“I would not have come to Albania if pluralism had not been established here” - … openly and touched on a number of issues of interest to both sides. Furthermore, if you are to believe Reiz Malile, who announced that Sazan Bejo, the well-known spokesperson of Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had not been authorized to present to Albanian and foreign journalists the progress of the talks between the two prime ministers, the Albanian sources gave no details whatsoever about the content of the “issues of bilateral interest” discussed during the meetings. Nevertheless, as the joint Albanian-Greek communiqué stated, Mr. Mitsotakis’s visit constitutes a contribution to the further development of relations of friendship and cooperation between our two countries and peoples. This visit was made possible only by the new domestic political climate that Albania has entered over the past few weeks. Mr. Mitsotakis himself declared: not been established here.” And, when asked further whether he thought that all the political barriers impeding communication between the two countries had been overcome—the barriers he called “dividing lines” in his speech, which in other times had to be … Samaras, Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, replied: “There are fewer difficulties now.” These two answers by senior Greek officials expressed not so much distrust about the beginning of the establishment of democracy in Albania as the particular attention with which European political circles are following democracy’s difficult progress in our country. Did this visit achieve the expected results? To arrive at a full judgment, one must begin by considering several points of view. In the eyes of foreign political analysts, Tirana’s reception, after so many decades, of a Western European prime minister is at last a serious sign of the Albanian government’s desire to emerge from the absurd isolation into which it had plunged the country, and a first expression of its desire to stop continuing its quixotic Stalinist ideological war against the whole world. As for the high-level Greek delegation, it can be said that it had genuine reason to leave completely satisfied with the results. It generally achieved several of the principal aims it had set itself. As Mr. Samaras stated, there are around 6,500 refugees in Greece, the vast majority of whom…

- The miners demand a just solution, not a charitable pension. - Tense conversation between the Minister and the workers. - False report of “understanding” The three-day deadline passed quickly. On Monday morning, the miners announced the decision they would make… The three-day deadline passed quickly. On Monday morning, the miners announced the decision they would make on Friday, 11 January 1991, after three …, waiting and smoking endless cigarettes. At this time, the Government’s representatives arrived at the mine: Ndoc Uçel (department director in the mining industry) and Thanas Dede (director of the Mëzezi mine). These representatives asked to hold talks with the strike committee. The committee members agreed to talks on the condition that the director be dismissed as incompetent. This condition was accepted, and the director’s dismissal was announced to the crowd, which greeted it with cheers. The question of wages was the key issue in these talks. After a lengthy debate, the two representatives withdrew to contact the Government, since they themselves had no authority over this matter. At 12:15, the government representatives arrived: the Minister of Energy, Besnik Bekteshi; the chairman of the State Planning Commission, Bujar Kolaneci; the Minister of Finance, and others. The dialogue began at 1 p.m. There were many disagreements. The parties put forward a variety of proposals. The committee insisted that no decision could be made without the approval of the workers as a group. The Minister replied to the miners’ demands that time was needed to examine them. And as you watched those miners, who had been waiting anxiously for days to make a decision, you thought that their voice really was an echo that ought to shake the chairs of those who had long ceased to think about their troubles. After 3–4 hours of talks, nothing was achieved. The Minister left amid the dissatisfied crowd, which reluctantly made way for him, shouting: “We are not hooligans! We are democrats!” At around 4 p.m. the miners dispersed, to return the next morning, when … SATURDAY, 12 JANUARY 1991 At 7 o’clock, the square was already full of miners. The slogans—“No answer, no work!” and “Enough lies!”—cut through the cold morning air. The miners announced the decision they had reached following the previous day’s talks. This decision would be called “the word”; those who had felt exhausted for two days would unanimously approve it. The next round of talks began at 6 p.m. Thanas Dede, sent as the Government’s spokesperson, informed the strike committee: “The Government has decided on an increase of 300 new lek for all mine employees without exception. There is no other alternative. Otherwise the mine will be closed. An increase of 200 percent of the wage is difficult and utopian.” The committee members did not agree. At 8:45 p.m., the committee, convened to consider this decision, sent its representative to inform the government members that they did not approve it. The government representatives said that there was no other alternative. By a majority vote, the strike committee accepted, while emphasizing that without the workers’ approval, this decision would be invalid. SUNDAY, 13 JANUARY 1991 AT THE BUS STATION IN TIRANA: Many might have thought that on this sole day of rest the miners would stay at home. The opposite proved to be true. The buses, packed full, set off for Valias. IN THE MINE SQUARE: The miners gathered there welcomed their comrades arriving from Tirana with cheers. The square was packed and buzzing with their discussions. No one agreed with the decision that television and “Zëri i popullit” had described as welcome. What was wrong with this decision? This decision was not made by the Go- (Continued on page 2)

