I think the Democratic Party is one of the most serious, strongest and most dignified opposition parties created throughout the countries of the East. With its program, its genes, and all the rest; it demonstrates the culture of the Albanian people at this moment. And when a people displays culture in difficult moments, it proves that it is truly civilized. I hope it continues this way. I say this because I have noticed that this party is being attacked from various directions. Not to mention the attacks by Stalinists, it is attacked by liberals—or, more accurately, pseudo-liberals. It is also attacked by the most primitive reactionaries. I also hope that the creation of other parties will not make this go too far and that pluralism will not turn into madness. The opposition parties should form an opposition ensemble, complementing one another, and not a contest for personal gain. From the moment games and speculations begin, the various parties can cause great disappointment. That is why a Roman historian said of parties—namely, that parties which fight over gains at the nation’s expense are worse than prostitutes! (Taken from the newspaper «Zëri i Rinisë», Kosovo)

The last statue of Stalin remaining on our planet has also been removed. (The bust itself, which had been surrounded in his birthplace, in Gori, Georgia, was smashed by demonstrators at the end of the eighties.) And, to our shame, this statue had been erected at the foot of a steep slope on our most beautiful boulevard, with the most meaningful name: Martyrs of the Nation. The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the PPSH, Ramiz Alia, said at the national meeting of this party on 26 December 1990 that our alliance with Stalin nearly 40 years ago had resulted from a convergence of interests, and that these relations now belonged to the distant past. This explanation forgets or wholly dismisses all the statements Enver Hoxha and he himself had previously made about the nature of the PPSH’s ties with Stalin and his ideological and political legacy, when Stalin was called the touchstone of true socialism, etc. It is therefore a wholly inadequate explanation. Everyone understands that if relations with Stalin and his theory had been even slightly a matter of political expediency, the public record of commemorating a dictator would not have been brought back to Tirana, and those Albanians who spoke out against him would not have been sentenced to long prison terms. In any case, the multitude of statues that cast his heavy shadow over most of our cities, along with the other symbols of his image, have officially been removed. And the foremost of these statues, the one on «Martyrs of the Nation» Boulevard, was removed according to a truly Stalinist script. On the night of 21 December, the date marking the 111th anniversary of his birth, on a rainy night and in the utmost secrecy from the people, the bronze mass shaped like his body was bound with steel cables so that it could be pulled from its tall pedestal. Tirana woke up without it, but also without any naïve euphoria that the statue had ended up somewhere in a warehouse; Stalinism left this country intact. The deafening secrecy surrounding its removal proved otherwise. It is quite clear to everyone that the PPSH did not remove Stalin’s symbols because of a real assessment of his «contribution», but because keeping them had become impossible, despite the deployment of special police officers at the places where they stood. The authors of the script must have believed that by removing Stalin’s gloomy silhouette from the scenery and erasing his dreadful quotations from the official political vocabulary, they were performing the necessary act that would finally improve their image before domestic and foreign public opinion. But, unfortunately for them, our people now have a whole bitter experience which, without making them skeptical, protects them from the deception of spectacular gestures. This experience has taught them enough to understand that the thunderous call not to examine and judge the past is (Continued on page 2)

At the rally organized on 7.2.1991 at 9:00 a.m. in «Democracy» Square in Qyteti-Studenti, the students of the University of Tirana, the Higher Institute of Arts and the «Vojo Kushi» Higher Institute of Physical Culture decided to demand: a) 1. We want the demands of the students of ILB in Kamëz to be met. 2. We add to their demands our own, which are reasonable and can be met by the state. a) the heating problem in the buildings of the medical faculties and in the buildings of Qyteti «Studenti» must be resolved. b) the internal roads of Qyteti «Studenti» must be asphalted immediately and improved wherever necessary, and their lighting must also be improved. c) it must be prevented that residents of Building 18 be accommodated in homes outside Qyteti «Studenti». d) a discotheque sound system must be installed on the premises of Qyteti «Studenti» and placed under the administration of the Association of Albanian Students. 3. The school must be de-ideologized. a) Removal of all political subjects. b) Political economy and historical and dialectical materialism should be treated as the subject of the history of the PPSH was treated (made optional starting this school year). — all ideologized and politicized material must be removed from this year’s examination syllabuses in the subjects of pedagogy, psychology, aesthetics, folklore, the organization of the socialist economy, and all other subjects dealing with such material. b) the student record-book form must be changed dipo— [unclear section] 5. There must be no police detention or court proceedings against students for political reasons. 6. We demand the swift legalization of the Albanian Students’ Association. 7. We demand the immediate resignation of Foreign Minister Reiz Malile and television director Virgjil Kule. 8. The latest decree on the protection of historical figures must be repealed. If these demands are not met, the Government should resign. As for the issues that fall within the Government’s remit, we expect a response by Saturday, 9.2.1991. In the meantime, we will continue to support our demands in our own ways. STUDENTS’ ORGANIZING COMMISSION Tirana, 7.2.1991

