At the First Congress of the Municipalities of Balkan Cities, Thessaloniki, November 1993 VISAR ZHITI We were travelling through the night towards the city of Thessaloniki, where fog had fallen over the roads like old prejudices that made things move more slowly. We felt a snow-cold chill. The road was covered somewhere, and we asked the driver of a truck as big as a moving castle. “It's getting dark again,” he told us. “Come along behind me.” The Greek earth breathed in its night, giving birth to legends. Our bus followed behind, carrying mayors and members of local government, others attending their First Congress at the Balkan level. Lights from villages like Promethean fires. A journey to Greece is always also a journey through time in two directions: you climb the steps of the amphitheatre of magnificent antiquity and speed towards the future on a motorway. We left the fog behind and entered Thessaloniki’s brightly lit boulevard, along the sea, the longest in Greece. Midnight had passed, but you could make out large cars surging by whenever the traffic lights’ cyclopean eye turned green. Our delegation was accommodated near a large church, in the comfortable “Olga” hotel. The newspapers were waiting for us at the Metropolitan, where all around the city, along the streets, stood the bas-relief of Alexander the Great with spear and hand—so foreign now, when everyone had coffee cups in their hands and words about coffee on their lips: Greeks, Albanians, Bulgarians, Romanians. The Serbs are under embargo. What about the Turks? one of our delegates would ask. “We invited them, but they didn’t come,” the Congress organisers said. Meanwhile, the Albanian participants were dissatisfied. Our flag was there with its political star. The same was true of our little emblems. What is our embassy doing here? Why hasn’t it come? The Greeks took immediate measures: the star was to be removed from the street posters, and they gave each of us a red marker to erase it from our little emblems. Even though we had arrived with passports bearing a star, on which “Socialist Republic” could still be read. We all entered the large Congress hall, where every table, among other things, had an artificial laurel bud for good luck. As everyone put on their headphones, I don’t know why I thought of an antisocial …: Odysseus, the leader, plugged his ears with pieces of wax so as not to hear the Sirens’ song. Perhaps it also had something to do with the seagulls visible through the glass partition, hovering nearby like an immediate spectacle with ... The People’s Assembly rejected the Land Bill submitted by the “Property with Justice” Association. Do you believe your proposal will fare better? “One lives in hope. We believe the Assembly will consider this matter in accordance with the law.” What will you do next if the Bill is rejected? “I am not starting from the assumption that it will be rejected. In any case, we have prepared for that too. We are asking the Republican Party sections throughout the country to discuss the Bill on the basis of the accompanying explanatory report. Our branches should organise consultations at district level as well. These will produce comments and suggestions that may further improve the party’s agrarian policy. This is the first step. The opinions of other political forces will also be followed closely. Your editorial office should reflect this opinion, whether for or against. The Land Law is an issue for all Albanians. From these discussions we will also draw a conclusion about what should be done next. We will also see how the work in the Assembly develops. One thing is certain: the Republican Party will fight, by every means democracy allows, for a just land law.” Does this mean that you do not consider the Bill complete? “We arrived at this Bill by consensus. Nothing can be called perfect. We are convinced that our Bill is good, but in principle, under no circumstances do we consider discussion incompatible with it. A law also has bylaws that supplement it and provide scope, and this is precisely why discussion is necessary, just as it is for the law itself.” There are rumours that you may announce another petition across the country to collect signatures from more than half the voters and thus persuade the Assembly. “Such a thing has not been discussed. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea. A wise course of action needs referendums and petitions, because they show it what it should do in order to govern well for the whole people. This is the alpha of democracy. We have organised a petition for the Land Law, signed by 250,000 voters. If another petition is needed, I am convinced it can obtain the signatures of more than half the voters. In any case, that is a matter for the Party’s National Council.” “Thank you.” In the next issue, the editorial office will present the draft law on the “Return of Ownership of Agricultural Land,” submitted by the Republican Party, and seek opinions from MPs, party leaders, associations, etc. The editorial office also invites its contributors and readers to express their views. Midnight, but great waves of cars surged past, while the cyclopean eye of the traffic lights turned green. Our delegation was put up near a large church, in the comfortable “Olga” hotel. We journalists were waiting at the Metropol, where, all around and along the roads, beside the sidewalks, cars lay sprawled like a peaceful siege of Troy. Dawn’s first light was stirring above their cold backs. MAKEDONIA PALACE The lobby and corridors were filled throughout the day with Balkan people, gathering together on the white armchairs, talking and laughing. So much alike one another. Somewhere on the nearby façade, (continued on page 4)

Sabri Godo gives his opinion on the Republican Party’s draft land law for the Party’s National Council.” “Thank you.”

