Communist logic The paradoxes in Albania never end. These are strange times. What does not happen anywhere else in the world happens in Albania. After the Democratic Party’s victory on March 22, we learned that agronomists could very well run light and heavy industry enterprises, doctors would run diplomacy, physicists — the army, electricians — public order, veterinarians — [?] ... the arts and culture was the choice to put the arithmetic teacher, Mr. URAN BUTKA, at the head of this commission. Could there be a greater insult to all Albanian creators, and even more so to the journalists, writers and artists who are members of parliament? How can Butka be chosen to head the Information and Culture Commission ahead of the journalist and writer Rudolf Marku, ahead of Nata[?] ... Teodor Keko should no longer remain because he is a “motionist”; why was another PD-affiliated writer or journalist not chosen? Or have the leaders decided that writers and artists do not become blind tools and, at certain moments, betray even the party’s ideals? At present the Albanian press is without a law and journalists are without status. Who will deal with these things—the arithmetic teacher Uran Butka? Who will oversee the finished radio and television service, the arithmetic man URAN BUTKA? A. FRANGAJ very well the light and heavy industry enterprises, doctors would direct diplomacy, physicists—the army, electricians—public order, veterinarians—medicine, etc., etc. In recent days, our democratic parliament, as part of the democratic restructuring, reorganized the parliamentary committees. And what greatly pleased the employees of the press, information and Butka be elected head of the Information and Culture Committee Natasha Lako, Robert Ndrenika, Ruzhdi Pulaha, Teodor Keko, Dritëro Agolli, Moikom Zeqo, and many other journalists or artists who are members of parliament? What does this mean? Since the former chair of this committee

PAGE 3 [title fragment] ore [text fragment] thull ab- ëse sot në reske nuk se nëpër njerëz të gazetarja idoca nje[?] asgjë se që s’dinë oi të gji- janë qartë ndonjë të ishte zëtat par- me luftë kohë, shënje vo- r këtë lu- h me anë flitet për ore të dy ndit, për- inon pro- idoca thonë as- që shkru- nge i ka tja e don? në kon- e shohësh eta. e si- pozicio- ncinje të astë çdo e mo- vetëm në- sthetif.

* CARTOON BY LIKE REHOVA CARTOON BY LIKE REHOVA

On the occasion of his surprise return, one day before the presidential elections in the USA, PD chairman Eduard Selami said on Albanian TV that “the Bush administration is more acceptable.” Of course, Mr. Selami has not undertaken to speak on behalf of the people, but certainly on behalf of the PD and its government. And perhaps he is right to support the Bush administration, which, with a few minor exceptions, has arrived in full force in Rinas. We recall Baker, Eagleburger, and, in the background, the Republican ambassador Ryerson, Selami’s inseparable companion at the March and July rallies. But if Clinton wins, will Mr. Selami swallow his words?

President Berisha has evidence of many of his misdeeds in my possession; that is why he is fighting for my death, to make this evidence disappear INTERVIEW WITH MR. FRROK ÇUPI READ ON PAGE 3

MEMORIES OF MEHMET ELEZI BY LUAN POBRATI READ ON PAGES 5–6

When our deputy Ilir Meta was accused by ministers Kopliku and Zhulali, the parliamentary session was broadcast in full, and rightly so. The people were informed about a staged-up event. But when the removal of this deputy’s immunity was discussed, the session was not broadcast. The people wanted to hear the truth. That session was suspended several times. I spoke on the phone with President Berisha three times that night and asked him to exercise his authority to normalize the work of parliament and to demand compliance with the rules of procedure that we have adopted.