JOURNALISTS ARBEN RUKA, ÇENG TIRANA, VERA ISAKU, BEN BLUSHI, MADH SHYTAKU, MEHILL TANAUSHI AND DRITAN KABA GIVE THIS STATEMENT TO THE PRESS THE SELLING OF THE NEWSPAPER "Rilindja Demokratike" THEY ARE RESIGNING JOURNALISTS ARBEN RUKA, ÇENG TIRANA, VERA ISAKU, BEN BLUSHI, MADH SHYTAKU, MEHILL TANAUSHI AND DRITAN KABA GIVE THIS STATEMENT TO THE PRESS In an independent newspaper, its allegiance to a given idea is inexcusable. What matters most is respect for the general interest. It is precisely on these two points that I feel violated by the way this has been done and by the recent documents that accompanied the transfer of R.D. into a party newspaper. It was this unacceptable deviation from pluralism that led me to decide to leave a newspaper that I have seen as the result of an effort to which I have given much of myself. My work at the newspaper “R.D.” was from the outset regarded as closely linked to our fragile democracy, to the free desire to serve it as well as possible, and to my unchanging wish to make room in the press only for the “fact-opinion” relationship, as a service to the public. Regretting that these principles, as well as the independence of our newspaper, are being turned into ever more abstract notions by propagandistic rhetoric, I submit my resignation to the editorial board. Arben Ruka For me, “R.D.” is not simply a newspaper, but something more. It will be extremely difficult to part with it, since this newspaper, being the first independent opposition paper in pluralism, also has a sentimental dimension for my independent and professional life. To part with it, more than recent dissatisfaction with its direction was needed. But this change is not linked to the difficulties of the transition our country is going through, nor to the situation recently created within the Democratic Party. I believe that the life of a newspaper is much broader than the political fate of particular people and of a single party. What is being done to RD is absolutely unacceptable. With deep regret I believe that we are now in conditions of its return to a situation resembling the birth of “Zëri i Popullit” 45 years ago. For this reason I decided to submit my resignation. Çeng Tirana It seems to me that the temporary must now give way to the permanent. It is time to reconsider certain values according to which we wrote, came together, created the newspaper and, most importantly, were connected with the public. I regard it as a violation of the very starting point of what is happening in the newspaper, the fact that it is being turned into a PD organ, while the act of this transformation itself is in flagrant contradiction with freedom of thought and with the depersonalization of the newspaper. In the name of the creative spirit that is supposedly being reformed, the free space of all the individuals who contributed to this newspaper is being sacrificed. I also believe that the ethical and professional integrity of the journalist is being violated. R.D. has been seen and will continue to be seen as an independent newspaper as long as there is pluralism; otherwise it would not have achieved either the circulation or the influence it has. As long as it served as a free tribune, it was supported by readers; the moment it loses that quality, it loses the reason for its existence. On this basis, I am resigning from the editorial board. Vera Isaku Convinced that I did not come to this newspaper to serve the narrow interests of anyone, but free thought, honesty and the profession, I cannot accept the process through which “R.D.” is going. I do not accept that important decisions about its future be taken without any consultation with those who created this newspaper. Reducing it to a loyal political mouthpiece would be the end of an important experiment in the Albanian press. I have been and remain of the opinion that a newspaper should not have a political owner. Since things are moving in the opposite direction, I am leaving the editorial board. Ben Blushi I joined this newspaper convinced that I would help create a new journalistic standard. Today I see that this effort is being undone. Political expediency is being given priority over professional and public interest. A newspaper cannot survive for long if it relies only on party orders and imposed loyalty. It lives only if it preserves the right to doubt, to ask, and to challenge. Regrettably, but without hesitation, I resign. Madh Shytaku I had thought that an editorial office could be the place where different opinions coexist, as long as profession and respect for the reader unite them. The recent changes show the opposite. They are turning the newspaper into a politically controlled structure, something I cannot accept. Any journalist who respects himself must react when the right to think and write freely is taken away. That is why I am resigning. Mehill Tanaushi I cannot remain in a newspaper where the main decisions are taken away from the editorial office and often against it. R.D. was not created to be an instrument of a party, but as a new space of freedom in the Albanian press. If it loses this character, it loses its meaning. For this reason, I am resigning. Dritan Kaba

Yesterday in Tirana, at the presidium meeting of Balli Kombëtar, it was announced that the former SHIK member Abdi Baleta had gone to the USA without authorization, in order to hold talks with representatives of the American Congress. It is said that A. Baleta has several different views from the chairman and the secretary of Balli regarding the party’s direction. Today he came to the newspaper’s offices and stated that he had resigned from his position as legal adviser, and that he had been responsible for acting in relations with the Albanian world in the USA. Baleta declared that he had been instructed to do so by B. Shehu [?], and that dr. H. Hysi had been aware of it as the deciding factor. Is this not how things are done in periods of political solutions and pressures? Is this pure democracy? After all, anyone can leave their party, go away, and fall into traps or foreign favors. Baleta has made this gesture public as such. The Albanian right-wing people now have to choose between those who stand by their word and those who only use it. E. T.

We inform all readers of our newspaper to take part in our CONTEST: whoever invented the pseudonym “MENDTOR” is the father of one of our ministers. The microphone has been one of the most active in suggesting pseudonyms to the editorial group. The prize in the contest is 5000 lek. EDITORIAL OFFICE

— NO HUMOR — A few days ago the director of TV, Mr. Qemal Sakajeva, suggested to one of our office staff at the daily presenters’ meeting: since our lost voices have started to be falsified, exactly himself, he said: - You can be summoned with TV and postal bids! — In this way he was trying to present a clear change with the (passive) voiced mindset. Meanwhile, the dialectal efforts are the fourth, “gë” in the fourth dialectal me-ne. For even the laike: the fourth interfere in the words of others, they cannot take it all the way. That whole file is perhaps a finished perspective. For even the things: the fourth and so on. It has put you in trouble for the discouragement of four people. We wished him success in a rational change, saftaja, the editor of TV Tirana. KOL SAURSHI

Today, officially around 11 o’clock, unexpectedly, the Ministry of Education ordered the closure of the Archaeological Center, removing its director, dr. Bep Jubani [?], who had been leading its work and programs, for an indefinite period. This measure was justified by the need to inspect the institution’s activity. The center’s employees declared that the order had been given without any full explanation and that the institution’s research activity was being interrupted arbitrarily. Some of them said they were not aware of any concrete violation and that the decision appears to be linked to recent administrative changes. The inspection is expected to last several days. KOL ARKEOLOGU

Today the chief prosecutor again resigned over these matters, Mr. Pjeter Mani. In recent days the arrangement of the floors and rooms of Burrel Prison was urgently completed for a swift operation. An order was issued to bring in the prison urgently. The shore has been made ready. What is missing are the prisoners for “corruption”. FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF LEZHE, ULIK LINOHANI, FOR THE MURDER OF DRIN The former chairman of the Executive Committee of Lezhë, Mr. Gjovalin [?], got out of his torture vehicle, just like the driver of (6) was burned. A skewer on the office table and the silenced revolver hidden under the office sofa cushion. He opened fire on Dihan [?] with a weapon, and the revolver was hidden in the office sofa. Later, Mr. Pjeter Doda and Mr. Preng Gjini were also wounded. According to the doctors, one died on the spot, and Gjovalini died later. Dihan [?] was taken to Lezhë together with the seven-month-old child. KOL ARKEOLOGU