Letter from the writer Ismail Kadare addressed to the editor-in-chief of the Arbëresh newspaper “Katundi ynë” Dear Editor-in-Chief, Thank you for sending me the newspaper “Katundi ynë,” which I have read, and continue to read, with great interest and pleasure whenever it comes into my hands. All the more so because in this issue you have published two articles about my work, one written by Mr. Eleuterio Fortino and the other by Mr. Amik Kasonuro, an Albanian refugee in Italy. On this occasion, it seemed appropriate to me, along with thanking you, to share some of my thoughts, which relate not only to these articles but to the morality of the press and of Albanian society as a whole today. Articles published in the same issue of a newspaper can be entirely different in spirit. Although this letter is addressed to the Arbëresh newspaper “Katundi ynë,” the author also sent a copy to the newspaper “Republika.” This is simply because the letter conveys a clear message to Albanian newspapers and journalists as well. As you will read, the letter is not only for the Arbëresh newspaper “Katundi ynë,” but in general for our own village… First, the piece by Mr. Fortino is laudatory; the second, by Mr. Kasonuro, is the opposite of the first. Since the human race that prefers attacks has not yet come into being, and since I belong to today’s human race, with all its traits and weaknesses, I must admit that I did not like the second article. Meanwhile, I would be entirely truthful if I told you that, like most writers and public figures, I have been accustomed for many years to reading attacks in the press alongside praise, and sometimes even fabrications of the kind one can accept only with difficulty. So I will not [continues on page 2]

Call … Therefore, for every social advance, consolidation and improvement depend first and foremost on our institutions. It is essential that the most capable intellectuals join and commit themselves to them; as a generation of new ideas and refiners of existing ones, they will be able to protect these institutions from old ideas, practices and attitudes. But even this is not enough. It is essential that they subject these institutions to criticism and, naturally, cultivate respect for them. Only in this way will these institutions be consolidated, improved and function as institutions of the rule of law, and be able to escape bureaucratic corrosion and other dangerous maladies. Thus, if the basis of all social progress lies above all in intellectual activity, it is extremely important that every branch of today’s state quickly and clearly understand that the mass recruitment of intellectuals into institutions, the creation of spiritual and material conditions enabling them to develop their work freely, and investment in their education and training are decisive for Albania’s development and future…: President Berisha said, among other things, at a meeting with Tirana’s intellectuals, held at the Palace of Congresses on Friday, November 19. The opening remarks also touched on (continued on page 4)

The newspaper “Lajmëtari,” dated November 17, publishes an article about corruption in Republican ranks. This “Messenger,” wandering about without saying anything, has written about how and by whom the Republican Party should be led, even giving names. Up to that point, it might be acceptable. There are idle people who take it upon themselves to put someone else’s house in order after making a mess of their own. But this “Messenger” goes far beyond the limits of tolerance with its accusation of corruption in Republican ranks. We are beginning the procedure for libel, giving “Lajmëtar” the opportunity to prove the accusation in court or else be punished for slander. The phrase “if this corruption exists, as people say” may, we believe, save “Lajmëtar.” As for us, we clarify once again that the highest salary in the Republican Party is 4,500 new lekë, including all allowances. The salary of the deputy chairman, Mr. Fatmir Mediu, is 4,000 lekë. Nobody, under any circumstances, has received more than the fixed salaries. Even for foreign travel allowances, the administration is still paid 12 dollars a day. We are a party that keeps its spending to a minimum and under strict control, because our financial resources do not allow us to do otherwise and because we are aware that we live in a poor country. As for the tragedies, we have opened a maritime agency in Durrës, like all other private and state agencies, pursuant to Law No. 7502, dated 25.07.1991, “On Political Parties.” The employees of this agency are under the authority of the party’s finance department, and no individual has any personal involvement with it. As for state funding, since the Party was founded we have received the amount allocated according to our percentage of the vote, and today we are given a total of 900,000 lekë a year. Our financial activity was also inspected last October by the State Audit Commission. We tell “Lajmëtar” that we are a party that fights every kind of corruption. Perhaps “Lajmëtari” will be convinced of this when it receives a lesson that it cannot spit on just anyone or use language however it pleases, as it dares to do to others without restraint. From the Finance Department and Legal Office of the Republican Party