In the dormitories of the civil engineering faculty, on the evening of January 11, at around 11 p.m., students—

“With the establishment of democracy and respect for human rights, a new period opens in our relations, bringing us even closer (Mitsotakis).” “Given that Greece is the only Balkan country in the European Common Market, it is up to it to provide greater assistance for the Europeanization of the Balkans (Sali Berisha).” Mitsotakis, prime minister and also chairman of “New Democracy,” … the visit program at the meeting with a delegation of the Democratic Party took place on Sunday in … in one of the hotel halls … At the very beginning of the conversation … the prime minister, which was held … With … Greece … democracy … At the meeting … Mitsotakis, prime minister of … and chairman of “New Democracy,” … the visit program … the meeting with a delegation of the Democratic Party. … took place on Sunday … in one of the hotel halls … At the very beginning of the conversation … Mitsotakis … representatives … On behalf of the DP delegation, Dr. Sali Berisha thanked the Greek prime minister for his visit to Albania and conveyed to him the DP’s view that, under political pluralism, free elections are a necessary condition for the institutionalization of democracy. Dr. Berisha emphasized that Balkan cooperation had not delivered what the peoples of this peninsula expected, and that the lack of full democracy remained an obstacle to this process. He called on Greece, as the only Balkan country in the European Common Market, to provide greater assistance for the Europeanization of the Balkans. The Greek prime minister said he agreed that pluralism creates conditions for closer relations, both between Greece and Albania and among the Balkan countries. He went on to express his wish to learn about the main points of the Democratic Party’s program and its assessments of the situation in the country. The DP representatives explained to the distinguished guest from Greece that their party’s program primarily reflects … (Continued on page 6) Photo ATSH

In the civil engineering dormitories the resident students, male and female, held a rally in support of the Democratic Party’s legitimate and proper demand to postpone the elections. They also protested against manipulations and unlawful demonstrations, the so-called spontaneous ones, as well as incidents provoked by the law-enforcement forces. GENC KATRAGJONI Student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering

On 10 January 1991, the Democratic Party branch for the Gjirokastër district was formed in a house in Gjirokastër. At their first meeting, the initiative committee, in the presence of the special envoy of the Central Initiative Committee in Tirana, elected three temporary leaders. According to information from members of the initiative committee, the relevant sections have been established in the town and in the villages. There are around 2,000 Democratic Party members in the town alone. The residents of Gjirokastër and the surrounding villages are waiting for the Democratic Party rally to be organized soon. Correspondent of “Rilindjen Demokratike”

Some time ago, the workers sent the management a list of demands, including a call to improve working conditions and hygiene and sanitation conditions. These demands were not met. Today, January 14, the workers in the press shop called on all the factory’s workers to begin a strike in order to secure their demands. The main demands are: higher wages; immediate improvement of working conditions; reduction of the bureaucratic administrative apparatus; and a solution to the housing problem. ... continu... in the newspapers of ... Democratic at the factory, did not want to ... the administration, which ... workers ... The strike ... will ... an official ... The strike ... If, within 3 days, ... not ... January 14, 1991 EMI

Yesterday, on 15 January 1991 at 3:30 p.m., in the square in front of the «Qemal Stafa» National Stadium, the Tirana branch of the Democratic Party (PD) organized a rally to mark the formation of the Party section for Cultural and Artistic Institutions. Many citizens of Tirana joined the rally. The opening speech was delivered by director Mark Topallaj, a member of the Tirana branch of the PD, who called on all intellectuals to declare their support for the democratic movement as soon as possible. After him, Rexhep Aliaj, a painter at TV, gave a positive overview of the positions in the fields of literature and art. Director Mevlan Shanaj, greeting the rally, said that the artist’s work is preserved by the whole people and that future generations cannot succeed in denigrating it. Edi Rama, a lecturer at the Higher Institute of Arts, stated that he is not a member of the PD, but that he is united with it in the struggle against the dogmatic line of the PPSH. Sculptor Valter Fl- ... and researcher Ardon ... At the close, a member of the Committee ... Mitra? Azem Hajdari ... in ... Albania should become like ... But ... China ... The rally was conducted according to ... rules and laws. BEN ... EDI FA...

Bearing in mind that our article about the Valias case prompted various interpretations and comments among Albanian public opinion, we consider it appropriate to provide this clarification: The purpose of the article was in no way to present the matter maliciously, although the text may leave room for differing comments. Our intention was to interpret the Valias case in the context of the continuation of the vigorous and successful democratic processes in Albania, and not to suggest any direct parallel between Valias and Stari Tërgu. Nevertheless, if our article has had a negative effect on Albanian public opinion, we apologize for any possible misunderstandings. We wish the Albanian people success on the path they have chosen toward the democratization of Albania. BLERIM SH. BAJRAMI MORINA Journalists of “Zëri i Rinisë”