Albanians today are more passive than ever From within the country, the danger of conflict between parties and clans; from outside, the danger of a Serbian attack. President Berisha has never been silent, but only now, when he should speak, is he silent. — IN THE SWISS PRESS, PRESIDENT BERISHA DECLARES THAT “THE SITUATION IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN MANY PEOPLE THINK” (LA SUISSE), WHILE IN THE FRENCH PRESS HE DECLARES: “BELGRADE IS WAITING FOR THE MOMENT TO CARRY OUT A MASSIVE MASSACRE” (LE MONDE, 29 APRIL 1993). — WHILE BEFORE THE ALBANIAN PUBLIC AT HOME, THE PRESIDENT MAKES NO STATEMENT. WHAT WILL THE ALBANIANS DO AT THIS MOMENT? Let us not wait for tomorrow, when we may be worse off than today IF WE WAIT NOW, TOMORROW WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO TODAY. TODAY WE CAN MAKE PEACE AMONG OURSELVES, TODAY WE CAN CREATE A NEW PARLIAMENT, TODAY WE CAN BUILD THE PILLARS OF THE STATE; WE STILL HAVE OURSELVES IN OUR OWN HANDS.

1. DO WE HAVE A PARLIAMENT? Under the current circumstances, when the Albanian Parliament cannot convene, discuss, or make decisions, this means that it has ceased to function. No matter how much someone may say that we do not need new elections, that carries little weight: Elections have in effect become necessary if a state is to have a parliament. 2. WILL THE MYSTERY OF CORRUPTION BE SOLVED? There are three insurmountable obstacles to solving this mystery: First: the total incompetence of today’s government officials. Second: the game of passing the buck, played by both sides. Today the Democrats accuse the Socialists, and tomorrow the Socialists will accuse the Democrats. Because there are many voices saying that today’s government officials are involved in corruption. Third: the referee has disappeared. The people do not care who has stolen more, when all the government officials have stolen. 3. WILL ALBANIA BE DRAWN INTO AN ARMED WAR? From the President’s statements, we have learned that Kosovo is next, immediately after Bosnia. But Bosnia is coming to an end. Meanwhile, the world press predicts an imminent danger for Albania. What are the Albanians doing? What is our leadership doing? It seems as if this has nothing to do with us, with the Albanians of Albania. Who would benefit from a war? Only ordinary people—no.

(Read on page 2)

The journalists of the newspaper “Koha Jonë” write to the International Federation of Journalists on 3 May, International Press Freedom Day (Read on page 3)