It is impossible to go to Europe without first going to Prishtina and Tetovë… Of course, one may also ask: Will Albania enter the war? There is no doubt that it cannot be denied: Albania is not in favor of war. With anyone. First and foremost with its neighbors. Not simply because it is still too weak to withstand such privations. Not simply because its foremost aim is to become, after a great process of transformation, an educated country. Not simply because war is war, and may even the enemy never experience it...! But that does not mean that, while undoubtedly seeking and pursuing peace, Albania is ready to evade every kind of confrontation. It does not mean that, because we cultivate tolerance among the Balkan nations and states, we must bow our heads so they can crush them. It does not mean that, because peace is sought on the road to Europe, and because we do not proclaim the opening of borders, we must accept the eternal separation from them of the Albanians who live there. Kosovo is Kosovo. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If Enver Hoxha is accused today of selling out its cause, that does not mean that we, as those who overthrew Enver Hoxha, have the right today to remain silent in the face of the Kosovo issue, which, after all, and without any doubt, is an entirely Albanian issue. Democracy does not mean exercising violence against the Serbian people. It seeks peace by every means. For peace is not the monopoly of any particular people or government. Italy has made its airports available, as has France, to NATO forces. But that does not mean it has declared war on Serbia. The means of securing peace are many and varied. The world is interested in peace. Unconditionally. Albania all the more so. Especially Albania, whose borders have left more than half of its people outside them. Who more than Albania should demand that Serbian violence be punished? That violence which first began against Albanians, then against Slovenes, Croats, and finally Bosniaks—and who can deny that, following a success in Sarajevo, the turn would come again to the Albanians in Kosovo? And how could Albania better express its desire for peace in the Balkans than through international law and NATO’s capabilities, for example? Do the authors of other sermons (who from time to time reproach Berisha for un-national pacifism) really want us, in the name of our national interests, to declare war directly on Serbia?!! And then (for the sake of opportunism!) what would be said?! To move toward Europe without seeking solutions to problems through its means and its power is almost absurd. Especially at a time when the entire European press, and indeed all European public opinion, is dissatisfied with its tolerance! Yet here comes one of our colleagues (SHQIPTARI), who, lacking the courage or the ethics to censure the European Community for its threats against Serbia, finds it opportune to do so to Albania?! I do not know whether there is any better protection than standing together with Europe. Are we to be reproached even when Europe, at last, reaches the same conclusion as we do? Even the Serbs themselves were convinced of this and withdrew their artillery from Sarajevo. Enver Hoxha’s sale of its problems does not mean that today to remain silent in the face of the Kosovo problem, which ultimately and undoubtedly is an entirely Albanian problem. Democracy does not mean merely talking about the Kosovo problem. Democracy will always be incomplete without first resolving the national question. We cannot If Berisha initially called for action by the international force against Milošević’s violence in Bosnia, this does not mean that Albania is seeking to declare or enter a war with Serbia. Playing with words does not mean that you are right. Being in opposition within pluralism does not mean that you are right. This means casting doubt on things that concern the dignity of the nation. Its very existence. When the world warns Serbia of air strikes, it does not mean that it wants to wage war, but that it seeks to resolve the problem of a people.

Since the Serbs in Sarajevo were not bombed Arben POPOCI After the latest massacre in Sarajevo, the Western world found itself under enormous pressure to finally take a firmer step. The strong belief that this time the West really meant business has already begun to fade, while those following the decisions may recall that this is not the first time that initiatives that seemed firmly resolved have softened once public pressure passed and been set aside altogether. This time too, when it seemed that every possibility of once again avoiding direct military intervention had been exhausted, Russia appeared and “saved the Serbs.” In reality, this is not a matter of… The UN Security Council decision authorizing the use of force in Bosnia exists, and Russian approval is not necessary for such an intervention. Russia could possibly have refused to take part in the attack, something that was not even asked of it. With its own domestic problems, Russia was not in a political position to truly stop the bombing. The Western allies took this opposition seriously when the latest massacre was of such a scale that it would have warranted bombing this time. In reality, this is not a case of Russia “saving the Serbs”; rather, one could say that Russia “saved” the Western allies from carrying out an intervention they did not want to make. a reaction even more powerful, whose noise could be heard even in European metropolises, even in European metropolises, even in European metropolises, European metropolises, even in European metropolises. Nevertheless, forcing the Serbs to remove the artillery from the mountains around Sarajevo is not as symbolic as it may seem when compared with bombing those positions. Muslims can now at least breathe freely, and the Serbs will not be able to engage in obstruction—such as massacring civilians just before talks or before the signing of an agreement—in order to force the Muslims to boycott them.

