The contradictions of history Ramiz Alia Mehmet Shehu Robert Rakipllari The first liberal or the last dictator? This is the only dilemma posed today about the man who dared to write the first words of the end of the communist dictatorship in Albania. There is little chance of believing the first version, since it must be acknowledged that, by the late 1980s, there was a constellation of liberal people in Albania’s intellectual elite who had long been gripped by the fever of change. Ismail Kadare is undoubtedly the greatest opponent of the dictatorship and its idols, followed by that whole line of people who dreamed, in time, of breaking the red chains. Without denying that Alia was one of the most liberal among the conservative people who led the country, a handful of ignorant, old loyalists of the communist dictatorship have agreed on one point: Ramiz Alia has always wanted to absolve himself of blame. But why did Alia agree to become a controversial figure once again after a long silence? Perhaps it was precisely the accusations against today’s political class, and its inability to govern, that compelled him to calmly make himself heard by Albanians once again. No one can believe that this political class, indeed the ruling elite, was not fashioned by his hand precisely to cope with the changes imposed upon it. But Alia admits to only half the blame: identifying them as his collaborators. An accusation categorically denied by everyone whose name was mentioned. Even Berisha, the man who succeeded him at the head of the st— after him comes that whole line of people who had long dreamed of breaking the red chains. There is no doubt conservative people who ruled the country, a handful of ignorant men, old loyalists of the dictator Hoxha. It is hard to believe that the wave of change toward pluralism in Albania bears Alia’s signature—the man who declared that Albania would be socialist and would follow Hoxha’s path at a time when winds of freedom had begun to blow in the East, but could not reach Tirana, “the last fortress of communism.” There is no doubt that Alia was forced to yield with a plan in mind that differed greatly from the December scenario, and even more from the events that unfolded afterward. Alia would more aptly be described as a non-fanatical communist who tried to act according to circumstances, while preserving some balances that Albanian society, conservative at the start of the ’90s, needed. Ramiz Alia proved once again that he has not changed at all since the time when the students forced him to yield in that turbulent December of ’90. An Albanian protagonist of the ’80s, judged both favorably and unfavorably, a man who sees no other mysteries at the root of the accusations against today’s political class. In fact, all those who have judged the last communist President seem to have been compelled to do so. But Alia accepts state for five years, during which Alia also experienced the ordeal of prison for crimes that the fragile Albanian justice system was never able to prove. But the one who is utterly harsh and uncompromising is the great writer Ismail Kadare, who undoubtedly represents the conscience of the Albanian dissidence. Of course, it is hardly believable to say that in August ’90 a man like Kadare, who had made the West accessible to Albanians through his work, was against pluralism. Nor was Berisha, who had shown himself to be a moderate intellectual at the beginning of the ’90s. Perhaps Alia had not expected once again to suffer the same fate of having everyone turn on him, even the much-admired people in the PS ranks, such as Servet Pëllumbi. But Ramiz Alia no longer matters for what he says; this matters little now, after so much water has flowed under the bridge since that unclear time of great changes, which Alia himself prepared but whose finale he failed to foresee. As people outside politics say, today’s political figures have characterized former President Alia’s option.

“Berisha, Pashko and I were in favor of pluralism” The renowned writer speaks out: He killed people at the border The controversies over the beginning of democracy: Testimony about the former President TIRANA - Kadare speaks about Ramiz Alia. The Albanian writer, speaking from Paris, has not hesitated to launch a fierce attack on the last communist President in an exclusive interview with “Gazeta Shqiptare.” “He always was,” I, Pashko and Berisha were not against pluralism. Ramiz Alia called anyone who would demand pluralism in Albania an agent of the bourgeoisie at the very start of the meeting,” Kadare said, recalling excerpts from the meeting between the former head of state and intellectuals in the mid-1990s. Explaining his position at the time, Kadare speaks of a letter he sent to Alia in May 1990, in which he had already attacked members of the Politburo and the leaders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security for the massacres and torture inflicted on people, and especially on intellectuals, at that time. “So there was no way I could not be in favor of pluralism,” the man of letters said. Kadare has strongly accused Alia, comparing him to criminals when speaking about the killings at the border. “Should Alia answer for the blood that was shed, if he bears responsibility?” the writer asked, then answered the question himself. Ramiz was head of state, according to him, and there was no way he could not have known about these things. “He proved to be disloyal,” Kadare accused. The Albanian writer also spoke about the IV plehërimi, as a witness to those times, and recounted the reasons for his departure from Albania. “This was not an action decided in advance, but even if it had not been so, after this meeting they called, it was the final step,” Kadare said. On page 5

