Agolli: You were wrong to put Klosi at the head of Radio Television Socialists: Early elections The leadership sets two strategies against the local boycott TIRANA - The SP challenges the Democratic Party’s boycott of local government. “If we are to accept early local elections as a solution, if Berisha is going to block the normal activities of this government,” Nano declared yesterday at a meeting of his party’s General Governing Committee. Following the campaign of attacks that Berisha has unleashed against the relationship, while calling for “the declaration of an all-out war against the enemy government,” Nano immediately responded at the highest forum of his party. “The DP has launched frontal attacks against democracy and against itself,” the Prime Minister stressed at the SP meeting. What seems to have provoked Nano most, judging by the SP’s response, is Berisha’s threat to boycott local government, which is almost entirely under the DP’s control. Two days ago Berisha had called all the local elected representatives of his party to Tirana and asked them to cut off all contact with the government. In fact, he went even further. He warned that if the government did not meet the conditions, the DP would also boycott local government. On page 3

Arbnori: No abandonment TIRANA - The OSCE is asking the Democrats not to boycott local government. International pressure on the opposition is mounting to put an end to the path of boycotts. The OSCE deputy ambassador himself, Dan Everts, held important meetings yesterday with the highest-ranking leaders of the Democratic Party, including its Secretary for Foreign Relations, Leonard Demi. Severe sanctions are expected for the Democrats if there is another boycott. On page 2 The conflict, which has intensified in recent days and has also spread to areas around Klina. The statement made by Under Secretary of Defense Walter Slocombe provoked an immediate reaction in Moscow, which has consistently opposed a military option for resolving the crisis. “The threat of using force against Serbia always produces opposite effects,” Kremlin sources said. After Serbian forces retook Rahovec, where more than 100 members of the KLA lost their lives, the fighting shifted to the Klina area. On page 4

OPINION TRITAN SHEHU The years of Communism could not have failed to leave deep traces in our mentality and psychology. Five or six years of Democracy are not enough to eliminate them, nor is it enough to convince yourself that you are anti-Communist. Democracy and anti-Communism are not the same thing. To build democracy, deep changes in mentality and psychology must be achieved, and this requires a sufficiently long period of time. Whether we like it or not, all of us, to a greater or lesser extent, are often prisoners of that psychology, which saw only black and white, divided people into camps of friends and enemies, and sought at all costs to eliminate others, even physically. Only when our children have been freed from this psychology will democracy in Albania be secure, regardless of who is in government or opposition. But until then, time will be needed, during which, willingly or unwillingly, we will continue to use Marxist methods left in our subconscious, dressed in the garb of democracy. Different people will seek to own democracy, forgetting that it (democracy) is the work of everyone and is the one thing that cannot be privatized (or nationalized)!! Democracy is participation, broad participation by everyone. Seeking to exclude someone else from this participation is a crime. Seeking to exclude yourself is shortsightedness and a misfortune. Unfortunately, both these phenomena are occurring among us in these post-Communist years. This means that we are far from a genuinely democratic psychology. It is quite interesting that these democratic elements are found very rarely among ordinary people in the villages, whatever their political color. They are encountered and instilled by those who ought to demonstrate a politician’s calmness and wisdom, but who are unfortunately dominated by personal emotions. Today’s government, after trying the boycott in 1996 as a revolutionary method, now that it is in power seeks to exclude the opposition from active participation in the life of the country. Without a doubt, that 1996 boycott is the source lying behind this position in 1997. The government needs the opposition, but wants it according to its own way of thinking. Ultimately, it wants it for its own narrow interests, without understanding that above those interests are the interests of everyone, of the country, of the nation, of the future. So it wants it within certain confines, thereby pushing it once again toward the path of boycott. This is what happened at the beginning of this parliament, when the issue was discussed in September 1997. The same happened with the Constitutional Court, the “Ngjela” Commission, etc. Does the government want an opposition boycott or not? Today’s opposition, which laid the foundations of democracy in Albania after 1992, was nevertheless unable to free itself from certain psychological and emotional patterns and constraints. It failed to encourage a rapid and profound moderation of the opposition of that time, precisely because it did not clearly understand that democracy is the work of everyone. Actions such as the Nano affair, certain actions toward the mass media, the restriction of certain aspirations, the events of 28 May, etc.) led to the opposition becoming rigid and failing to evolve. Seeking to exclude someone else is shortsightedness and a misfortune. [??] [Continued on page 2]

Senior official in arms trafficking. Caught in Gramsh 70 Kalashnikovs in the Ministry of Defense vehicle Agron Budlla, Director of Fleet Personnel. The Commander’s driver in handcuffs GRAMSH - The head of personnel of the naval fleet has been detained for arms smuggling. The senior official of the Ministry of Defense was detained by Gramsh police while he had gathered around 70 Kalashnikovs destined for Macedonia. Using their positions and uniforms, the head of personnel, the fleet commander’s driver, and two other civilians from Vlora arrived yesterday in one of Gramsh’s neighborhoods and organized a “disarmament” operation. By means of this deception, they managed to load a large quantity of automatic rifles into the army’s Chevrolet. But residents’ suspicions brought the blue uniforms to the neighborhood. After surrounding the area, police forces arrested the impostors without difficulty. Initial checks showed that the Ministry of Defense documents presented by the two detained officials were genuine. The detainees themselves admitted that the weapons were to be sold across the border. On page 4

