On 20 and 21 September 1993 in Tirana, the proceedings of the expanded meeting of the National Council of PRSH were held on issues concerning the Party’s further organization at the current stage, and the political situation in the country and the tasks facing the Republican Party were also analyzed. Many guests also took part in the meeting, including non-party intellectuals and social organizations of the country. The National Council of PR examined these very important issues responsibly and reached the following conclusions: 1 - The situation in the country is extremely difficult. The tensions that have arisen have a pronounced political and economic character. They create an indispensable ground for the future and the future. 2 - The anti-democratic opposition party, especially PS, as the successor to the past of PPSH, led by an Enverist staff, has within itself and in its organization, up to that day, what was assessed as a sign of the loss of its strength and political influence among the people, and as a desperate but extremely dangerous attempt to destroy its independence, which is at risk. The mistreated and betrayed party, with space in its ranks, is also trying to restore the communist regime rejected by the people. 3 - The recent elections in the district of Peshkopi and the Municipality, and the decisive victory of the democratic forces, once again confirmed both the necessity of cooperation between these parties and the concrete value of this cooperation. PR also believes that its cooperation with right-wing and democratic parties is an immediate necessity in order to successfully confront the communists’ fervent efforts to regain the political power they have lost. 4 - Recent events in some former Unidore countries and in the colonies may help bring about a close cooperative policy in our country, in favor of the democrats of this country, for the full establishment of a … monarchy of the pre-communist regimes, in this sense. 5 - It is the immediate duty of PR, as a right-wing and nationalist party, to continue its efforts ceaselessly and by democratic means to establish the rule of law, carry out rapid privatization, decentralize power, fully guarantee lawful ownership, protect and advance it, protect the interests of Albanian capitalism, and completely annul the communist laws that destroyed the country over 50 years. PR supports the implementation of a patriotic, clear and consistent policy, in keeping with the democratic nationalist aspirations for the future of the Albanian nation. 6 - The National Council of PRSH concluded that making local government fully operational is at once an expression of democracy and the rule of law, as well as a serious step toward the Government’s progress, a sense of responsibility, expanded breathing room for municipalities, and the activation of society, state structures and the necessary economic structures. 7 - PRSH assigns as a priority task, and [unclear] other democratic parties, the intensification of efforts to raise the people’s national consciousness, to cooperate with all political forces in society and the country, and with the government, in order to build a democratic state and fulfil this task. PRSH calls on all intellectuals to express themselves together in favor of ongoing scientific cooperation. PRSH addresses Parliament, the President and the Government, urging them to engage competent teams in this field to carry out this task. 8. The National Council of PRSH strongly supports the position of the country’s Government regarding the absurd sovereign claims of neighboring countries, and calls on the Government not to yield for any reason or motive, and to defend the highest national interests without compromise. The interests of the nation and Albania are above everything. 9 - PRSH considers cooperation with the country’s associations and efforts a necessity, particularly with the independent trade unions, the National Associations of the Politically Persecuted, the association of the Politically and Economically Persecuted, the national Association of Property with Justice, etc. Democratic patriotism in Albania depends to a considerable extent on good governance of the country and on meeting the demands of these associations, which are and remain the main supporters and [unclear] of the democratic state. 10 - The National Council of PRSH believes that developing its relations with other political parties of the democratic camp is a necessity under the current economic and political circumstances we are going through. To carry out this task effectively, it calls for close relations with all parties of the democratic camp and for the fulfilment of the corresponding obligations. 11 - PR supports the need to reconstruct the Government on a broader and higher-quality political basis, and supports the need to intensify the fight against corruption wherever it appears, considering this fight essential to prevent the complete degeneration of the Albanian democratic state. The National Council of PRSH considers good governance a fundamental condition for democratization, and the most effective path for further development and (continued on page 2)

“They came to my house personally,” said Selman Ibro, Neighborhood 8. “We want 200 lekë in aid for Comrade Fatos and his family. One of the delegation’s members was a woman. A lecturer. She is now also earning her Doctor of Sciences degree. I showed them the door,” S. Ibro concludes. Throughout Albania, alongside the collection of signatures for the petition, the collection of a small 200-lekë donation has begun almost simultaneously. At least 700 thousand people have signed the petition, while the number of donors contributing 200 lekë is expected to exceed the petition’s total by the end. After this, Nano may be close to the measure of Shahipurisë.

Omonia Deputy Chairman Sharra (not Kristo Sharra of Zeri i Popullit and a senior PS leader) called in a recent statement for a change in the status of the ‘Omonia’ minority. “We,” Sharra said, “will seek a special form of autonomy.” Sharra’s statements came immediately after declarations by the deputy of Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Greek Government about alleged violations of the rights of the Greek minority in education and administration, following deputy Makariadhi’s provocative statement claiming ‘Greek ethnic lands’. Three weeks ago, the Albanian state opened the Greek Language and Literature Department at the University of Gjirokastra at the highest level.