LOCAL ELECTIONS / How a compromise between the parties will be reached TIRANA - Berisha and Meidani are heading toward a compromise on the local elections. OSCE Ambassador Everts has decided to act as mediator to finally resolve the disagreements over the Central Election Commission. The CEC has been the bone of contention between the Democrats and Socialists and, following Parliament’s approval of the new law, the institutional appointment process has passed to President Meidani. The latter has threatened the Democrats that he will exclude them from the CEC if they do not comply with the new election law regarding the appointment of CEC members. Meanwhile, sources from the Democrats’ headquarters confirmed yesterday that secret negotiations are under way to amend several points of the electoral law, which Parliament approved in recent days. The sources say that Dan Everts, OSCE Ambassador, has also become a mediator for this new compromise within the framework of the law. On page 2 Nano Berisha

Just 70 lekë per liter, gasoline 100 lekë Parliament approves: Excise duties on alcohol and coffee are also cut SMUGGLER CAUGHT: 200 KALLASH FOR THE BORDER TIRANA- Parliament approves changes to excise duties. From now on, diesel and gasoline will cost less. Deputy Finance Minister Adriana Ber- Deputy Finance Minister Adriana Berisha explained to MPs that the Ministry of Finance has decided to cut excise duties, after raising them just one year ago. “One of the reasons for the low imports of fuel and cigarettes has been precisely the high level of excise duties and, in general, the heavy tax burden on these goods,” Berberi said. On page 5

GAZETA of Durrës DURRËS - Shootings and a robbery in Durrës in recent nights. A merchant was threatened with a burst of machine-gun fire at his home, and the shooting continued for hours in the outskirts. It appears to be a sudden return to the disruption of public order, while the number of revenge killings and robberies of private property has also increased. Noteworthy is the attack at the home of a former police officer, during which his 3-year-old daughter was killed.

SMUGGLER CAUGHT: 200 KALLASH FOR THE BORDER On page 4

WRITTEN BY PASHKO “Property owners are victims of the parties” “There is complete confusion in the legislation concerning the recognition of ownership. This is the result of delays over a long period of time, almost seven years. It was never possible to fully institutionalize the issue of properties confiscated by communism. When the legislation first addressed this problem, it divided it into two categories: privatization of agricultural land and reprivatization of plots. I say reprivatization because it encompasses various forms of restitution, compensation, or other measures provided for plots. On page 9

TIRANE - The shelters built by decree are once again returning to their days of glory. The Municipality of Tirana said yesterday that it will begin cleaning and renovating from scratch all 900 anti-aircraft shelters located in the foundations of many apartment buildings in the capital. But meanwhile, the first problems have arisen. Municipal officials said yesterday that they cannot do everything with the few workers made available to them. On page 3

GAZETA e Shkodrës SHKODËR - More than 30 traders from Shkodër returned from the Montenegrin border beaten up. Their harrowing accounts came just minutes after they entered the city. One member of the group, I.K., managed to tell the newspaper the whole story of what he had painfully experienced. “We had just been returning from the market in Tuzi as we do every day when we saw the border guards in front of us. We thought we would get through without a problem, naturally by handing over something to fill their pockets, but this time there was no mercy, only punches and kicks”—he said, still deeply shaken by what he had seen and suffered firsthand. On page 6

GAZETA e Vlorës VLORË - PAD is “patching together” the coalition with the other left-wing parties. After disagreements over the selection of joint candidates, they backed down and issued a statement saying they agreed with the PS central leadership’s proposal to appoint as their representative the candidate of the party with the majority of votes. Yesterday’s statement indicates that although they voted against the candidates, after pressure from members—according to internal sources—they said they would support any PS candidate. What had been expected—a possible breakup of the coalition—has not happened. PAD withdrew in time. On page 7

The Italian Visa “Sportello” at GAZETA SHQIPTARE Send your letters to: 370 Dibra St., Tiranë The Italian Consul answers in the pages of “Gazeta Shqiptare” Italian visa(s): Here are the new names List of over 100 people On page 11