Interview with A. Hajdari, chairman of the Initiating Commission, given to Radio «Voice of America» Question 1: There have been voices heard inside and outside Albania saying that the D.P. is not a genuine opposition; the connections of some leaders with the PPSH are pointed out. Does Ramiz Alia’s praise of political pluralism characterize the demonstrations and other protests as well? Question 1: There have been voices heard inside and outside Albania saying that the D.P. is not a genuine opposition; the connections of some leaders with the PPSH are pointed out. Does Ramiz Alia’s praise of political pluralism characterize the demonstrations and other protests as well? As hooligans, etc. Some said that the D.P. was created through Ramiz Alia’s propaganda. How do you respond to these criticisms? Answer: It is quite true that on the second day after the founding of the D.P., rumors spread that this Party was not a genuine opposition, that it was supposedly a creation of Ramiz Alia. The truth is that these reports and accusations have been widely spread and interpreted by certain elements who have no idea what the words Party, opposition and pluralism mean. These reports have been spread by Belgrade’s media and, strangely enough, by some members of Albania’s M-L movement and the Kosovar emigrant community. This tactic was pursued because it was the only way to dash the hopes of the people and of international democratic opinion for a democratic opposition in Albania. The only argument being used is that two of the comrades who made a very great contribution to the student movement and to the founding of the PD belonged to the PPSH. I would like to say something about these people, who, as is now known, are Dr. Sali Berisha and Dr. Gramoz Pashko. Dr. Sali Berisha: Dissident. In recent years he was one of the leading intellectuals; without exaggeration, I can say he was a standard-bearer for political pluralism in Albania, as demonstrated by his writings and by the firm, courageous stand he took at the meeting between the intellectuals and President Alia. Dr. Gramoz Pashko: Dissident. The first person to defend the thesis that introducing a market economy was necessary for Albania’s recovery, and who publicly defended the great Kadare. In my opinion and that of the PD, the initiators of political pluralism were the student demonstrations and the student movement, and by no means the PPSH and its First Secretary, Ramiz Alia, who had repeatedly declared that political pluralism was incompatible with Albania. I can say that the PD movement is the culmination of the great democratic movement. Its core has therefore now become a reality and, so to speak, has rapidly gathered strength, nourished and firmly supported by Albania’s democratic forces. Question 2: You have met with Ramiz Alia. Do you believe him when he says that the elections will be free and the democratization process will be carried through to the end? Answer: I have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Alia three times. I very much hope that the coming elections will truly be free. As far as we in the PD are concerned, we fight and work every day so that the people, after decades of totalitarian rule, can go freely to the polls on 31 March. But I stress that, judging from the PPSH’s recent positions and the counter-rallies it organizes, from its continuous and unacceptable accusations against us—which are worse than the accusations the Balli Kombëtar made against the PPSH when it was founded—and from certain leaders, including the Minister of Defense, Mr. Kiço Mustaqi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the PPSH, I do not see the possibility of free elections being held; rather, I see a great danger to democratization in Albania as well. Therefore, I say that Ramiz Alia, as Chairman of the Presidium of the Assembly of the Republic (continued on page 5)

