GOOD WORK FOR THE FATHERLAND! On Thursday afternoon in our first Democratic Parliament, at 4:30 p.m., just as people were anxiously listening to the voting results ‘for’ or ‘against’ the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Sali Berisha, applause suddenly broke out. The number 96 ‘For’ had been reached. Joy erupted from every side, so much so that Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, with his Olympic calm, was forced to say: Let us wait for the official announcement from the voting commission. But it would have been the same formally, because both the deputies and the guests were counting on this and seeing it clearly. Sali Berisha, who was elected President of the Republic of Albania, the first anti-communist president of our country in these 50 years, in this half-century of our graves and groans being occupied by the red dogma. And not only the first anti-communist president, but also the most important, since he was the foremost intellectual who rose up against the dogma and co-founder of the Democratic Party, the first party to oppose communism, before democracy and pluralism in Albania. At that moment he smiled at the people gathered in joy. To the Party of Labour, to comrade Ramiz Alia, with his intellectualism, where fiery thought mocked Kadare in grand style as well as the well-known heart disease doctor, Sali Berisha. From that day on, this distinguished democrat appeared on the stage of Albanian democracy as one of the leaders, like a breath of fresh air, seeking to bring the free green air of Gjakova and to the song-filled Tirana of Albania that had borne the chains of communism. It was by no means easy in those moments to rise at rallies and speak out against communism only about Enver Hoxha and his circle, because his closest collaborator was at the head of the party and the state and also held the post of supreme commander of all kinds of military forces. But Saliu and the people of Sali in Albania, with their hearts, from all sides, without fear, rose everywhere: in Kavajë and Shkodër, in Tirana and Korçë; in Durrës and Gjirokastër for democracy, to remove the dictator’s monuments, to replace them with freedom. All of us with two fingers raised, all of us went courageously toward the freedom rallies and doctor Sali. He became a man of our hearts, began to become beloved by every Albanian, because he spoke at rallies in a simple, clear and direct way. He demonstrated bravery and was a true Albanian. He had the voice of courage, while the former red leader and later former president elected only by the socialists moved in a twisted way, grew afraid, attacked and hid. And that figure of his was constantly losing its place in the people’s esteem. (It was the same people in Kavajë and others who openly, at the very beginning of his democratic reform, had confronted Mr. Ramiz Alia and blackmailed the dictator), while another figure was growing in the eyes of Albania, a president among the people, from hospital corridors, from the heights of ordinary people, from the ranks of the brave party that turned firmly against communism and its leaders, who moved with special guards. Sali Berisha, with no guards at all, was loved by the people; you could find him everywhere, on the boulevard, in the street, in villages and in cities. And his oratory came along and was so refined that even the former communist or sympathizer, even someone who had prejudices against the doctor-politician, not believing it, was forced to turn around and gradually come to love a man. More and more he emerged among the most active, wherever: in the office, in meetings, in con- (Continued on page 2)

CONGRATULATORY TELEGRAMS SENT TO THE PRESIDENT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Dr. Prof. Mr. Sali Berisha TIRANA Dear Mr. President, The Albanian Republican Party sends you its warmest congratulations and most sincere wishes on your appointment to the highest and most noble office, that of the first President of the Albanian democratic state. We, the Albanian Republicans, greet you fraternally for this high office, which, we express our conviction, you fully deserve. At the same time, we congratulate your party and you personally for the great role you played in the victory of democracy in Albania. We Republicans value highly the great contribution you have made to the overthrow of the Stalinist communist totalitarian system in Albania, with your passion, ideals, dedication, clarity, maturity and wisdom as the highest virtues, which you have used as inspiring counsel in a fierce struggle and political battle for the victory of democracy against those who would have perpetuated communism in Albania. It is your duty, Mr. President, to build progress toward a republican state with a genuine and stable democracy despite all the difficulties accompanying this transitional process. We Republicans wish you, Mr. President, every success in contributing to the formulation and support of a serious domestic and foreign policy, in response to the interests of the people and the nation. ALBANIAN REPUBLICAN PARTY Dear Mr. President, Please accept my warmest greetings on your historic election as President of Albania. You have taken on the leadership of your country at a very opportune time. Your election is important evidence for the forces of freedom everywhere, of the decisive progress made by the Albanian people toward political pluralism, respect for human rights, and a free market economy through which they can secure their prosperity and welfare. You led your people’s party, bringing it to a victory for all Albanian nationalists and to the first fully non-communist Albanian government after more than fifty years. The first thing is that you will use your successes toward a constructive influence in this difficult period in Balkan history. The American people wish you well in advance, Mr. President, that your work to support programs and reforms in Albania will fully develop our relations and contribute to building a new world based on shared fundamental values. Sincerely, GEORGE BUSH On the occasion of your election as President of Albania, I have the pleasure of expressing my warmest congratulations. Your election marks the beginning of a new era. France will always strive to stand by your side. I wish you and the Albanian people all the best. PRESIDENT OF FRANCE FRANÇOIS MITTERRAND