On August 28, 1963, more than 200,000 Americans gathered to demonstrate in the capital of the United States. Before the Lincoln Memorial and the George Washington Monument, they called, in the name of justice, for peace and freedom for all Americans. On that day, Martin Luther King’s speech stood out: “I Have a Dream!” This speech has entered and remains in the conscience of the American Nation as a call and a credo for Human Rights and Freedoms. We have selected an excerpt from this speech for the reader.

Just a century ago, a great America, beneath whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Proclamation of Human Freedom. This magnificent country became a torch and a hope for millions of Black slaves, who had been scorched by the flames of Injustice. This Proclamation was a joyful dawn bringing an end, once and for all, to the long night of bondage. But now, a century later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. Now, a century later, the Negro’s life is still miserable and crippled by the shackles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. A century later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of an immense ocean of material prosperity. A hundred years later, the Negro still languishes in the corners of American society and feels himself exiled in his own homeland. That is why we have come here to make an appeal! For this reason, we have come to the capital of our Nation to “cash a check.” When the architects of our Republic wrote the magic words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they signed a promise that all people would be equally guaranteed the rights to life, liberty, work, and the pursuit of happiness. We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there is not “sufficient capital” in the magnificent ideals of this Nation. And so we have come here to cash this check—this check that will guarantee us the riches of freedom and the security that justice brings. Now is the time to make the promises of democracy come true. Now is the time to emerge from the dark and desolate valley of segregation. Now is the time to open the doors to all of God’s children. Now is the time to lift the Nation from the life-draining mire onto the highest Rock of Brotherhood! But there is something I must say to those who stand before me, already at the threshold of the Great Gate of Justice. I tell you today, my friends, that despite the difficulties, disappointments, and obstacles we have faced, I still have a dream, deeply rooted in the American dream... I have a dream that one day this Nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” that all people are created equal! I have a dream that one day, in the state of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will sit down together at the table of Brotherhood. I have a dream that one day, in Mississippi, a state scorched by the heat of oppression and injustice, will be transformed into an oasis of justice and freedom! I have a dream that one day my little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill made low, the rough places made plain, and the crooked places made straight; and, glory to God, we will all be together! This is our hope! This faith is what enables me to return to the South! With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the discord between us into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood! With this faith, we will work together, pray together, struggle together, rise up together in freedom... This will be the day when all God’s children will sing the song: “My country, sweet land of freedom for all! Land where our fathers rest: proud land of the Pilgrim!” Then let the Bells of Freedom ring from New Hampshire to New York, in Pennsylvania, in Colorado, in Georgia... Let the Bells of Freedom ring in Tennessee and in Mississippi! Let the Bells of Freedom ring from every distant place! Let the Bells of Freedom ring for all people, God’s children: Black people and white people, Jews, Gentiles, Protestants, Muslims, and Catholics. Let us join hands and sing that old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” Prepared by: ELIDA BUÇPAPAJ

