Suspected possible links to leaflets and slogans An underground Communist Party. Four communists have been arrested; they were attempting to recreate the Albanian Communist Party. Albanian communists organize underground. Police seize slogans, works and portraits of Hoxha An illegal Communist Party. Four communists arrested who were attempting to recreate the Albanian Communist Party. On Friday evening, judges signed arrest warrants for the citizens Timoshenko Pekmezi, Sami Meta, Tare Isufi and Kristaq Mosko. There is still no confirmation of the wording of the charges against them, but it is learned that all four detainees were trying to establish the Communist Party underground On page 3 The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office and one of Hoxha’s works seized by police

SPORTS NEWSPAPER “Teuta” once again alone at the top of the standings. Two matches in Librazhd and Korçë are canceled as a result of the snow On pages 9–10 From the “Tirana”–“Tomorri” match, 1–1 (photo: H. Pustina)

The Tirana Court upholds the detention measure Journalist Ylli Polovina will remain in prison

Plenary meeting of seven entities tomorrow in Tirana TIRANA - Tomorrow, the Republicans will open the doors of their headquarters for the meeting...

TIRANA - The PS will not “speak” in Skanderbeg Square. A request it submitted just a few days ago, addressed to the Presidency as well as the police districts, was returned yesterday to the headquarters of the Albanian Socialists with the note: “The square has not been designated for holding rallies.” The largest opposition party had drafted its request so that all Albanian parties, including the President of the Republic, could publicly protest against acts of terror. The powerful explosion of a car bomb in central Tirana was apparently the sole reason that “compelled” Socialist deputy leader Servet Pëllumbi to publicly propose holding an inter-party rally. But yesterday the Socialists received a letter of reply from the police offices, which read: “The square has not been designated for holding rallies.” Elio Elini

TIRANA - Tomorrow the Republicans will open the doors of their headquarters for the plenary meeting of the “League.” TIRANA - for the plenary meeting of the “League.” This time, the right-wing leaders will have the opportunity to get closer to the finish line on the only major issue concerning them—their joint candidacy in the elections. Polovina arrested at the courthouse (H. Pustina) On page 3

CULTURE CULTURE CULTURE On page 11 Winter 1946, the trial of the clergy in Shkodër

The Dume family thanks the public When the monstrous, bloodthirsty hand of terrorist bandits tragically takes the lives of four innocent citizens, including our Vera, and wounds many other people, our family’s world went dark and it seemed as though life itself had stopped breathing. The pain was truly unbearable for everyone, but especially for us, because to the tragic fate of our husband, father, and brother Petrit Dume—the severe persecution, imprisonment, and cruel, barbaric internments—was added the premature and tragic death of our beloved Vera. Our family shares in the great sorrow and offers condolences to the families of the victims and to those injured in this terrorist act, expressing the belief that the criminal gang will be found, captured, and punished under our laws. But, as Albanians customarily do on such occasions, all of Albania, Kolonja, and the international public stood by our family. This was a great consolation to us. On this occasion, our family sincerely thanks everyone who stood by us: the President of the Republic and the Albanian Government; the Government and representatives of Kosovo; the Tirana Municipal Council; the President and employees of the “VEFA” Company; Vera’s friends and companions and the family’s relatives; our fellow sufferers from prisons and internment; the political parties, associations, foundations, and Albanian and foreign media. We are also grateful to all the countries of the world that sent us condolences. Our family condemns with all the strength of its soul this vile, barbaric criminal act, so that no more innocent lives are extinguished and no more grieving mothers shed tears. With respect, sorrow, and deepest esteem, The DUME family.

Report from the training base The snowfall that began in recent days has led to the cancellation of a joint Albanian-American military exercise in Bizë. The news was officially confirmed yesterday in a statement from the spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense TIRANA - Snow has begun falling in recent days, leading to the cancellation of a joint Albanian-American military exercise in Bizë. Report from the training base Marines in Bizë: snow postpones the maneuvers The snowfall that began in recent days has led to the cancellation of a joint Albanian-American military exercise in Bizë. The news was officially confirmed yesterday in a statement from the spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense. TIRANA - Snow has begun falling in Tirana; the cold has pushed the mercury down several more degrees, forcing residents to wrap themselves even more tightly in their winter clothes. The weather has returned to the center of ordinary citizens’ conversations, but apparently not only theirs. A joint Albanian-American military exercise in Bizë has been cancelled because the snow has shown no regard for cooperation between the two countries. On page 12

TIRANA - The PS will not “speak” in “Skën- Square,

Statement by publishers Lesie Frangaj TIRANA - Albanian newspapers will now have two fewer titles. Yesterday, publishers Nikollë Ise and Aleksandër Frangaj announced the closure of the newspapers “AKS” and “Sport Ekspres”. In a statement to the press, they explained that the reason for this decision was the violence and pressure exerted by the Albanian state against the newspaper “Koha Jonë”. The statement emphasizes that, in addition to bans and arrests of journalists or defamatory accusations of imaginary funding intended to denigrate them, another highly effective form of warfare is now being used: financial destruction and obstruction. “The Albanian public is already familiar with the widespread blocking of the activities of the vehicles of the state-run Transport Enterprise “Press Transport”, financed by “Koha Jonë”, which has caused major financial losses amounting to thousands of dollars,” the statement says. “Seeing that the state is not giving up these arbitrary actions,” the statement by publishers Lesi and Frangaj further says, “in order not to jeopardize the normal continuation of the newspaper “Koha Jonë”, as publishers we have decided to stop funding and close the arts and culture newspaper “AKS” and the sports newspaper “Sport Ekspres”. Thus, the years-long saga—which continues to this day—of the clash between the publishers of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” and state structures has recorded its first two victims. Sadly, this clash has long since burst beyond the bounds of a debate—natural in an emancipated society—between an independent newspaper and the state. That is why its victims are precisely those who should not be: journalists. And the message coming from this clash, which has dragged on so wearily, is not uplifting for anyone who sympathizes with the free press movement in Albania; it is painful...

On pages 5–8