… today I am struck, but … … today I am struck, but … the thorn falls upon you AZEM HAJDARI (Excerpt from the speech) … I want to hide it: I am … concerned by the … development of events in … our political life … which led to the requ- … est to remove the immuni- … ty of Deputy Azem … but the removal of the immuni- … ty of any other depu- … ty in our Parliament, … on this basis, would be … fiercely opposed … by me. Why would I take … this position? First, because the ci- … vilized world would mock … us. A deputy commits … a misdemeanor … and his immunity is re- … moved for this misde- … meanor, then we are not … deputies of the age … of democracy, but depu- ties of Enver’s time! This means that we are puppets whose hands are raised and lowered by a director, who does with us as he pleases, without asking either the electorate or the Constitution. Second, it concerns the Turk’s stake, which in this case is me. You honorable deputies, who know as surely as daylight that Azem Hajdari will not be convicted for this misdemeanor, are wasting your precious time on an empty matter, such as the Hajdari affair? Because that is what the director tells you. So that my conscience may be clear, I will tell you that Azem Hajdari’s immunity is being removed today, and this means that no one in this chamber has immunity. Because tomorrow, when one of you… (continued on page 2)

WHO GATHERS THE WIND IN HIS FIST The Old Testament, Proverbs of Solomon, 30:6. BIG BROTHER IS THE GARMENT THE PARTY WEARS BEFORE THE WORLD. WHO GATHERS THE WIND IN HIS FIST The Old Testament, Proverbs of Solomon, 30:6. BIG BROTHER IS THE GARMENT THE PARTY WEARS BEFORE THE WORLD. — George Orwell, “1984.” Democracy is the rule of the people, an aspiration, a messianic dream, a universal code of humanism, the triumph of the human being fulfilled as a human being. But let us rise above the rhetoric and stylistic formulas of democracy and speak concretely about Albanian democracy. The verbal battles over it now have a tragic tone. Between truth and lies, between dignity and masks, democracy is experiencing a serious, almost incredible threat. Fragile Albanian democracy must be defended with courage and honesty. It is like a child in a cradle to whom a black funeral garment is being offered. The proper civic stance toward democracy is the painful and supreme test of each person’s conscience and of the national conscience itself. Let the blind see! Let the deaf hear! The people and the world are judging us. Albania does not truly exist for anyone; every alibi is a sham alibi, an illusionist’s prestidigitator’s toy. In this sense, indifference is more than criminal. 1. To get to the heart of the matter: democracy today lies on the Procrustean bed of parliamentocracy. What is parliamentocracy? A new, violent and shameful variant of totalitarianism. The resounding victory of 22 March was democracy’s triumph over communist dictatorship. In essence, this referendum was not a one-party one, but was conduc- MOIKOM ZEQO (continued on page 2)

On Monday, 28.9.1992, the immunity of PD deputy Azem Hajdari was revoked by a majority vote. At two o’clock after midnight, the Albanian pluralist parliament concluded an act it had undertaken to carry out for the first time. Thus it was demonstrated that a deputy’s immunity can be revoked whenever you want, provided a request is made by the court or the prosecutor’s office. What is the truth about the Hajdari-Qirjazi case? No one can say for certain. No evidence, testimony or fact was presented to parliament; nevertheless, what mattered was that Azem Hajdari’s parliamentary immunity be revoked. With 54 votes in favor, 43 against, 3 abstentions and 3 invalid votes, this was accomplished. Many PD deputies insisted that the matter in question not be treated as a political process. Unfortunately, it was one. Azem Hajdari, perhaps the last founder of PD, was denigrated by those who came long after him. Almost every week there are expulsions, revelations, convictions, criminal prosecutions and dismissals. What will people be told about Azem Hajdari? After a year and a half of democracy, he is abandoned by his own friends. So soon! Are there others waiting their turn?

A group of Albanian undocumented migrants were caught aboard the Roana ferry and repatriated a week ago on the same vessel, on the orders of the Prefecture of Lecce. All 38 Albanians, including a woman and two children, had swum to the Roana as soon as it departed from the port of Vlora. There were 23 crew members, 6 Italian passengers and 4 cars aboard. The migrants were caught by surprise by the Italian police with false passports and residence permits. Meanwhile, one of them, 18-year-old Gentian Shakaj, fell onto the quay during the tense moments and was injured. According to the Italian doctors, he will recover in 10 days.

cars. with false passports and identity cards. the Italian doctors, he will recover in 10 days. This time the group of Albanian refugees reached Italian territory in the middle of the day, shortly after 1 p.m. last Thursday. An unauthorized landing, but one that took place in broad daylight, with the sea glittering and in full view of everyone. According to initial reports, an Albanian fishing boat approached the Brindisi coast, stopped about 150 m from shore, and the migrants swam to land. By the time they arrived, the police managed to catch 24 refugees (including three women). They were immediately taken to the Questura, where they are awaiting repatriation. There is little information about the fishing boat. It was seen leaving after the landing, but the Italian authorities were unable to identify it with certainty. It is suspected that it may have been the ship «Shkodra», which had been coming into port since early morning. One thing is certain: this landing took everyone by surprise early on. and challenged the Italian surveillance and intervention apparatus. And all of this happened without incident, although the Italian Harbour Master's Office had raised the alarm that morning to alert the territorial police forces to the delay of the ship «Shkodra».

In recent days, news has spread in Lezhë and Tirana that the Director of the newspaper «Koha jonë», Mr. Nikollë Lesi, and the Editor-in-Chief, Aleksandër Frangaj, have been arrested in Greece. The comments have varied widely: no, they are not coming back; no, they have sought political asylum, and so on and so forth. This rumor even found its way into a newspaper. We clarify that on September 19, Director Nikollë Lesi and Editor-in-Chief Aleksandër Frangaj, together with the driver and the newspaper’s car, set off for Greece with valid passports and visas to discuss finding a supply of newsprint for the newspaper. They were also to meet with several representatives of independent Greek newspapers. A week later, on September 26, Editor-in-Chief Frangaj and the driver, Pjetër Lini, returned to Albania, while Director Nikollë Lesi continued from Greece to NEW YORK, invited on an official visit by an Albanian-American association.