- Address by the President of the Republic of Albania, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha - THE FIRST ANTI-COMMUNIST PRESIDENT AFTER 50 YEARS IN ALBANIA I WILL STAY AMONG YOU, BECAUSE I FEEL STRONGER AND ONLY THAT WAY WILL I BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THE HUMAN DIMENSION - Address by the President of the Republic of Albania, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha - Distinguished clergy, Dear lady deputies, Dear gentlemen deputies, Honourable ambassadors, Dear compatriots, Albanian citizens wherever you are, The duty of President of the Republic, which the Albanian people entrust to me today through their representatives in the first democratic parliament of Albania, is a great honor and a task both highly responsible and dignified. It is an honor first of all, after a century of struggle and titanic efforts for freedom, democracy, human and national rights, to be allowed today to tell you, freely and willingly, from the first place in Democratic Albania. Albanians, the duty of the first anti-communist and democratic Albanian President is undoubtedly extremely difficult. This is because I am being elected President today in one of the poorest countries in the world, where not long ago hundreds died of hunger or of untreated illnesses, and even today those who suffer from this wound are not few: unemployed children, naked, barefoot and hungry, set off for school; hundreds of thousands of sick people have no medicine to treat their illnesses; unemployment is at the highest possible levels; hundreds of thousands of families in the countryside do not have a single span of land or any means of livelihood; industry is technologically backward; 80 percent is eating away every day at the paralyzed Albanian economy. The country’s active participation, with its astonishing beauty and cultural tradition, is unexploited, because our fate was determined by a savage and bloody half-century-long dictatorship. The truth is that in Albania everything stopped, and not for hours, weeks or years, but for half a century, and this exacted a heavy price. The law was never respected; indeed, in recent times it has given way to chaos, organized crime and anarchy. Ladies and gentlemen, During half a century in Albania, because of the lack of freedom of conscience and the basis of patriotic inclination and class struggle, hundreds and thousands of Albanians gave their lives and youth for free speech and free thought, while others who were not imprisoned or interned had their basic individual freedoms denied by communism: thought, property and God. It plunged the country into an isolation and confinement that weighed heavily on our soul, culture, economy and psychology. Ladies and gentlemen, I gave this description not only to condemn the dictatorship we endured, but also to remind everyone here that in these circumstances I do not believe anyone who fought for freedom and democracy would covet even a milligram of power. Nevertheless, ladies and gentlemen, fellow citizens, esteemed friends, I accept the duty of President with pleasure and optimism, because, like all of you, I am above all proud to be Albanian. Together with you, that feeling has nourished in us pride and love for the nation, its culture, its flag and its painful history. The grave wounds I mentioned above, which are a very bitter inheritance, were not caused to Albania by God, but by communism, which we, through a democratic and moral national demand, buried once and for all on the first day of this great spring. Ladies and gentlemen, Citizens of Albania, Dear compatriots, I accept the office of President today because I have great faith in you. I have boundless faith in human beings, in their creativity and abilities, in their talent and energy, in their ideals and aspirations. I believe and hope that those who defeated the savage dictatorship will know how to build democracy, to build in Albania a democratic order with a developed market economy in a free country of free citizens, where free thought, work and free initiative will serve us just as they have served other countries. In this regard, I want to assure you that I will commit all my strength to restoring order and peace, ensuring the functioning of the rule of law, restarting production in enterprises and reviving the economy. Distinguished clergy, I accept the office of President of the Republic of Albania because I have great faith in God. He has helped us and will help us on our long and difficult road toward democracy. Albania today has three faiths. They will always be honored and valued as powerful divine pillars that will enrich our Albanian soul. Honourable ambassadors and diplomats accredited in Albania. By taking office as President, I want once again to confirm my unwavering belief that our democratic and European democratic country will be helped by the United States of America on the path of democracy and progress. On this occasion I want to assure you that my great dream, and the dream of every Albanian, is the integration of Albania with Europe. For us, the rule of law will be established, and we will realize the free movement of people, goods and ideas. Through its policy, Albania will seek in various situations not to create conflicts, but to resolve them peacefully and in respect of the norms and traditions of relations. In the future we will strive for more and more foreign citizens, businessmen and statesmen to visit Albania. Joint economic enterprises and foreign investment will be guaranteed by liberal and democratic legislation. To our compatriots in their lands in Yugoslavia and wherever they may be, I want to assure you that the Albanian state will work tirelessly to realize your human and national rights. I have unwavering faith that the Albanian question will be resolved, in accordance with the elections and fully within the framework of the Helsinki Final Act and the development of the European Community. Albania will strongly encourage and spiritually express to you the right to self-determination and other rights that belong to you. On the other hand, I wish to assure the minorities in Albania that they will enjoy all individual and national rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and international acts. We will strive, and we hope, that other countries will also hold the same stance toward our minorities. Ladies and gentlemen, I accept the office of President of the Republic determined to carry out together with you the great act of national reconciliation. Communism was the great divider of our nation. A few days ago we buried its power, but not its customs and habits. We will bury them only after replacing them with the high virtues we inherit. While condemning the ugly crime and the dictatorship, we must also continue to build prosperity. All of us were co-responsible to varying degrees, at least for the 99.9 percent vote we gave it. In all things we were its co-victims. Therefore, let one another’s suffering and pain unite us, along with the shared responsibility to build a civilized society like Spain or Portugal. Nations with great culture and spirit know how to forgive and to express remorse for the sake of their culture, their spirit, their children and their future. Ladies and gentlemen, In the difficult duty of President I will keep firmly in mind the interests of all citizens of Albania, starting with the little ones whose pure joy accompanies me and will be my work, to the young women and men who today, under this day, and the men and women, the old and elderly who spared neither their children nor their lives for freedom and human dignity. I will pay special attention to all our sufferers; their sacrifices and hardships are the human price of the freedom we enjoy today. In my role as Commander-in-Chief I will work to transform the Army, the order-keeping forces and SHIK into institutions that guarantee the preservation and development of democracy; I will strive for Albania to join NATO. Finally, I want to inform you that the first President elected by this democratic Parliament will preserve civic dimensions. Albania does indeed have a presidential palace, but as one of the poorest countries in the world, it cannot have a President for a palace. I will stay among you, because I feel stronger and because only in that way will I be able to preserve the human and essential dimension of the new Albanian politics. Long live Albania!