In the 12 September 1993 interview in the newspaper RD, when asked by the journalist what he would suggest to President Berisha if he were his adviser, the writer Zija Çela replied: “How did such a question occur to you? A president has no advisers. A president has other advisers who are worse than an artist, because in politics the brain dominates. Just as, for a writer to be prime minister, a super-politician is more suitable, because the heart must dominate in that role.” The Zeqja family, the lawful owners of the house where Fatos Nano and his family reside unlawfully, were beaten the day before yesterday afternoon by unknown people. The actual owners of the house had proposed a compromise and dialogue to Nano. “We need to reach an agreement,” the owner said. “I’ll leave you my house in an apartment, and you, Comrade Fatos Nano, will give me back my house, which your father stole from me earlier.” According to the Zeqja family, the Nano family had agreed to this kind of compromise, and after several days of back-and-forth negotiations over the house, unknown negotiators brutalized members of the Zeqja family, threatening them: “You won’t get the house. We will return to power again.”

FATOS ARAPI “As for me, I gladly learn lessons from the most generous” In the 12 September 1993 interview in the newspaper RD, when asked by the journalist what he would suggest to President Berisha if he were his adviser, the writer Zija Çela replied: “How did such a question occur to you? A president has no advisers. A president has other advisers who are worse than an artist, because in politics the brain dominates. Just as, for a writer to be prime minister, a super-politician is more suitable, because the heart must dominate in that role.” How do you view this overall thought, formed after an exclamation of surprise, if it expresses the mutual relationship between power and art, the relationship between the figure vested with power and the creative figure? I would answer that I have something to say from this perspective. In my work, published [and?], Zija Çela as a writer, artist or journalist, has made it clear to me that this is so. A large part of this politics, whoever it may concern, I experience to no small degree; the writer is freer and certainly freer to have his own creative freedom. As for the question that writers are bad advisers, that is just a joke; the real issue is being confronted with the imperative of what advice today’s writer can give to a statesman. Well then, Zija, for something so easy, you only had to open the first pages of “Ancient Greek Lyric Poetry” and there, for example, you would find precisely “An Athenian piece of advice” by Solon: “Bad rule brings life such sorrows, black, endlessly black, while good rule brings only order.” The general lesson and advice: It puts in fetters, it softens and makes fierce! It restrains the great mind, extinguishes all violence. If we speak of the relationship between artists and power, then the writer is not [unclear] and [unclear] such things. So, Zija, good rule brings only order, general harmony; it softens the harshness of the times, dries up the roots of poverty and misery and makes them flourish; and look, what a thought, both traditional and magnificent: it makes crooked justice straight. It is the humanity of the past, the [unclear] and desire of history that gives this advice—and which ruler, wise and just, would not accept it? So, if he did not accept it, would that not mean that the writer was a bad adviser, when so many generations of true statesmen have learned and continue to learn from such advice? Because “Not in deep sleep alone does the eye of the heart remain open; through it, in thought together, the point passes through the [unclear], ah, the lesson.” I do not want, Zija, to rush past this ‘eye of the heart’ without noticing it. According to Aeschylus, it works even in the deep sleep of the brain; so it is not at all true that a politician, for example, works without a heart. Never, because then advice has been given for a long time, ‘simply’. Whoever sweetened [it] one day might perhaps change the fate of the slave? Is there deeper advice that can be given to those in power? Those who take power into their hands and strengthen themselves with other forces must not forget that no one wants to live as a slave; therefore they must govern wisely. O Zija, shall we set these things aside? Because the landscape through which we pass, the dignity and relations between artist and power, have filled the literature of peoples for a lifetime, and I do not now wish to take you to our Samiu, or Konica, or Noli, etc.; but still, I cannot help recalling—and I believe you would like it—one of the brightest passages in literature (continued on page 3)

Some time ago, from America, printing equipment was sent as a gift under the name “Demokracia” for the Albanian newspapers “RD”, “Republika”, “Alternativa”, “Sindikalisti”, “Drita”, “Bashkimi”, “Zëri i rinisë”. The act of donation itself presupposes that these seven newspapers become the owners of the printing press. A technical administrator was appointed. Petro was that administrator. After the ceremony, which was also attended by Ambassador Rajerson, other Albanian newspapers (as Albanian as “Koha Jonë” and “Zëri Popullit” may be) attacked American imperialism. Administrator Petro, with the help of a certain lobby against those who had donated the printing press, began conducting business and “forgot” that the press had been donated to them. Today the owners have gone on strike, following the strike by the actual owners, who, as we said, are the seven newspapers. Administrator Petro is under arrest. After Petro’s arrest, the dirty hands of the newspaper Koha Jonë (and not only theirs) came to his aid, claiming that Petro is the owner. With this game, Koha Jonë’s justice [and?] power were separated. It is very simple. The “Demokracia” printing press has an owner, and it is not Petro: it is the seven newspapers. The dirty hands of Koha Jonë’s lawyers pretend not to understand this perfectly ordinary legal relationship of capitalism. Every property has an owner. The owner of the property [is?] the workers, the workers, the clients. But Koha Jonë is not satisfied with this — its politicians’ dirty hands are seeking to amplify matters by accusing the Albanian state of wanting to shut down Albanian newspapers (I mean their newspapers, Koha Jonë and “Aleanca”). Now Koha Jonë’s dirty hands, or its residents, have made a hero (continued on page 4) (Continued on page 4)