In an article in last issue, Mr Bezhani, former member of the Court of Cassation and a longtime contributor to our newspaper, speculating about the reasons for his resignation from the aforementioned court, considers the actions of the president of the Court of Cassation a threat to justice, and Zef Brozi himself a “killer of justice”. For this reason, the newspaper’s editorial office approached Mr Brozi personally to provide an explanation. In Mr Bezhani’s statement, you are personally attacked. What do you have to say about this? - Regarding Mr Bezhani’s statement in “Republika”, I have to say that all I asked was for him to be more realistic and more generous in what he says, so as to do himself at least a little credit. It is serious that he has titled it “Threat to justice” and goes on to argue that someone who strives for justice is seeking to commit corruption by mosaicking the law, of which Bezhani’s work is also a part. I did not want to deal with Bezhani as an individual; I want to clarify the integrity of judges’ work in general. But now I think I will answer Bezhani through Bezhani, through the rulings bearing Bezhani’s signature. I will… in the court rulings that Bezhani signed, (I said) “I have an order? [??]… of …” (the section is cut off and illegible) … [text partially illegible] Zef Brozi: “... [the newspaper fragment is unclear] ...” - Bezhani is right when he criticizes my working method, because it aimed to reach a shared, qualified legal opinion, in consultation with the new legislation, which is undergoing rapid changes. This makes consultation among judges necessary on various issues, including to arrive at a decision that is as just as possible and in accordance with the law. But this way of working does not suit those who want to evade their responsibilities. Bezhani is among them. The facts, as I emphasized above, speak and bear clear and serious witness against Bezhani. Of course, they will speak through the language of the law, not through the language of Zefi or anyone else. As for the daily morning meetings Bezhani mentions, I want to stress that, apart from Bezhani, there was another judge who objected to that working method, and I did not impose it on them. The other method makes me voluntary, although I would consider it necessary at the present moment that… … it would have been preferable for all the judges in the case to have taken part. It was a full decision of the court in the case. It was a decision for all my fellow judges, with whom we discussed that case. It was Bezhani himself who reported the case, with the aim of softening the classification of the charge; there was nothing wrong with that, perhaps he was seeking to change the classification. I did not file an appeal seeking legal protection against the decision Bezhani gave in the particular case of the pole, which means that I agreed with Bezhani’s decision and may consider it correct. As for the other case Bezhani speaks about, concerning a house in Kuçovë, I asked for it to be discussed at the morning meeting; we reached a shared view, and Bezhani, as the rapporteur on the case, was in favor of preserving that view, and Bezhani who… - Bezhani is right about… [text cut off] … I have no reason to respect him for anything else. - For a long time, the Court of Cassation had no president. When I took up this post, irregularities were found? a lack of work discipline, brought about by the whole state, so much so that it is difficult for me to believe that even today our state has acquired the true appearance of a state mechanism. In seeking to improve the work, I introduced new rules, both for consultation and for accountability regarding formal work discipline. If during that period I reached the conclusion that I should exercise the right to seek legal protection against some decisions by colleagues at the Court of Cassation, and even if I try to bring about a legal solution and a decision adopted by the Plenum of the Court of Cassation that are in flagrant contradiction with the law, I will exercise this authority, although I know that legally there may be… (continued on page 4)

I don’t trust anyone, not even Rrapo Danushi, said the deceived N, while waiting in line to get medicine at an outpatient clinic somewhere near “zogut të zi”. The land issue will be discussed again in parliament; the deputies have changed their minds. The first time there were three, then the number rose to four and became nine; this time PR will have 81 deputies in favor of its project. Rrapo Danushi has done a persuasive job. To start with, he promised the deputies 5 HA each, quality farmland or coastal land (since most of them are agronomists, you can’t fool them on this point). Then, to set things right, Rrapo will take it back from them. The parties have started stealing. Only the People’s Party hasn’t, since it has three chairmen and three seals. This party will be overthrown in the century. Satellite transmission is for tourists, especially in Greece. At last, 3.2 million Arvanites will have the chance to realize that Papulias did not speak about them in Tirana because he wanted to surprise them. Greece will conduct a population census in 15 years. Then Van der Stoel will also get a full answer about the true wishes of the citizens living in Greece. He will then really be crushed in Greek, too. Then “Greek” will start speaking Albanian. Watch out for thieves! THE CHRONICLER

At the request of Mr. Leka BUNGO, today our newspaper is lending one page to “Zëri i popullit” Read on page 3

Who is making Albanians hostile toward Europe by Nexhmedin Spahiu

… [text fragment cut off at the top edge] … nevertheless, the projects, the library, titles? [partially illegible] ...