Bosnia

Recent political developments have led to a further worsening of the situation. In this regard, the Steering Committee of the Republican Party is concerned and sets out its assessments. Leaders of the Socialist Party have warned that if their demands for elections in the autumn, along with Nano’s release, are not taken into account, “complications” will occur. Put more simply, this is understood as a threat of unrest and confrontation. While presenting themselves as defenders of democracy, the Socialists are imposing conditions on the democratic order. They are basing their calculations on the difficulties the country is going through and on the situation in the Balkans, where aggression and violence seem liable to erupt unexpectedly in different places. Guided by such a strategy, the Socialists may be accused not only of being a destructive opposition, but also of pursuing an anti-national policy. If the Socialists and their allies want to cause “complications,” the democratic state must be vigilant and take protective measures. Recently, at several public meetings organized by the “Property with Justice” Association, the idea of creating a right wing in Albania has been raised. The Republican Party believes this would be a proper balancing force in the development of democracy. But, in particular, the conditions for creating a right wing according to the European concept do not exist. This issue remains a matter of politics for any party. The tendency to govern the entire country through members of a single party is especially dangerous; among other things, it also entails the exclusion of a large part of the country’s intellectual potential. Taking the current real situation as our starting point, the Republican Party will again make efforts to secure the possibility of putting the alliance into practice, while each side retains its program and independence, on the condition that the alliance extends to all levels. If there is goodwill, successful cooperation is possible in defense of the nation and in developing a democratic society in which universal human freedoms and rights are fully guaranteed. The Republican Party is part of Mr. Meksi’s government and supports it as the first democratic government elected by free vote, which has faced extraordinary difficulties. The government achieved good results in two years, but the country’s circumstances and the times demand greater clarity and competence from it. Our main criticisms of the Government may be summarized in the following points: - The Government must consult the coalition parties on all economic and social matters and foreign-policy issues of national importance. - We have the impression that the Government meets mainly to approve the proposals of ministries, whereas it should collectively analyze the situation and— - The Government must strictly supervise the implementation of the law and establish discipline in the state administration, breaking the bureaucracy that seriously obstructs economic development and places a heavy burden on citizens in their daily lives. - The Government must urgently review the composition and functioning of the boards and commissions for privatization and the return of property, within which corruption is rampant. Corruption, which is becoming something of the morality of the age, tramples the foundations of the society we want to build and obstructs the country’s progress. - The Government must find ways to develop a national platform that would become the backbone of the activities of all Albanians. This repeated appeal is now an imperative need. The Republican Party makes these constructive criticisms to the Government, expressing its readiness for discussion and active participation in solving the problems. We believe that, on the basis of the ideas we have set out and through open dialogue on some other issues, useful cooperation can be achieved with the Democratic Party and the Government of Mr. Aleksandër Meksi. The fact that we cannot reach agreement on the land law and on some other issue is not an insurmountable obstacle. The Republican Party considers its own draft law on land and the return of property as a whole to be the basis of its economic program. We proceed with the full conviction that there is no other path toward a market economy and Europe. Discussion of the draft law on land must take place in every commune, and Parliament must be shown by every legal means that the majority of the Albanian people wants the law changed now, not after the elections. Every Republican will be involved in this major and highly important undertaking, in fraternal cooperation with the “Property with Justice” Association, the Association of the Politically and Economically Persecuted, and all associations and political forces that wish to cooperate in this field. THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY of creating a right wing in Albania. The Republican Party believes that this would be a fair balance in the development of democracy. But we observe that the conditions for creating a right wing as a result of a European [movement?] do not yet exist. This issue remains to be discussed among the interested political forces, carefully distinguishing their respective programs. The emotions of the day and passing political passions are not wise advisers when judging such matters. The Republican Party is part of the tripartite alliance of the PD, PSD and PR, formed during the struggle to overthrow communist rule. After democracy was established, this alliance did not function institutionally, owing to certain complications and, chiefly, because it was not given due importance. The Republican Party has always sought to make this alliance function as the axis of democratic developments in Albania and as a force for eradicating communism. The Republican Party is against the monopolization of life all economic and social issues and foreign-policy matters of national importance. - approve the proposals of the ministries, whereas it should collectively analyze the state of the country and assume full responsibility. - The Government should clarify its economic program better, with responsibilities assigned to each ministry and improved coordination between ministries. Every priority should be given to reducing unemployment, increasing production—especially in light industry—and developing mass tourism at low cost. The loans being taken out are necessary, but they should be directed toward supporting domestic production; otherwise, future generations will accuse us of burdening them with enslaving debts. - The Government should support the regular functioning of local government, through which the people exercise the rights granted to them by democracy, and without which no state can endure.

Who are the Albanians? 1.3 Europe: Greece abuses its position as President of the EC 1.4

“There are no corrupt officials in Albania,” the madwoman declared on Monday at 7 in the morning in front of the State Bank, while on Tuesday she was seen running around Tirana to buy all the newspapers in which the well-known writer Kiço Blushi had written. “You’re looking for Europe,” she shouted. “All the newspapers where the member of the ‘Kiç’ (o) value regency has written.” After the request for Fatos Nano’s release, the European Parliament also voted on the law for marriages between men and men and women and women. In this context, the Moderate Party of Albania will establish the Men’s Forum. All owners of cats and dogs are hereby informed that the “Whiskas” food coupons advertised every day on TV can be requested in bulk by calling 042 835. On Saturday’s show, “Around Fate...,” Adrian Krasta has decided to win the color television by appearing naked, with his head not dipped into eggs. “Koha Jonë” has revealed that Qirje Kiço Blushi will continue as editor-in-chief, while there will be no chairperson and noise in the PS-s’ until the end of February. THE CHRONICLER