1. “I was the best of the guards, so I want to be promoted to a position of responsibility...”(!) 2. An order to torture prisoners who rejoiced on April 11, 1985. 3. Former prisoners inviting their former prison guards to their weddings, after all they had suffered!!! Editor's note: Everything below happened exactly as described. People’s pain is still alive, and no one will be forgiven for forgetting, mocking, or inventing things that never happened. He had come several times. He, a former commandant of a political prison. Needless to say, commandant of the guards, not of the political prisoners! Someone might think that He surely came to the Ministry of Public Order to humbly and unquestioningly submit the documents for assistance or a pension. In fact, they had kept him on at work, and he had apparently been asked to take on a position of responsibility! “I was the best of the guards, so...” he was saying. Just as serious as he had been yesterday in his post as prison commandant. “That was the time, and they gave me that job (prison commandant, well, you know, just to put bread on the table for the kids!), what can you do! But let one of the prisoners come forward and say I laid a hand on him!... Let just one swear it...” He had said these same words to his official on another occasion too: “I want (Continued on page 3)

It may be a unique case in the world. And yet, as a matter of fact, this is true. Vasil Plaku, former vice-chairman of the Tirana Court (who worked devotedly to arrange the adoption of Albanian children by foreigners), became deputy prosecutor general. He continued working quite calmly in that very high post in the Albanian justice system, at a time when most of the former judges involved in these adoptions, together with the legal adviser to former communist President Ramiz Alia, fled abroad and never returned. After extensive discussion and debate in the press and on radio and television, where judges were accused of corruption in most adoption cases, the Court of Cassation decided to overturn the Tirana district court’s ruling in 9 adoption cases, citing serious violations and falsifications in the relevant documents. Since some of these adoption cases that were reopened for investigation involved Vasil Plaku, the relevant authority asked parliament to lift his immunity. The Albanian parliament approved this request (that is, it lifted Vasil Plaku’s immunity) several weeks ago, although this was reported neither by radio and television nor by the newspapers, apart from a brief mention in the domestic news bulletin of ATSH. After examining the case files, the investigator handling these cases decided to charge Vasil Plaku, and did so. This is while he continues, quite comfortably and without a care in the world, to perform his duties as deputy prosecutor general. Poor investigator—how must he feel when questioning his own prosecutor as a defendant? What a paradox... GJIN ARREZA

Invoking the protection of the rights of the Greek minority in Albania and the need to respect the charters of the UN and the CSCE, the second statement by Dhimitris Avramopullos, spokesperson for Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, insists that the Albanian parliament exercise “caution” in drafting the law regulating relations and hierarchical structures within the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. Like the first, the second statement by Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, couched in careful diplomatic language, repeats the “threat” that the Greek parliament would appoint a Greek to head the Albanian Church. But the Albanian parliament cannot pass laws that have a Greek tell Albanian believers their “orders” in Greek, or through an interpreter. While the spokesperson for Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wraps his threat in diplomatic language, the Greek press is completely forthright. What the Greek Foreign Ministry hesitates to say publicly, the press does not hesitate to sound the alarm and issue ultimatums over. For example: “...A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece warned Tirana not to try to ‘force out’ Archbishop Anastasio from the head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, because this will have consequences for relations between the two countries...” (the newspaper “ELEFTEROS TIPOS,” 29.1.1993). The warning to the Albanian parliament is that if it approves a law that does not suit other Greek interests, there will be consequences for relations between the two countries. The reference to CSCE and UN documents and the Greek government’s “alarm” are unfounded, because none of the aforementioned documents provides that the hierarchy of a church, or of a religious community in general, should be regulated by state law. The rights of the minority in Albania are guaranteed by law, and with the establishment of the new democratic state they have been institutionalized or are in the process of being institutionalized. But it is quite clear that the Greek government’s “concern” has nothing at all to do with interest in minority rights, but rather with the presence of Bishop Janullatos at the head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. “Elefteros Tipos,” which, among other things, wrote in its January 29 issue: warned Tirana not to try to force Archbishop Anastasio out of It could hardly be stated more clearly. We believe that the UN charters are just as clear and the same in Greek. There is no reason for good relations between our countries to deteriorate, nor should they be fueled by old ideas and nostalgia, whose history is neither pleasant nor beneficial to recall, much less to inspire continuity. THE OBSERVER

...Greek visas for Gjirokastër intellectuals The chairman of the Gjirokastër district council, elected after July 26, representing neither the city, nor Zagorian, nor Libohovë,

The chairman of the Gjirokastër district council, elected after July 26, representing neither the city, nor Zagorian, nor Libohovë, nor Labëria, but only Dropull—that is, Kalidhopullis himself—also has the authority to issue visas, unlike his counterparts in the country’s 30 other districts. 26, representing neither the city, nor Zagorian, nor Libohovë, nor Labëria, but only Dropull—that is, Kalidhopullis himself—also has the authority to issue visas, unlike his counterparts in the country’s 30 other districts. Having come to power with Greek aid during the six months before the elections, and through hundreds of refugees equipped with police cards, as well as the backing of the communist authorities of the time, Comrade Kalidhopullis is now an important figure with the boundless support of the Hellenic side. One of his letters has power because he has letters has power because he has letters has power because he has letters has power because he has letters has power because he has letters has power because he has the boundless support of the Hellenic side. But the city’s most prominent intellectuals in the South, who are just as close to Ioannina as they are to Sarandë, find it extremely difficult to go to Greece, while the southerners’ brothers benefit from the Greeks. They have been unable to get past the Albanian Minister of Culture, Dhimitër Anagnosti, and in the end have turned to the Greek district chairman.

