— Why did Fan Noli apparently not want to become au souver? — Albania? The name of the people is in the name of the Republic. The Republic has the people as its adjective. Thus the People’s Republic comes into being, recognized as a state of the people and a democratic state. But especially here, in the Republic’s naming mechanism, it seems that many things were shaken up inside, things for which our people today rightly rise up in demonstrations, organize strikes, and demand democracy. Here is how it works in the naming mechanism: In the name of the people, in a strange race, agriculture was collectivized. Then, «at the people’s own initiative», private plots were reduced, then livestock was taken away, then the household yard was reduced to where the roof tiles drip, and then even the ground where the Albanian peasant lit his fire became state land. «By the will of the people» we huddled together, surrounded by imperialism and revisionism, and built many bunkers. In the name of the people, the deputies in the People’s Assembly learned always to begin their discussions by saying, «I fully agree with what was said in the report». The Government and the Party’s Political Bureau always occupied the rostrum in the Assembly. In the name of the people, religion, belief, and conscience were demolished. All those objects and assets of national and popular culture were destroyed. In the name of the people, the people today are asking for the church and the mosque. In the name of the people, people went to their borders, the only place to run, to catch the morning light, with no alternative before them. In the name of the people, boundless privileges were created and preserved for some, while the others who make up the people were kept at a great distance. In the name of the people, people were beaten and politically imprisoned for speaking out in dissatisfaction with the Party. Indeed, even those who spoke ill of Tito, Mao Zedong, and Stalin. In the name of the people! Such a beautiful name is a frightening word. How much of the people themselves were there in the name «People’s Republic»? The people had to learn from the rostrum, from screens, and from newspapers what they themselves thought, to hear what they themselves said and what they themselves (!) were supposed to do. But what are these people, who today are abandoning the Socialist People’s Republic by the thousands and in great numbers? — These people are not the people, someone says? But yesterday, didn’t they rise to their feet in the towns, demanding democracy? — Perhaps they are «mnozironë» toward the people. What has your name done to you, O people! FRROK ÇUPI

The Democratic Party organized a rally on 9 January, the newspaper published in the town of B. C. urrit reports on Saturday. In fact, the serious support and backing of the authorities ... guaranteed the development of the unexpected rally, as soon as ... in a sentence, the police that ... organized to organize ... (Both of them ...). They ... and the PPSH and ... After this they ... held their own meeting, but ... by PPSH officials. With this act of ... the «spontaneous» rally ... The PPSH (surely without police permission?), which was planned in the offices ... and held at the same time and in the same place as the PD rally. Afterwards, a mass of people set off from the District Party Committee toward the square where the PD rally was continuing. This time, new heroes took the stage, specifically two secretaries of the District Party Committee. One of them shouted from an open car equipped with a loudspeaker, while the other sat on people’s shoulders and accused the first. In fairness, it must be said that sometimes they switch roles. The district’s first secretary, meanwhile, did not mingle with the crowd but appeared on the balcony and greeted the people while insulting members of the Democratic Party. We emphasize that at the rally, PD speakers criticized (but did not insult) the social and economic policies pursued by the PPSH Party. They also criticized the PPSH and Enver Hoxha for the harsh class-war policy they had pursued for around 45 years and its destructive consequences for national unity under tension. In fact, the PD has made, and will continue to make, the same criticism on this issue at all the rallies and meetings it has organized and will organize. Faced with these provocations, whose character readers may judge for themselves, the PD activists kept the cool-headedness that should characterize true democrats in every situation. Correspondent of «Rilindja Demokratike» ... climbing onto the speaker’s platform and shouting «Long live the Democratic Party»—how loudly would it have been heard? Why do fellow journalists report this kind of shouting, which provokes incidents, in a positive light? Why did the colleague from «Zëri» enthusiastically approve of such a provocative act? How can he agree with someone who disrupts other people’s events, when later in his own correspondence he speaks of dialogue and unity among the various political forces? By neglecting the facts and giving in to passion, Bushapa lets another word slip. After attempting to disrupt the Democratic Party rally, people (we do not believe it was the people, since the hall would not have been big enough) went into the Party Committee hall! Such reports, full of subjectivity and slips, chiefly help manipulate public opinion during this election season, which could have consequences for the future of the pluralist state. But apparently the elections ... in Bajram Curri, because Bushapa has delivered his verdict: «The people of Bajram Curri vote yesterday».

Let us consider the rally in ... Bajram Curri ... an emergency ... the television magazine ... on 12 January 1991, as if ... an event ... that ... from second to ... The document ... and ... checked ... by professional institutions ... the Democratic Party ... as in the case of ... Bajram Curri, to confirm the ... event? How ... the editorial office in ... that does not ... in ... report? The telegram ... of the Democratic Party ... as if ... «according to the manner ...» We will ... equivalent ... explains ... All the rallies organized by the PD so far have followed only one procedure, the one legally recognized in decree number 7235, and television knows this well because it has broadcast those rallies. The complete opposite, or «in its own way», was the spontaneous rally in Bajram Curri. What does «spontaneous» mean? Doesn’t the Bajram Curri police know that it must disperse every unauthorized spontaneous rally? Doesn’t television know this too? Apparently, even a professional journalist such as Halil Bushapaj does not know the rules. As his correspondence in the newspaper «Zëri i popullit» reveals, he himself discloses what happened in Bajram Curri when he says that, while the organizers of the other rally were speaking into the microphone, someone came in and disrupted their rally without authorization. The question arises: what if someone had ... at the PPSH rally ... (article text blurred)

