Massacre on the Athens–Tirana bus. 3 pushtket [?] were pulled from their seats, a policeman was killed, and 30 million drachmas were robbed Majko: Purges in the Government Youth, victims of the parties. Tensions forecast. Police: No rally. Berisha: In ’90 we did not ask the dictatorship for permission, and we will not now. The hurricane will erupt Two of the “pits of death” discovered in Durrës, p. 7

Arben ILIAZI Driven by the energy of an orientation toward the future, and no longer able to survive the poor mediocrity [?] of communist madness, on 8 December 1990 Albanian supporters [?] bade farewell to the 50-year utopia, as did all the countries of the East. Freed from the will [?] of domination and feelings of nothingness, they officially proclaimed political pluralism, as a historic act and as a conscious philosophical aspect. Without denying its essence and necessity, it must be acknowledged that Albanian democracy tended to move beyond its old substratum, but failed to create a Western model. The new political principles remained hostage to the old totalitarian principles, despite the electorate’s spiritual reserves and hostility toward inherited forms. Politics, remaining excessively ideological, could not become any better for the democratic path. It was not a neototalitarian vocabulary, with an aggressiveness Continued on page 3

By AGRON LOCI, participant in the Student Movement Albanian politics gripped by the “fever of December ’90.” If last month everything had to do with the political struggle over whether to accept the draft Constitution, at the beginning of this month Albanian politics has been occupied with answering the questions: Are the current social, economic and political conditions similar to those of December ’90? And, more specifically: Are these the same motives that set the students of December ’90 in motion and forced the communist government of the time to begin making political concessions? Essentially, looking at developments and commentary concerning this historic event, this attempt should be made: Is the December movement the “property” of only one party? Continued on page 4 THOSE WHO STARTED THE DECEMBER MOVEMENT

Those who tried to kill December now hold positions of political leadership “It cannot be a celebration.” Republican leader Fatmir Mediu commented tersely on the decision to commemorate in a funerary manner the beginning of the student youth revolts eight years ago, gatherings and Continued on page 5

1. Azem Hajdari, killed on 12 September 1998 2. Arben Broci, killed on 2 April 1991 3. Shinasi Rama, emigrant in the USA 4. Arben Sula, emigrant in Italy 5. Edmond Budina, emigrant in Germany Continued on page 5

TIRANA: After many controversies that have been going on for over a year, the Parliamentary Police has finally been established and will be directly subordinate to the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Skënder Gjinushi. For more than 10 days, former Guard officers have left their duties and joined the newly established police force. According to sources from the Republican Guard, more than 30 Republican Guard officers are now serving Continued on page 7

Bullet in an envelope: Give us 6 million Page 2 Berisha “contradicts” Tritan Shehu Balli loses its MP Page 3 Police secure the Law Faculty. Bomb alert at Harry Fultz Page 6 Foreign investors call for roads to be paved Page 8 Parliament blocks BKT P. 9 U.S. plan for Kosovo opposed P. 11 Sally Becker speaks Albanian P. 12