“Down with the newspapers! Down with Gazeta-Rilindja!” These were the words with which the mentally ill N. from the capital appeared in front of the building of the former League of Albanian Journalists. She continued pacing back and forth along former Stalin Boulevard, and whenever she reached the journalists’ building, she shouted: “Down with the newspapers! Down with the newspapers!” This continued on Monday and Tuesday around midday, although on Tuesday afternoon she was seen going up the very same street, tearing up copies of the newspapers “Koha Jonë,” “Zëri i Popullit,” “24 orë.” The following morning, to everyone’s great astonishment, she tore the newspapers into pieces and, in her absence, fragments remained stuck to the wall, such as “Zëri... our,” “Koha 24 hours... people’s...” On Wednesday afternoon the mentally ill N. from Tirana shouted: “The newspapers, Zëri i Popullit, are lying, Gje-? 24 orë,” and “Koha Jonë,” too! They have all deceived us; they don’t say a single word, not even one word, against the government, against the president, against parliament. All day long they praise the government, praise the ministers, show the good things about the government and what is called reform. Why haven’t they written a line opposing the government?! Has this government not made a single mistake? Is this government steering straight and well, like a rooster?! Enough! I’ll make a newspaper myself. I’ll hire a real newspaper myself. I’ll hire everyone. Bring in Shkrela, and Përparim Xhixha too; I’ll hire his brother Rini as a lawyer. He’ll write articles against Aranit Çela. I’ll make Spiro Dede deputy editor-in-chief. I’ll have Molkom Zero write essays about Rexhep Qosja. Let the wretched woman gnash her teeth! A whole string of inappropriate words against the newspapers was written by B. A. The next day as well, and also with Arben I-? mimit’s children. I’ll hire him too. I’ll take Bashkim Zeneli as head of the foreign affairs section. I’ll hire him for foreign-language work. I’ll make a newspaper myself. If I don’t make a newspaper, just you wait and see! I’m only asking to be allowed to make one. Or I’ll put my journalists Përparim, Spiro, Riza, Molkim, Bashkim, Pavllo, or Pavllos, Abdura-him, Pllaqa in prison if I don’t make newspapers...” The mentally ill N. shouted again: “Zëri të Popullit,” and laughed: “Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Well, people! You don’t believe a madwoman! Just wait! In the first issue of the newspaper I’ll publish the list of the State Security’s secret informers who are hiding in the parties, in the newspapers, in parliament. Wait and see!” THE CHRONICLER

Honorable Mr. Speaker, Honorable members of parliament, Honorable Mr. Speaker, Honorable members of parliament, A few days ago, I was the only one to vote against the draft law on privatization. I had also decided not to approve in principle the draft law “On certain amendments to the law ‘On foreign investment,’” which has come before parliament today for discussion and approval. I am pleased that today the chairman of the Democratic Party parliamentary group, Mr. Minga, as well as other members of our democratic parliament, share the same view. In our opinion, this draft law, as well as the other draft law on property that we approved in parliament—or that was passed by the government without going through parliament—and two other draft laws in this area, are premature and should be sent back to the government. The principal law, the law above all laws, is the law on ownership and the restoration of property to its lawful owners. This is precisely the law that will put economic reform on the right track. This parliament must first recognize the true Albanian owners, whose rights were denied by the communist regime; only then, and only then, should the new owners—whether domestic or foreign—or foreign investors be recognized by parliament (and by parliament alone). By failing to bring the ownership law before parliament, the government has in fact blocked the property law, and its policy on property is therefore unclear. Let the return of this government bill also serve as a protest against the government, which so far has not taken the first step toward creating the repeated momentum needed for democratic progress on the issue of recognizing property rights. - Thank you.

- To all lawful Albanian owners dispossessed by the communist dictatorship, members and supporters of the association “Property with Justice.” - To all honest Albanians, regardless of their political beliefs, who feel and aspire to a state governed by the rule of law and lasting social peace. - To all political forces whose programs include resolving the property issue in accordance with the democratic laws of Western civilization and of demagogic law and popular law (??), The National Association of the Dispossessed, “Property with Justice,” considers the Petition for Property Rights, signed by the Albanian Republican Party, a valuable contribution to achieving the Association’s objectives and protecting rights to reserves. By referring to this Petition, we will once again make clear to those in power, to the de-communists, and to the whole world that pre-war Albania was not a feudal country owned by a handful of people; that the Albanian people are a wealthy people; and that the property issue must be resolved democratically and constitutionally, so that what is due goes to its rightful owner, and not by means of the “communist law” and police violence; that without a just legal resolution of this issue, there will never be a state governed by the rule of law or social peace in Albania. The Association invites you to sign this petition without hesitation and to become its advocates, to openly defend your free opinion, and not to fall prey to prejudice or to party and ideological chauvinism and patriotism. The property rights of Albanians are sacred and inviolable in every civilized state throughout the world. Property is the rule of law and democracy. Private property stands above everything. Where there is property, there is justice. The National Association of the Dispossessed, “Property with Justice”

In the previous issue, in the article “We are in favor of the complete transition to private ownership,” line 2 of the final column should read: *The title of Marash Mirashi’s article in the previous issue of our newspaper was read as: “Three facts and one question that bring down the candidate for censorship.” We apologize to our readers for this inaccuracy.