In 1990, the oil in the state's lamp ran so low that the state was unable to heat 200 student rooms, and the cogs of the state machinery jammed against one another. Today's Albanian state, launched and established with much justified enthusiasm, is unable to build even a single house or apartment block, and instead argues over who should divide up the homes built over so many years; it is unable to clear the cities' rubbish, and unable to stamp a document without making people run around for dozens of days. 1990 has come again... Back then, people had only just begun to speak of the concept of «pluralism of thought», while taking the greatest care to ensure that the Party-state would not share power with any other political force. Do we not see this situation on the political stage today? Many politicians from the ruling party curse the opposition, curse opposition in general, act as if they will hold on to power for a long time (regardless of the people's will), and denounce the idea of new democratic elections as heresy. (continued on page 6)

READ ON PAGE 6

April 2, 1993 is yesterday, and April 2, 1991 was only two years ago. It was April 2 that gave Albania four martyrs of democracy. We remember that day and those young people who gave their lives while demanding... (continued on page 6)

PRESS CONFERENCE: «POLITICAL POWER IS VIOLATING PRESS FREEDOM» For Whom Do These Bells Toll? They toll for all of us AZEM HAJDARI states: «I, the first chairman of the PD, approached the first chairman of the RD to build, together, a free newspaper in Albania». SPARTAK NGJELA: «Today you must either be a conformist journalist or you are at risk. If Mr. Frangaj is convicted, and if you do not want to go to prison, leave journalism». BEKTASH ZENELI, Albulena newspaper: «Now, I’ve seen them passing through on their way to the North. The police officers guarding Mr. Frangaj can come and arrest me too!» On Thursday, 1 April, at 5:30 p.m., in the hall of the Academy of Arts, the editorial staff of the newspaper «Koha Jonë» held a press conference for local and foreign journalists on the subject: «Political power is violating press freedom. What should we do». The conference was opened by the newspaper’s owner, N. Lesi. It was then chaired by the newspaper’s current leaders: director Spartak Ngjela, editor-in-chief Frrok Çupi, and chairman of the publishing council Azem Hajdari. At the start of the conference, Mr. Spartak Ngjela read a press release prepared by the editorial staff of the newspaper «Koha Jonë» and then invited the journalists to ask questions. (continued on page 2)

The commander of the Lezhë city police, First Captain FRAN DASHI, forcibly enters the home of the detainee. The day before yesterday, shortly after the press conference held by the editorial staff of the newspaper «Koha Jonë» in the hall of the Academy of Arts in Tirana, three squads of police officers were moving around Aleksandër Frangaj’s house in the city of Lezhë, with automatic weapons in their hands. His house door was repeatedly struck by the police officers, who, acting under orders—who knows from whom—entered and left the house, disregarding the basic rights of the detainee and his family. The most flagrant incident involved the newly appointed commander of the Lezhë city police, First Captain FRAN DASHI, who forcibly entered the home of the detainee Frangaj and demanded to know who the people inside were. His sister, brother, mother and uncle were there, as well as a journalist. In a demonstrative manner, they were ordered to leave the house! He also began communicating by radio while seated in a chair belonging to this family. After this, the first captain of police ordered that the police patrol around the home of Aleksandër Frangaj, former editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Koha Jonë», be reinforced. Entry to visit the detainee at home is allowed with an entry permit issued by the Public Order Branch in Lezhë, and the issuer, Arben Qeleshi. MARIAN SHKODRA