Governmental alibi The Government met on 25 January. On 26 January, a notice appeared in the press under the title: «On the country’s economic situation». «Among other things, it stated: “15 February was set as the deadline for stabilizing the supply of the population with the necessary foodstuffs: vegetables, milk, eggs, rice, fats, flour, pasta, etc...”». A notice more precise than this has rarely been issued by our Government! The words were weighed in such a way that the people would not need to interpret them. At most, a small number of people might need to be told that some call vegetables zarzavate or milk tambël. The other words—rice, sugar, pasta—have no dialect variants. Nevertheless, an official explanation was also given on television. In those days Fatos Nano, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, gave an interview. He spoke about the importance of the meeting and stressed that, by working through campaigns, stability in the supply of the market would be achieved. Every honest Albanian tightened their belt, waiting with an empty stomach for the miracle that was supposed to happen after 15 February. They had every right to expect it: the Government had given its word! There was also some skeptic who sowed doubt with words like these: Fine, we got rice that can be bought with the dollars the Greek gave us on credit, but will vegetables and cow’s milk perhaps come from imports?... With such illusions, the Albanian people passed ten days that could be called ten days of great hope. On the ninetieth day, disappointment came. It was announced in an official report by «Zëri i popullit»: «The Press and Information Directorate at the Council of Ministers considers it necessary to clarify the announcement about the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 25 January. This announcement had been interpreted as meaning that by 15 February the shops would be supplied with all the necessary food and industrial goods and that all factories would be provided with imported raw materials. First, at that meeting the Council of Ministers called for order to be established by 15 February in the distribution and better redistribution of the food items available...» One reads these two reports about the same government meeting and can hardly believe one’s eyes! One cannot call it government self-criticism, because it blames the people for not correctly understanding the first announcement. One cannot say that we are dealing with some government official, because Fatos Nano, as a participant in that meeting and the person who gave the television interview a few days earlier, was promoted: he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. Let us make a few comments. The first report speaks of stabilizing the market situation. The second speaks of establishing order for the distribution and better redistribution of the goods available to us. In such cases, the people do not call it a misinterpretation but say, «Eat, village, eat, Baghdad!» For 45 years the Albanian red Government has been feeding the people with an empty spoon. It prepared and carried out this same script at the 25 January meeting, even though everyone knew that the shops would not be filled by the bureaucracy’s magic wand. When the people are fully united around the Party and the Government, violations of decisions and broken promises are dealt with through «Bolshevik self-criticism» behind the walls of the Council of Ministers. But political pluralism arrived. And the Government decided to change its style: it would make a public self-criticism. But public self-criticism is hard for people in a government which, throughout its history, has never known this practice. So it was decided that self-criticism would be replaced by an alibi. The people can interpret things as they please; the Government’s «fate» is thus decided in the Party’s Central Committee apparatus. Here is a story from our times. Three months ago the Prime Minister declared that all measures had been taken for the «regular supply of enterprises with raw materials». The year 1991 would get off to the best possible start. Before two months had passed, the Prime Minister realized that his promises were being carried away by the wind. He appeared very concerned, because the lack of raw materials affects the people’s well-being... The Political Bureau of the PPSH also understood this legitimate concern... God forbid that something should happen to a Prime Minister—and to the people too! Therefore, the Bureau suggested adding another badge to the Prime Minister: appointing him also chairman of the Democratic Front. The Council of Ministers accepted this suggestion and made the following announcement to the people: Comrade Adil Çarçani is appointed in place of Comrade Nexhmije Hoxha, who is leaving this post for reasons of age! (There are rumors that the two are the same age.) Let us return to the Government. How did some ministers respond to this alibi? We take this opportunity to quote some of the interviews television conducted three or four days ago: Shane Korbeci, Minister of Foreign Trade: «We have secured wheat, rice, fats... fish meal for chickens and other things.» (Will there be eggs too? the tactless TV reporter interjected.) «We must bear in mind that the loans given to us by Turkey and Greece cannot be used so easily, because there are banking procedures... One fact is worth emphasizing: exports have not even reached 50 percent. And without exports, there are no imports!» Ylli Bufi, Minister of the Food Industry: «If the economy is linked in a chain, when the raw material is missing, the factory does not work. If the factory does not work, there is no supply. We are now working hard to meet the plan and the deficit. But one thing must be understood: when we speak of stabilizing supply, we mean the established quotas, not abundance in the shops... Consumers are also responsible here: in many cases they have bought more goods than they need.» Pajtimi Ajazi, Minister of Internal Trade: «The market is sensitive. When one item, such as eggs, is unavailable, people use more milk... We must also not forget the obstacle at customs: the lack of packaging!» MITRO ÇELA

The PD student branch organized a democratic discussion with UT professors and students about the PD’s electoral platform in the lecture hall of the Palace of Culture in Tirana. (Continued on page 2)

At the press conference organized by the Democratic League of Kosovo, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova spoke. At the press conference organized by the LDK, held on 5 January 1991, the Chairman of the LDK, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, informed journalists about several violent incidents, which have now become commonplace in Kosovo, and presented the LDK’s positions on some current political issues. The journalists present then asked questions concerning various issues of public concern. At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, after noting that there had been no significant political events during the week, emphasized that even the happiest day of the New Year for Albanians had not passed without repression and violence—not because of carelessness, as is usually the case around New Year, but because of repression. The harassment took place in the Kapesnik area of Pejë on the very eve of New Year; earlier, two days before New Year, it had also taken place on the third day at the Pejë bazaar. Then journalist Jusuf Ferizi was arrested at Skopje airport, and, Rugova said, we do not know whether he was arrested by the Macedonian police or the federal police, but this case means that Albanian intellectuals will not be able to travel in the future even through Skopje airport. Rugova then informed the journalists of another death in the Albanian army, that of Izet Bushi, and offered condolences to the soldier’s family, while calling on the JNA to clarify the killings of Albanian soldiers in the army. After strongly protesting these crimes against Albanians, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova once again reiterated the LDK’s positions on the return of the Assembly of Kosovo, the KER, RTVP and «RILINDJA», as immediate demands (continued on page 5) Portrait of Dr. Ibrahim Rugova.