To the following: the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania. The Press Association. Albanian professionals. The Union of Ministers. To the following: The Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania. The Press Union. Albanian professionals. Union of Ministers. TIRANA The newspaper «Koha Jonë» entered its fourth year of existence this year. It has been popular ever since it first appeared, because it aroused curiosity for reading, with a spirit and a name intended to become a citizens’ tribune. Many topics of broad interest to the public have been treated on the pages of this newspaper in a language and spirit free of prejudice. Such is how its readers, its journalists, and its editorial staff know it; they are making its name entirely their own, with dignity and popular courage, in a transparent way, without propagandistic rhetoric. In keeping with the duty entrusted to it by the people, the citizens and the many readers of the newspaper «Koha jonë», we express this concern and open protest regarding the interruption of the newspaper’s activity due to the interruption of the paper supply, at a time when the country’s political elections are giving great lessons in democracy and civic spirit. This problem is being raised especially with the central organs and the bodies of the Albanian press. «Koha jonë» has become a free tribune, free of prejudice, steadfast in analysis, with a clear position in defense of citizens’ right to information and free thought. Leaving this newspaper without paper is an unjustifiable, serious act with consequences for the culture of free thought in our district and beyond. Given the literary-publishing output of that year and the need for information, this newspaper remains irreplaceable. The lack of paper supply should not be linked to the critical stance the newspaper has maintained toward certain negative phenomena and toward certain actions by local and central bodies. If that is what is happening, then we are dealing with an open violation of freedom of the press and a blow to political and cultural pluralism. We strongly demand that the paper supply be restored immediately and without any conditions, so that the newspaper «Koha jonë» may continue to appear normally, in the service of the reader, pluralism and democratic reforms. (From the minutes of the meeting held this year. Therefore given in abridged form)

Free, democratic, pluralist elections, without fraud or manipulation, were an aspiration for most Albanians. The fifty-year wait and the long period of closure over many years had been absolutely evident, comrades and gentlemen parliamentarians. Despite everything, despite the fierce debates, but with honesty and warmth, without excesses, with diligence in work and conduct, opposing views were heard and respected. This has disciplined and made conscious the different specific forces of politics, in order to give pluralism and the economy a proper physiognomy. For centuries Albanians have lived with pride in their own Albanian name, with the laws and character that show discipline and civic spirit, mainly with the conviction carried for hundreds of years and with the fighting spirit inherited from the heart of the people, with character and a manly stance. The pride and nourishment of this people, as well as the possibility of creative movement, rest on free thought and not only on inheritance. This will be the step toward true citizenship and thus it will remain in the future. It will still remain in this hard-earned persistence; citizenship in the past has proved useful. Therefore, our well-known writer Ismail Kadare rightly considers the victory of pluralism the most important event of his life. The symphonies and the personalities within them are what we too have. The council’s voice gives radiance and movement to the Albanian world. The opposition of that time [sic], active, completely different. The movement still open. You can see it starting more meaningfully from the claim to speak openly and directly about the truth. Who doubts it? On the path involved, the city’s hidden one, see with pleasure, free thoughts. Through elections, people’s behavior and scenes of culture, with demonstrations, have been made evident. All of this is in an inseparable connection with pluralism. This situation is clearly understood, through real opinions, by ordinary people, but among them there are still fanatical, deluded, indoctrinated, and fanatical elements. They spread slander and insinuations and, by becoming mimics and rebels, only raise themselves above their own lowest moral level. In society they can do nothing except some harm, but with free elections and with civic spirit they have no place. Vote! It belongs to everyone. Everyone’s guarantee is a right. Free life, the new democratic society, the society with our national ideals, where respect for the views of others is upheld and a given word is remembered. Socio-political movements, student protests, and other activities, with specific aims, as long as they do not affect the progress of democracy and the relative unity of the people, are signs of a strong potential to achieve a freer and more democratic Albanian society. Marshaled [?], this is being achieved through these results; they are not affected

On 15 April the campaign for the new elections in the Party begins, so during this time a great deal is being discussed, written about and spoken about; recently and more often, we are still taking note of and will express ourselves in order to prepare public opinion. Those good qualities that a truly reformed Party needs are thought, discussion, opposition, as well as the formulation of how we truly act in a democratic and new spirit. Even now the new and the bad at work remain, this expression like a storm, a guarantee of the development of democracy, but it deeply overcomes injustices with the logic of Labour itself. I like different words; I do not want them to desire isolation and zhanë [?] with thoughts. With pluralism it is understood that we are dealing with a process followed carefully and clearly, because the elections go beyond the bounds of difficulties and at key points the consequences of the new civic culture are defined. The time of the first elections has taken on open thoughts. Now and the new face. In our country something has changed, since contact and political and economic culture. Despite deep poverty, as well as the mistaken and bitter past, the expression of thought and freedom prevail.

Instead of a short notice, a true declaration! As of today, 6 April 1991, the spiritual and cultural development of our district is still far from the demands it and a free newspaper should have. Many events of the past days and months, from the student protests to the pluralist elections and up to the demonstrations, show that our district too needs an independent, critical and free voice. We try to speak with civic conscience about the many problems society is going through. However, economic difficulties and especially the interruption of the paper supply have brought the newspaper into a critical state. As a result, the next issue of the newspaper, on 18 April 1991, will be the last. The newspaper has become a tribune sought after by readers, intellectuals, young people and ordinary people. Its pages have honestly reflected many problems of economic, social and cultural life. Its closure will be a loss for the district and for democracy. We do not link this only to the lack of paper, but also to a difficult climate for the independent press. Nevertheless, we will continue to demand the right to publish and not to remain silent. The editorial board of «Koha jonë»

ON THE RESULTS OF THE SECOND ROUND OF THE ELECTIONS FOR DISTRICTS 128 AND 3 OF THE LEZHË DISTRICT Today, on 7 April 1991, in the electoral office of the second round for deputies to the People's Assembly. In district no. 129, where candidates from the Party of Labour of Albania were presented, Beci (Bashkim), candidate of the Democratic Party, Gjyri Brahim, candidate of the Republican Party. The relative vote results: 3,366 for the candidate of the Democratic Party, Bashkim Beci, 1,311 for the candidate of the Republican Party, Gjyri Brahimi; the candidate of the Party of Labour won the relative majority of the votes, 3,342 or 51.10 percent, and is declared deputy. ORGANIZATION SECTION