Yesterday the recommendation was on the table that the President of the Council of Ministers establish free economic-autonomous zones in the prefecture of Shkodër MISTER PRESIDENT! THE ROAD TO SHKODËR GOES THROUGH LEZHË ● YESTERDAY THE RECOMMENDATION WAS DISCUSSED THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS SHOULD ESTABLISH FREE ECONOMIC-AUTONOMOUS ZONES IN THE PREFECTURE OF SHKODËR President Sali Berisha is obliged before the people to continue on the road of radical reforms of Albanian society. These reforms cover a broad range of issues, from property ownership and the final solution of the agrarian question to true democracy and political pluralism. Although in today’s conditions it seems difficult for all the promises to be fulfilled for a presidential zone (free economic zone) in Lezhë and Shkodër, that is, within about 70 km of his office. This is not about sentimental aspects as the Enverist supporters would advertise, but about practical ones. Economically, the truth is that with its underground wealth Albania, through Lezhë, could manage to ensure a budgetary equilibrium for nearly 10 years. This was confirmed a few months ago by the World Bank team, which is still in Albania. According to specialists from the same team, the loss caused to our country by not using the Drin hydrographic system for irrigation and navigation is about 300 million dollars a year. The city of Lezhë itself could be turned into a small Dubai on the Adriatic if it were granted the status of a free port and a presidential zone. Likewise, Lezhë has every possibility of becoming an important commercial and tourist center of the Adriatic and the Balkans. From a political and social point of view, the demand to establish such a zone is neither illegitimate nor immoral. We are astonished that some semi-mafia circles ignore it under the pretext that these things are for the benefit of a minority. But in favor of which minority? Of the one that sticks its neck out for the JUGA masses and brings contributions to the safes of the country’s scoundrels? No. We are against such a minority. We are in favor of supporting those efforts being made by the most vital part of the population, and by those of our deputies in parliament who are trying to turn the low Albanian coastline into a common possession of all Albanians and not into a land of Çamëria for the sea roosters of Ulqini and Kosovo. We are in favor of supporting the district of Lezhë and Lezhë as a presidential zone (free economic zone) and not for an autonomous-border Lezhë of the Slavic regions. This would be more of an alarm for the government and the democratic forces of the country, so that at last they understand how far mockery of the interests of the most vital part of the nation can go. Without taking this into account, any kind of speech and empty talk about autonomy would only calm the situation for a while and make it harder in the future. MARRASH MËRKASHI

The newspaper title and drawing by the painter PASHK PERVATHI The newspaper title and drawing by the painter PASHK PERVATHI

Regarding the article “clarification of Ljubmir about the 300 families with the [?]nsueva of the vote, published in the newspaper “BASHKIMI”, dated 21 JULY 1991 WHAT DID YOU CLARIFY MR. SOKOL HOXHA REGARDING THE ARTICLE “CLARIFICATION OF LJUBMIR ABOUT THE 300 FAMILIES WITH THE [?]NSUEVA OF THE VOTE”, PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER “BASHKIMI”, DATED 21 JULY 1991. It was expected that, at this stage our country is going through, all kinds of writings would appear, with purposes not very clear and not well defined for the broad public. Although in the article in question I replied on 16 July in the newspaper “Bashkimi” with the article “How does the journalist do it? The director and the word sunet”, nevertheless a Mr. Ljubmir [?:] later brought us another new article entitled “Clarification”. But once again, even through the newspaper “Koha Jonë”, I wanted to clarify that Mr. Hoxha did not lie. No. He expressed only the truth. There is no slander here, as Mr. Ljubmir says. I have never taken the immediate stand on the issue of the vote and the list. According to the testimony of five witnesses from the polling station and in the presence of the commission, all these things are absolutely true. There is no room for excuses or sighs. Someone may think it is necessary that such a matter should not be dragged out in the press. However, when slander is published, the response cannot be absent. The author of the article in question seeks to throw dust in the eyes of public opinion by turning the problem into something else. But the issue remains this: have the votes been falsified or not? Instead of giving a direct answer, Mr. Ljubmir deals in vague words and personal attacks. This helps no one. I insist that Mr. Hoxha bring facts and not insinuations. Only in this way can the truth be illuminated. In the end I wish to emphasize that I acted with civic responsibility and that I have no personal interest in this polemic. ALEN SINAJ

HOPE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF STABILITY THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY “THE REBEL OF SUHNINAN”, THE SPIRIT OF SOUTHERN COMMUNISM Gentlemen officials must be wholeheartedly committed to the stability of republican life since precisely the ridiculous “Our Road” has become the subject, with which they were antipaa[?] long from the anti-demarc[?] revenge otherwise. He the Albanians Iranian [?] to strike these idiotic fanaticisms. To laugh and cry at the same time, says the people. How good it would be to remember that if 1.9 million leks[?] had been added, dahan[?] sheshol[?] 7 we are not saying [?:] how much 13. yes. ability to [?], if it happens in this [?:] background. It was said that for the ‘stability’ of Paskëto a detash[?] would be responsible, one washbasin, but no more he is not washing[?] to do above this same. Ylli Jani | publication Friday 26 JULY 1991