Decentralization of corruption? When it was decided to transfer the privatization of enterprises to the districts, some spoke of the danger of decentralization and corruption, but I do not believe this could go as far as, for example, in Përmet. So far, 25 properties there have been privatized without being put up for auction at all and without any consideration in any case of what gives inspectors or former collectives priority. A board meets and makes this decision now, close to [unclear], and no one should forget anything. It appears that four people are linked together, writing and stamping the privatizations in Përmet. It is dangerous to mention their names and positions, because they will make you pay dearly. It is also said that these four horsemen of the apocalypse, who are laying bare the roots of Përmet’s common wealth, had also worked there earlier under a high state order, but are so powerful that they overturned the order as things were progressing and remained even stronger masters than before. Let us leave the [unclear] aside and turn to the facts: 1. The Construction Enterprise, according to a “study”, was divided into two parts: 9 facilities with a complete technological cycle were given to one person, without an auction, at an initial price set by a commission chaired by the buyer himself; 5 other facilities were split up for privatization on a case-by-case basis, although they were not suitable for this. 2. The Agricultural Supply Branch, made up of warehouses with no territorial or functional connection, was not split up like the Construction Enterprise, although proposals to do so were made; instead, the lot was sold to one person, again without an auction and at the initial value. 3. The Commercial Enterprise was carved up like a personal [unclear] by setting aside a particular warehouse for a candidate. Families also earn their bread there. The owner of the land, a former political prisoner, had requested bar-buffet No. 5 at the old agency; he was told [unclear] that the documents were being prepared. The bar-buffet was put up among these lots. The winner was the one who promised “sponsorship”. Few people may understand this [unclear] in Përmet, but those who want sponsorship know. So this property too, with all its [unclear], was sold at auction to the “sponsor”. There is no point in making this longer. I think the Përmet Board is going too far and would do well to apply the law to some properties that do not attract interest by putting them up for auction; but that would open up trouble over what has already been done. Therefore, the board decided to do only what it had done before: choose the buyers and prices and dispose of the common property in Përmet as it pleased, while the law is to be the law, not [unclear] together. From what is happening in Përmet, it seems to us that we are justified in drawing some conclusions: - The criterion of composing the boards with heads of the administration gives them the opportunity to make arbitrary decisions, disregarding public opinion, which should be represented on the board by political parties and civic associations (continued on page 4)

The madwoman N. from Tirana, in the last two days before [unclear], seemed to have put up red flags with hammer and sickle on all the streets of Tirana. “The painter is nearby,” the madwoman shouted. “We have almost won. The red Soviet Union cannot die,” she cried, running with a small bust of Stalin. “This is your end!” “Comrade,” I said to a short man, “wait a little longer. I am Apostol Musi; I have written in Zëri about the victory in the USSR these days, but we are not sure about what comes next.” “Go away,” said the madwoman. “Announce the Party’s urgent meeting. 700 thousand participants are demanding the release of Comrade Fatos Nano.” No member of the Socialist Party is included here, since the Socialist Party does not act through street tactics but calls for the implementation of the laws. The 700 thousand do not include the madmen of Tirana, Elbasan and Vlora, who have refused to sign the petition. The madmen of Vlora, Elbasan and Tirana are demanding that the Socialist Party sign and vote for the law on human rights. The madmen and the sane are demanding that Namik Dokle ask the Council of Europe for Albania to be admitted to the Council of Europe. Otherwise, the madmen have threatened, we will march on Tirana. Auction announced for an Albanian politician. His gold price has reached a mountain of wreckage. The Albanian Newspaper is also up for auction. Prices are hilarious. Competitions for independent newspapers; fees explained by charlatans. “Koha Jonë” alone is not being auctioned. This newspaper is needed by Albania. Its masters are needed by the neighbors. Long live “Koha Jonë” — the time of cannons! THE CHRONICLER

The newspaper “REPUBLIKA” announces a competition for three young journalists. Candidates applying must be no more than [unclear] years old. They must have completed higher education. Candidates with knowledge of foreign languages are preferred. For further details, contact the editorial office of the newspaper “REPUBLIKA”. The competition will be held on 7 October at 10:00 at the newspaper’s editorial office. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE