FOG AND HAZE OVER THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY … people throughout its existence, often in difficult economic, political and social circumstances, they call that existence into question. It is precisely at such times that the people create and set in motion their psycho-physical mechanism, which functions and operates almost instinctively and, like a nervous system, reacts and protects the nation from objects and phenomena that seek to organize its own regulator. Today our nation is facing various evils, and sometimes it has happened that, in a small place with a small population, the parties, associations, ideas, opinions, intermediaries, brave men, pas…pulsators, immoral people, intriguers; …, euphoria-seekers, impotent people, the …, daybreakers, vampires, in…tuals, misers, charlatans resonate with all their potential. All these have focused on reacting among all the people, ages and strata of a suffering society. All these are the breed of communist rule, a time from which, regardless of…ssa, we were all affected. Now, de…to, what has happened to us is like that … bitten by the dog of the ter… and we are ready to bite …, under the accusation that it bites. De… we have created a front and are…ing, with whatever comes to hand, for…ocracy. In the opposing trench— The difficult economic, social and political situation has reached the final limit of chaos. So this is exactly the moment when a nation recognizes the need to create and set in motion the regulator mechanism I mentioned above. In this particular case, this mechanism could take the form of calling and holding a national assembly as soon as possible. The first sparks of such an undertaking have been kindled. A group of intellectuals has taken this task upon itself. Among others, this group includes: Teki Tatarani, Sabah Ilmia, Salvator Franja, Jorgo Bulo, Lulëzim Hana, Muntaz Shehu, etc. Normally, the general public, organizations, associations, parties and intellectuals should be optimistic and support and back the organizing group in bringing people together and holding the assembly as soon as possible. But what is happening in the meantime? The main opposition political parties and the association of former prisoners of conscience oppose the organization of this assembly by the group in question. From the opposition we hear that the hand of the communists, Punists and Socialists is behind the organization of this assembly and the organizing group. Indeed, according to sources not officially confirmed, it is said that R. Alia, E. Nano and … are hiding behind the organizers. They are non-party members. The opposition parties interpret this as a dangerous maneuver by the «reformed» Socialists to regain and enjoy once again what they lost several months ago as an inevitable result of the democratic processes guiding our country. In contrast, the organizing group says, «we will disband immediately after the assembly is held». If this is true, it is naturally an unimpeachable indication of honesty and sincerity. But if it is also true that the communists are hiding behind them, then it is unlikely that what is being claimed will happen. The main opposition parties complain that they were not invited to take part in organizing this assembly. The association of former prisoners of conscience says the same, on the grounds that «how can they reconcile everyone without inviting us too?» This is entirely true and logical. No assembly can be considered fair and fruitful, or even feasible, without the participation of parties and associations as representative ideas of the majority. In any case, the assembly must be called. More than anything else, today we need to deliberate over our problems. All of them. The necessity of calling the assembly does not mean that its organization should be placed, directly or indirectly, in the hands of the communists and Socialists. Those who destroyed us cannot reconcile our spirits; those who laid the mines cannot build unity. The participation of the Communist-Socialists in this assembly would be an absurd and unprecedented act of self-destruction; it would be a mistake we could never correct. As a result, a big question mark has been placed over the 28th, the date on which the assembly is scheduled. … we were all affected. Now, de… ?…me, what has happened to us is like that… … ready to bite …, a front and are… …ing, with whatever comes to hand, for …mocracy. In the opposing trench… by now no one is left(!). Have they killed us? No. They, with m… have hidden in our ranks. PD fights for democracy, PSD fights for …democracy, PR fights for demo… They say that PS, PND, PUK, … even the newly formed PK are fighting for democracy. For democracy … also fight all the people who … do not belong to any party. Then… who are we fighting against? To put it more …ly, we are three million democrats… assembly and the organizing group. Indeed, according to sources officially confirmed, it is said that R. Alia, F. Nano and 6–7 former members of the Political Bureau are hiding behind the organizers. If all this is true, we must sound the alarm bells, because a great danger is hovering over our heads. On the other hand, the organizing group claims the opposite. They say that 98% of the group are non-party members, implying that they have nothing to do with the communists. This gives the organizing group the opportunity to swear solemnly that they are not members of their party (the Communist Party). They forget that until yesterday they did not want to give the land to the peasants; they forget that these people did not want wages to be raised, did not want to grant innocence to those convicted and politically persecuted by their former regime, and now they remember to say that the people really are suffering, have no bread, have no security, etc., etc. in Albania. this «happy» day? Well, you who destro yed are no longer able to build, and even a child understands your current si lence.

TO PRIME MINISTER YLLI BUFI AND THE PLURALIST GOVERNMENT Gentlemen! My friends and I have strongly welcomed the processes of democratization in our country. Likewise, we have supported and continue to support without reservation the government of stability that you lead. We said that at last better days would come for us… Wait, wait, wait! And here we are again, as in the famous verses: By the sea, unwashed (even though far from the sea, the rains have drowned us), beside the light, unseen (with a stick and a bag we are searching for kerosene lamps), next to the table, unfed—(what can you eat! Leave the rest, bread, bread!), naked (what can we wear? The shops are in Greece…) and distressed… Even if the great poet were living among us, he could hardly have found more apt verses. Gentlemen! A people watches you in silence and in absolute poverty. The people’s misery «shiraq» LIBERALIZE THE EXTREME PRICE HIKES. 2.76 lek for a brick, as much as a loaf of wheat bread for people. 2,200 lek for a stove—may we never get warm, they say again; 11,000 lek for a bedroom set—may we never get married, say the young men… increase, increase, increase. How are we to make ends meet? How will we build a house? With the wages we have, hope no longer lives in our hearts. My friends and I have sought the real causes of the exoduses. We have felt for our friends who have one soul. All kinds of explanations have been presented to us as the causes of the exoduses, from political forces to the president. But what we are experiencing these days shows that there is another, greater and more real cause: the economic factor. We feel it among us. Never before have people spoken so much about abandoning this country, which until yesterday they called sacred. Therefore, gentlemen in government, our hope depends on your position and contribution. We have supported you and will support you in all your positions. Give us the hope we desire so much. We are waiting for you. … the two-lane road is far away … qi… (…) and worried… Even if the great poet were living among us, it would be hard for him to find more fitting lines. poverty. The people’s misery is unbearable. Come here and you will see farmers sowing the land by hand, because their calluses have thickened from ploughing; you will see that there is NO LONGER A QUEUE in the shops?!, that the long queue in the city has grown longer, and that this queue is not for fish, meat, butter or olive oil, nor honey, nor… nor… but for BREAD. In this wretched state, you, the government officials, bring us a fur…

WHY IS THE PS SILENT THIS TIME? The Albanian party is reaching ever greater heights every day. …ments are becoming stratospheric at the expense of this long-suffering people. For years, under the dictatorship of the people, the dictatorship of communism, of Enverism, it endured class warfare, endured being forced to keep its mouth shut, to be …, to laugh and to …, etc., etc. And today it is managing to endure the unprecedented rise in prices, not only from private … but also from the state. The people’s life is becoming more and more difficult… The consequences of monism, of the PPSH… but what about today? Today the Socialist Party… when it has given up and fa… the opposition is in this situation. … last time the PPSH … mainly the peasants… the people, mainly the peasants… insists on selling them the country… while now the «par…» emerge in favor of the division of land, even… Its… The elections are approaching… the PPSH. The paint has peeled off. What … will PS sell in the … elections? Poverty, population growth… the people… in the countryside, the solution… to win some votes, to… ease this reform and… … the societies of… … through the citizens of… …ven, in a conversation, a friend… “I am outraged by the price increases,” he says. “I’ll be the first, as soon as another ship arrives in Shëngjin, to leave Albania with my wife and children. How can a clay brick go from 9 to 27 lek (old lek)? I could stay here 100 years and still wouldn’t be able to build a house at these prices.” — One of the PS leaders in Lezhë, who was there, intervened and said: “When the PPSH was in power, we bought bricks for 9 lek. Now it’s not our fault. Give your votes to the Socialist Party so it can make bricks cost 9 lek again!” So the Socialists’ foolish logic is: Give your votes to PS so it can lower prices and make you «happy» again, just as you want! And in this extremely difficult economic situation, when a large part of the people are struggling for their daily bread, the Socialists are thinking and making plans. They remain silent and secretly weave plots, while leaving the people to hope. The people know well who insisted on and fought for the resolution of these problems. Until yesterday you demanded that the opposition be blinded for some mistake (in your view), but now you are silent. The spokesmen of Socialism are silent too: Thoma Gëllçi, Përparim Xhixha, Musa Ulqini, who I believe have filled their pockets with «beofauses» fables against the opposition, to demonstrate once again the superiority of «victorious» Socialism in Albania. people to hope. And what should the people hope for from you? Are you not the ones who disappointed them once and for all with all the promises you made for 47 years? Are you not the ones who built this «happy» day? Well, you who destro…

In the next issue: Interview with the well-known poet and publicist RUDOLF MARKU

Lezhë deserves to be Italy’s closest friend. Because of its geographical position. But also, without forgetting its old ties with Venice dating back to the time of Skënderbeu. Yet, despite this, the city of Lezhë has not enjoyed the right to a television booster for Italian channels. Some cities installed one, some with state funding, others through forms of assistance, and some even by collecting money from house to house. What matters is that they watch Italy every night. In summer and winter. Whether there is a storm or snow. But Lezhë apparently has no right to enjoy this privilege! Some time ago we published an article in «KOHA JONË» about the booster. No one took notice. Therefore, as the citizens of Lezhë are persistent, the editorial office of the newspaper «KOHA JONË» is making a considerable sum of money available to a group of technicians or electronics engineers to build and install the television booster for Italian channels. We therefore call on specialists from the district of Lezhë or from other districts to come to the editorial office of the newspaper «KOHA JONË» with a ready-made project, collect the funds and begin building the booster. We look forward to seeing you! NIKOLLË LESI Editor-in-chief of «Koha jonë»