KOSOVO / Heavy fighting near Pristina

Actors-Minister controversy MAKS VELO In the situation that has arisen around the theater and in discussions of the issues, there are various factors: emotional, professional, and genuinely affective and technical. Among the emotional factors I would list the fact that, ever since this theater was established, whether called the People’s Theater or the National Theater, the actors have performed on one stage, and in the other government spectacles we have seen performances only in that hall. This is also the case this year, “for the worse,” in that same building. There is concern over the ownership of the Children’s Palace Theater and its transfer to the Ministry of Culture. For this theater (I designed the hall in 1971), permission was granted for funds to be used to renovate it from the outside (opening the main entrance onto the sidewalk), reclaim the foyer, which has been turned into a billiard room, make improvements to the halls and stage, and have the company begin performances in the 1999–2000 season. Star Bingo is to be removed, and all of building No. 2 is to be used to house the administration. Demolition of the present building is essential, but I believe it should be demolished and rebuilt from scratch with the same architecture and original furnishings. I have begun working on a subject that has always intrigued me: Italian buildings in Albania. This is because these works, particularly those in Tirana, were, are, and will remain the backbone of the capital’s entire urban development. The route from the Grand Boulevard, the Maternity Hospital complex, the Bank, Dajti, the Prime Minister’s Office, and finally the large complex that closes this ensemble, the Institute of Arts, the University Library, the Archaeological Museum, the Q. Stafa stadium complex, and finally the building marked “Magjistratura” and the Presidential Palace, are the social and cultural works that give Tirana its vitality. It seems to me that however many other buildings are constructed, in different eras and styles, they do no more than highlight the organizational, stylistic, aesthetic, and ethical capacities of these buildings and complexes, which gave Tirana a new identity. Some of these are very well preserved; others urgently need attention to restore their original value. While the works I mentioned create special relationships, though not fundamental ones, the only complex that needs to be rebuilt from scratch is the group of two buildings of the People’s Theater. So I propose that these two buildings be demolished (at different times) and rebuilt according to the same design (with technological improvements), because time has verified and tested them, demonstrating their high functional and aesthetic qualities. As far as I know, certain academic circles in Italy are interested in preserving and restoring the buildings I mentioned, and I believe that, from this perspective, the necessary funding for the theater could be found more easily. Once the theater building is rebuilt, the company will return to where it is today, while the improved Children’s Theater will be used for more complete productions. I believe this would be the best solution. Having reflected on the theater and on the first important international discussions as well: emotional, professional, and real and technical factors. ever since this theater—the People’s or National Theater—was established, actors have performed on that stage, and we have seen performances only in that auditorium. This is a tradition half a century old. Among the professional factors, I would list the fact that actors are accustomed to that stage, its dimensions and acoustics; they have developed an intimate relationship with performing in that auditorium, with those dimensions and that number of seats, which apparently seems to them more optimal for conveying emotions. Likewise, for children’s performances, we do not want somewhere else: we want that same entrance, that same first and second lobby, and that same auditorium, with its same proportions. Among the real technical factors, I would point out that when it was built, it was guaranteed for only 13 years. The building has been patched up and patched up, and is barely standing. The proposed solutions—the Opera stage or the Institute of Arts stage—seem unsuitable to me for the following reasons: the Opera stage is very large, as is the auditorium; moreover, they were designed for opera and ballet, not theater. Acoustically, it has the most favorable parameters one could imagine (according to the assessment carried out by the Chinese in 1970). The Institute of Arts stage is very suitable, but the coexistence of the two institutions is impossible. I am proposing another option, based on several factors that I consider essential: the theater must remain there, or very close by, because of the tradition of creating the TERRITORY. This is where SOUTHERN TIRANA? ANDORJA E VOGEL OF THE THEATER was created and lives, and this must not be changed. The building must be constructed while respecting the integrity of all cultural and social bodies, and the integrity of the theater must necessarily be respected, because that serves the city itself. It is tantamount to asking that the organs of a living body be moved. The theater is one of Tirana’s vital organs. In my judgment, confirmed over these 50 years of attending this auditorium and stage, this is the most optimal arrangement for a city like Tirana. The status of the architectural ensemble built by Italian architects must be respected. The unanimous wish of the entire artistic company must be respected. I believe the following procedure should be followed: The theater should continue…

GAZETA e Tiranës TIRANA - “Now atomic radiation will make itself known to us. We’ll throw the old and dangerous machines out onto the street.” The Ministry of Health is now certain that tolerating the indiscriminate introduction of such radiological equipment has gone too far and is entering areas that pose a danger to people. On page 5

GAZETA Shkodrës SHKODRA - Three children from one family have drowned in the Buna. The bodies of the family’s two girls and little boy have been found; the other [text unclear] have not been found. The divers who arrived urgently from Durrës are continuing the search, but by yesterday evening none of the bodies had been found. On page 6

GAZETA Durrësit DURRËS - The head of the Eurocustoms office sheds light on the mysteries of illegal trafficking in the South. Anti-smuggling forces attached to the General Directorate of Customs landed yesterday at the port of Durrës for a working meeting and revealed the secrets behind the latest cases involving the seizure of large quantities of smuggled goods. On page 8

GAZETA Vlorës VLORA - The Greeks seize one ton of drugs that came from Vlora. One ton of marijuana hidden in an Albanian truck coming from Vlora was discovered yesterday by Greek customs officers at their Kakavijë customs post. [The source text is unclear] is that it had been carefully packaged into smaller packets, one kilogram each. On page 7

Bank secrecy concerning the procedures followed by participants is violated On page 9