political apparatus of the Albanian Party of Labour (Socialist), the cadre service of the Albanian Party of Labour, the State Security service, and some other mechanism. This center often prefers to operate through rumor channels and the local press. I personally have been a victim of this center’s activities several times. In February 1991, Mr. Haxhi Leshi held two meetings in Mat to denounce me as a traitor and an American agent. A certain journalist, Thanas Mustaqi, published an article containing grave insults in Durrës’s communist newspaper. And if, as it seems, it is thought that the attack launched from Dibra will have a greater effect on northerners committed to democracy, it may be that the Dibra segment of the communist-socialist leadership considers that a Peshkopi pedagogue acting on the side of democracy must be smeared through «Dibra». Perhaps they are those veterans who, at the time of the February 1991 coup attempt, sought cannon fodder in Dibra against democracy and who are now looking for mercenaries of the pen. Nevertheless, the main attention should be focused on the first part of Mr. Rusi’s statement-interview. There, the main devilish theses of socialist propaganda against democracy are presented in condensed form. 1. Mr. Rusi says: «... the situation here has never been worse than it is today». You are mistaken, sir, or perhaps you like to portray it that way. The situation was far worse under the communist dictatorship of the Albanian Party of Labour and Enver Hoxha. It is true that we face great economic difficulties and destabilization of public order, corruption and paralysis in the state apparatus created and selected by the monist system, and all-round sabotage by the apparatus. But Albania is no longer a prison surrounded by barbed wire, covered with camps and I have been a victim several times of the activities of this center. In February 1991, Mr. Haxhi Lleshi traitor and filled with vile insults in the communist newspaper of Durrës; leaflets containing insulting and ridiculous poems were distributed in Berat; then the heavy artillery of “ZP” was brought into action, and later, with a defamatory article by Astrit Nuri, the local newspaper of Lezhë was activated. Meanwhile, in parliament, MPs Fasko, Godole, Nasufi, and others launched attacks using texts supplied by others, more senior figures who preferred to remain in the shadows. Now the newspaper “Dibra” and Mr. Rusi have been brought into action, because a new election campaign is beginning, of this center. In February 1991, Mr. Haxhi Lleshi traitor and beginning,

In Derjan, in Mat, I learned from my fellow villagers a very meaningful saying. When speaking of someone who had suffered greatly in life, they would say: «Man is strong. Life gave itself to the tree—it burned it; it gave itself to the stone—it split it; it gave itself to iron—it melted it; it gave itself to man—and he endured it». Petro Marko closed his eyes forever. The people’s wisdom flashed through my mind at the speed of light: «It melted it; it gave itself to Petro Marko—and he endured it». He endured it because He could not die before the doors of democracy opened in Albania too, democracy for which he had fought all his life. And when the student youth opened those doors, he told me: «We must all make our contribution. These young people are wiser and braver than we are. But they also need us, so that they do not ... from our mistakes...». He became one of the first initiators of the Republican Party. Before I came to know Petro Marko, I had known Demo Koti, immediately after Liberation, through his daily column in the newspaper «Bashkimi», entitled «An Hour in Tirana». «Every day, a short note, one typewritten page. But each one contained a concern of the day, a profound thought. And all the readers, as soon as they got the newspaper in their hands, opened it to the middle pages to read Demo Koti. Many years later I met Petro Marko, my dearest neighbor, who once used the pseud... Journalists nowadays write at great length. Words, words, words! Very bad! Albanian journalism has its own tradition. Before Liberation we wrote briefly. But after Liberation, journalism too became infected by «Pravda» and «Borba». True, profound, sincere thought is greatly harmed by excessive words. Only someone who has nothing new to say fills newspaper columns with words. If you have nothing new to say, it is better not to write!». Petro Marko is my teacher in journalism. I am not talking about him as a writer, because I cannot write better than those who described how He «won all the battles» (Bardhyl Londo in «Drita») and how he became «magnificent» (Teodor Laço in «Alternativa»). I remember the explanation Muslim Keta gave me when I asked him what bravery is: «Bravery is keeping a cool head in difficult moments. Only keeping a cool head in difficult moments, this virtue of a wise person, has saved Petro Marko from death who knows how many times. He knew how to rejoice with a child’s pure spirit over every good person, every good thing, just as he knew how to hate every bad person and every bad thing, and how to rebel against every bitter event in our lives. He analyzed good and evil wisely and discussed them with friends; he gave his opinion, but never shouted, never lost his temper, never lost his cool. Persecutions, prisons and internments under all the past fascist and communist regimes had tempered him to withstand every hardship and every physical and moral torture.»

Journalists nowadays write at great length. Words, words, words! Very bad! Albanian journalism has its own tradition.

— INTERVIEW WITH MR. WILLIAM EDVIN RYERSON, AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ALBANIA, GIVEN TO THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE NEWSPAPER «REPUBLIKA». — This is the third interview I have conducted with you, Mr. Ryerson, after the first one following your appointment as ambassador. Therefore, first of all, I would like to wish you success in your work for the good of the USA and Albania. — Thank you very much. It is a great honor for me to have been entrusted with the post of ambassador. I want to emphasize that I personally am pleased to be back in Albania. Please excuse my mistakes, because this is my first interview in the Albanian language—or, as I might say, in half-Albanian. — Our readers would be interested to know how you see US-Albanian relations in 1992. — I hope relations will be good, because during this year we will have an opportunity to reach important agreements in the field of aid, which I have discussed before. I think they will be realized during this year, even if only on a modest scale. For example, I can tell you that around 20 representatives of the Peace Corps will come to Albania in the summer to work here. So cooperation will be greater. — How did you receive the news of the early elections, since they open the way for further cooperation? — Personally, for me, it is It is clear that Albania needs new elections. As for their timing, that is in the hands of the Albanian authorities, as they have already decided. What matters more to us is that they be genuinely free—not only on election day, that is, March 1, but throughout the entire election campaign. The opposition must have equal access to the press, radio and television broadcasts throughout the campaign. — If the opposition wins, will relations between the United States and Albania continue to develop? — Yes, if the elections are truly free and fair. As Secretary of State James Baker said during his visit to Albania, humanitarian aid will continue. Everything further in our cooperation depends on how many genuine steps Albania takes toward democracy and a free market. I also expressed this view to your president. — What do you consider most feasible in terms of economic cooperation? — It is essential to reach an agreement between Albania and the International Monetary Fund. This will be the step