After meeting with several students from the Higher School of the Union of Officers, we learned that on 8.1.1991 an order was issued... After meeting with several students from the Higher School of the Union of Officers, we learned that on 8.1.1991, by order of the Minister of Defense, 40 students were expelled from the school for ... and for ... refusing to ... the regulations ... What lies behind this? Why does the order come from the ministry? Is the expulsion of students not within the competence of the School Command? On 12.1.1990, a group of third-year students in the reconnaissance branch did not obey the order instructing them to act against the demonstrating students at the University. On 12.12.1990, fourth-year students in the logistics branch left the school without permission while a rally was taking place in Student City. There, then, are the reasons (Continued on page 6)

«Postpone the elections...» «Postpone the elections...» — This is a just demand voiced by thousands upon thousands of people, not only at the rally in Lushnjë shown in this photograph, but also at the other PD rallies held in towns across the country. Will the state authorities take it into consideration? Only time will tell. (Photo: Arben Ristani) «Postpone the elections...» «Postpone the elections...» — This is a just demand voiced by thousands upon thousands of people, not only at the rally in Lushnjë shown in this photograph, but also at the other PD rallies held in towns across the country. Will the state authorities take it into consideration? Only time will tell. (Photo: Arben Ristani)

The processes of democratization in Albania have finally begun and are unfolding at what one might call a dizzying speed. What people had expected would happen one day, awaited first and foremost by all Albanians, but also by political and diplomatic circles around the world, happened, so to speak, in an instant—as if the long and arduous ... had truly been necessary for this sudden turning point. Perhaps for this reason, or perhaps because of the importance the beginning of these processes holds for the Albanian people, for the regime and beyond, and for the processes unfolding throughout Europe, recent events in Albania found themselves at the center of attention of international public opinion and news agencies. Interest in the course of these processes, in everything that happened and is happening, may also be due to another fundamental fact: the unresolved question ... which, like ... looms over the troubled Balkans, as it has for more than a century. First and foremost, the democratization of Albania is a decisive moment for all Albanians, wherever they may be, because it definitively confirms that, regardless of the current course of events, they cannot be excluded from the common European community of states, and that Europe has ... them even when Europe has treated them as ... What is happening now in Albania has, as if by magic, made Albanians suddenly feel prouder, more dignified, more aware, clearly representing those who are in Albania, Kosovo, Europe, America, or faraway Australia. This is understandable, because from this moment Albanians, with their trunk and branches, as an ancient people, as an antique people, finally return to themselves, return to their enduring democratic tradition, return to their own way of thinking. For it was hardly something to be proud of to remain a «nation of ideology» for a long time. After all, Albanians never themselves decided their question; others were to decide it according to the needs of the time... (Continued on page 6)

Or the other organizations created and directed by it, to which it recently granted the status of «electoral subject». It is clear to everyone that, until now, only the Democratic Party could present such a movement. Once the PPSH allowed political pluralism, it was to be expected that only the PPSH would enter the election race and that the electoral law would be applied, although the elections had been set under entirely different political conditions. With this concrete act, the PPSH would show that it truly supports pluralist political ethics and sincere dialogue, as it has declared in its political messages. However, in a system of political pluralism, the Presidium of the People’s Assembly should place itself above the parties. There is still time for this highest state body to abandon such a position, which obstructs the establishment of true pluralism in Albania, its entry onto the path of democratization, and the improvement of the economic situation, and to understand that the announced elections would be nothing but an electoral farce dressed in the garb of political pluralism. PUBLISHING COUNCIL: Chairman: Preç Zogaj members: Petraq Kolevica Ajet Haxhiu Natasha Lako Mitro Çela Kujtim Çashku Edi Hila Ilirian Zhupa Teodor Keko Genc Pollo Page layout by Mentor Shehu Editor-in-chief: Frrok Çupi

The Democratic Party, since its establishment ... publicly ... responsibility ... dated 30.6 ... request for 10 February and ... Thus, as was addressed ... the other ... In fact ... and the lack of the most essential means. This inability becomes even more evident under the conditions of competition with political parties that have existed for ... and ... political campaigning and influence ... On the other hand, the Albanian people, deprived for a long time of democratic practices of political debate and free elections, also need the necessary time to become accustomed to some degree to the norms of pluralist morality, and to judge more wisely the political programme to be chosen for ... In the reply of the President of the People’s Assembly, the argument was put forward that postponing the elections ... the argument that ... «seven ... cannot ...» The Democratic Party stated its full conviction that ... failure to postpone these ... elections would certainly ... the elections ... in ... Pluralism ... undermined by the rush to hold unequal and undemocratic elections. Under these circumstances, no one would create the political confidence needed to carry out the country’s economic and social reform properly, or to secure aid and investment from abroad. The Democratic Party’s request to postpone election day is also justified from a legal point of view. The requested date is within the normal three-month period provided for in Article 68 of the Constitution for holding elections to the People’s Assembly. The Democratic Party is not seeking an indefinite postponement of the elections. It asks the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, in consultation with the existing political parties, to set a more suitable date for holding the elections, as well as a period within which all newly formed political parties, and others that may be established and wish to participate in these elections, can be announced. New social and political realities necessarily require new legal arrangements. The «Law on Elections to the People’s Assembly», which regulates the entire process of the forthcoming elections, was issued at a time when political parties other than the PPSH not only did not exist, but were not even allowed to be formed. Consequently, the provisions of this law wholly reflect the interests of the party in power. Therefore, the Democratic Party calls for a prompt review of the electoral law through broader consultation that also ensures direct participation. The argument is unconvincing that ... by postponing the elections ... according to which, to date, no other electoral subject besides the Democratic Party has filed any complaint ... about interference or ... The question is very simple. Who, after all, would have a number of parties ... and that ... (the final text is illegible)