REPORTAGE Before travelling to distant Kolonjë, we stop for a few hours in Elbasan. That foul wind from Krasta is blowing, making the city streets deserted. And as if all this cold were not enough, Hysni Milloshi has also arrived in Elbasan today. «Today he is going to unite four groups,» an old acquaintance of mine tells me. «Four groups that, they say, have been underground until now. Just like back in wartime...» I stare at my acquaintance to see whether he is joking, but his face is very serious. «Because of my biography (!), I too have been invited...», he concludes, then walks away thoughtfully, while, for some reason, I remember that conversation with old, wise Uncle Irfan of Elbasan about the red louse of ’45: «It was a terrible disease that took many people’s lives...» «Are you getting the year mixed up, Uncle Irfan?» «No, no... I’m not mixing it up. The red louse came upon us in 1945. In one day it took both my mother and my father. How could I forget?...» «Then it must have happened twice.» «Who knows?!... But the one in ’45 wreaked havoc...» This is the conversation with Uncle Irfan, whose old age prevents him from connecting the typhus outbreak of the red louse in ’45 with the red louse of 50 years later. Hysni Milloshi has brought the seed of this louse from Tirana today, to plant it again in Elbasan. After the meeting, the communists of Elbasan hand the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper a statement: «At the center of our party’s program are the teachings of Enver Hoxha. He is a leader of international stature, while the Communist Party is not a party of long-haul airplanes, but a party of footpaths leading to the people’s hearts», the statement says, among other things. At first glance, the lines of this statement may provoke laughter, but the truth is that this is an open provocation directed at this people. A few months ago Milloshi’s association provoked the people de- YLLI RAKIPI (Continued on page 2)

You have taken a heavy burden upon yourselves at this critical moment our people are going through. A profound sense of responsibility for the nation’s fate and patriotism led you to accept the noble task of leading the country during this very dramatic period. We cannot expect great things, since the short time you will govern does not give you the opportunity to do what you know how to do, what you feel. Your choice will lie in identifying, among the many problems requiring solutions, the most important ones and setting them on the path to resolution. Since everyone expects this government to do something, and generally wants you to do as much as possible, I would like to suggest: — DO AT LEAST A LITTLE FOR LAW AND ORDER For 47 years, this people had no one to whom they could complain about the oppression, persecution and poverty brought upon them by Enver Hoxha’s regime. Now, in the period of democracy, should we allow people to be killed, robbed and assaulted without anyone coming to their defense? Call for legislation to be approved as soon as possible, even if provisional, for this period of transition, providing for severe and substantial penalties for criminals. Democracy does not justify dictatorship for this category of people. BEGIN IMPLEMENTING ECONOMIC REFORM GRADUALLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE Continuing with the 80 percent means heading toward complete ruin. The socialist order cultivated laziness and indifference, in which only officials with good biographies made careers, even if they were incompetent. In a market economy, the capable, resourceful and hard-working succeed, which will naturally help avoid the polarization of society. But for this reform to be carried out with as little hardship as possible, you must put into operation that part of the economy which is profitable but is not working because of a shortage of raw materials. Your achievement will be securing the funds needed to buy these materials. This will enable this part of the population, by working, to earn a living for themselves, but it will also bring the state ben- FATMIR TURKESHI (Continued on page 4) to answer with such concern and expertise as would have been expected of the chairman of PP(S) himself, Mr. Nano, or even the president. He has taken it seriously, since he has chosen precisely that moment to make a statement about the heavy burden he has been entrusted with, offering salvific advice not only for Dibra, but for all Albania. After Mr. Rusi’s analyses, which PP(S) specialists in Tirana would hardly have been able to produce, the unnamed interviewer also asked two or three enigmatic questions: “What is Mr. Abdi Baleta’s basis for calling PK a reserve of PS?” Such a question should be addressed only to Mr. Baleta, while Mr. Rusi could be asked for a comment or opinion. But these are matters for PP(S) to decide, both for the interviewer and the interviewee.

NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA NATIONAL LIBRARY TIRANA [partially visible/illegible text at the right edges]

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the founding of the Albanian Republican Party, the following will take place on Friday, January 10: GRAND FESTIVE RALLY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY Program: 11:00–13:00 gathering in front of «Qemal Stafa» Stadium a) Greetings by leaders of the Republican Party, Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, Independent Trade Unions, Political Prisoners, etc. b) Performances by the groups: «ALBATROS» «KLANDESTIN» «5-91» etc. 5:00 p.m. In the hall of the Higher Institute of Arts: CULTURAL ACADEMIC EVENING a) Greetings from political parties b) Concert by the groups: «ALBATROS» «KLANDESTIN» «5-91» TRANGJERS TADI, etc. We invite you to attend. DEMOCRACY WILL WIN! ORGANIZING COMMITTEE