On 17 April 1991, from 17:00 until approximately 21:30, the proceedings of the first session of the 12th legislature of the People’s Assembly continued. Representatives of the Democratic Party also took part in this sitting. The PPSH deputy, Adil Çarçani, as the chair of the sitting, gave the floor to deputy Fehmi Abdiu, who announced the expanded membership of the Commission for the Verification of Mandates and Immunity, with two additional members: Ilir Manushi and Shadedin Bulla, deputies of the Democratic Party. This addition to the commission was approved by all the deputies. Next, PD deputy Neritan Ceka took the floor and proposed that the deputies observe one minute of silence in honor of those who fell in Shkodra. Only the deputies of the Democratic Party and Omonia stood up to honor the martyrs. The PPSH deputies and the Veterans’ Committee, according to the chair of the sitting, considered that such a thing could be done only if it were on the agenda or if everyone agreed! After the verification of mandates and immunity, deputy Soti[r] Kokëri presented the Commission’s report. In his speech, he did not mention the verification of the election procedure. The Democratic Party deputies had submitted [objections] to this commission. Thus, the PD deputies forced elections to be repeated, as evidenced by 65 villages in the district of Fier, 108 in the district of Korçë and 134 in the district of Elbasan. After much debate, a consensus was reached that [cut off]. GENC T[?] (Continued on page 2)

Speech by Mr. Sali Berisha, deputy for the district of Durrës HONORABLE SPEAKER! Honorable deputies, ladies and gentlemen! I deeply regret that I am compelled to devote my first speech in the Albanian parliament to a grave state act, unprecedented in the history of parliamentary democracy: the Shkodra massacre, in which, on 2 April, these activists and leaders of the PD were killed and 58 innocent citizens were wounded. But I do so in order to condemn once again, forcefully, before this Assembly, before the Albanian people and before the entire international democratic community, this barbaric act, this monstrous crime that has gravely wounded the social and national conscience of every honest Albanian and deeply affected the spirit and sentiment of democracy in civilized Europe and beyond. As a sign of profound tribute, mourning and everlasting respect for Arben Broci, Bujar Beshkami, Besnik Ceka and Nazmi Krye[?]... [visible text from the continuation] ... in Albania and the entire international democratic community. As a deputy for the city of Kavajë, I consider it essential, once again in parliament, that the issue which has seriously damaged political [life] and is perhaps connected with Albanians be [addressed]. The actions of ... [right-hand continuation column] ... this session; indeed, this was a grave decision, a very grave one, and the tragedy and pain suffered by democracy, by Shkodra, Albania and all the democratic forces in the world, which saw the massacre on television, this better than ... ... we are ... for freedom and democracy ... Mr. Speaker, we came here to the Assembly not because our pain has eased. For us, all of them will be martyrs of ... of democracy. But we came here to this Assembly of Albania because this is demanded by the national interests, which have been and remain supreme interests for the PD! We came here because this is what the democratic forces in Albania and the entire international democratic community ask of us. it essential ... ... in this honorable Assembly. THANK YOU.

— Remarks by Mr. Neritan Ceka, chairman of the PD deputies’ group The verification of mandates, the swearing-in of deputies and the election of the presidium of the People’s Assembly mark the beginning of this body’s work. Its most important task is to establish the rule of law. For this reason, its first step should be directed precisely toward this goal, by giving the attention it deserves to ensuring that the tragic events of 2 April in the city of Shkodra are clarified. The political nature of the violence inflicted on the civilian population, the disinformation of national and international public opinion by state bodies about the nature and course of events, the inaccuracy and slowness of the investigative and prosecutorial authorities in clarifying the matter, and their complete silence in response to the requests submitted by the group of Democratic Party deputies—even after those deputies boycotted the opening sitting—show that only one lawful and democratic path remains for clarifying the events and determining who was responsible for the Shkodra massacre. This is to place the activities of these bodies under the oversight of the people’s representatives through the establishment of a parliamentary commission. We are pleased that the group of Labour Party deputies has joined this proposal, announced today by the Democratic Party deputies’ group through the press and radio. We ask that this commission begin its work immediately and present the People’s Assembly, within the session, with a report on the investigation of the events, identifying the reasons for the [obstacles?] and the [massive?] causes of this crisis in Shkodra, and the [failure?] to carry out its duty, as well as the consequences of the disinformation of public opinion about these events. Although this is about clarifying one issue, it concerns not only the people of Shkodra but all of Albania; through the attention it gives to discussion of this issue, the People’s Assembly will demonstrate that it will become, as it should, the highest authority and ... of democracy.

— From the remarks by Mr. Azem Hajdari, deputy for the district of Shkodra — I want to begin my remarks with the events of 2 April, which will remain unforgettable for the city of Shkodra. Through Radio Shkodra ... [continues below the edge of the image] Radio Shkodra, I … and the many wounded are victims of a scenario prepared in advance by the conser- … party vassals in power. These people should also say how they judge the events in Shkodër. I also insistently demand that the investigative body’s findings be broadcast on TV. I ask that, until the Shkodër issue has been examined by the special parliamentary commission, we examine no other item on the agenda. The Shkodër issue is a fundamental one; without its fair and competent resolution, there can be no peace and stability in this city. I believe that the investigative group assigned to this event was biased and did not work responsibly to clarify the issues. I see the future in the light of democracy and am determined to the end to work responsibly to raise the voice of our electorate in this parliament.

— From the remarks by Mr. Ali Spahia, deputy for the district of Shkodra — On the morning of 2 April in Shkodra, the chairman of the responsible commission was killed; in terms of its scale and the moment at which it occurred, this event is unparalleled in the history of our people. Blood has been shed in our streets before, but this time it hurt more because it was shed by the hand of those who call themselves Albanians, and it hurt even more because it was shed in the very first city where we had just taken our first step on the road to democracy. Those who planned this massacre wanted precisely to show us that under a monopolistic government and pluralism, under the dictatorship of the proletariat or under pluralist democracy, the state is the same, and the means of holding on to power are the same. … Shkodra … … talking with one another, the people of Shkodra and Albania … were as deeply distressed by the massacre as by the false communiqué of the Ministry of Internal Affairs dated 2 April and the statement by the spokesman of the Council of Ministers dated 6 April, which were clearly intended to disinform domestic and international public opinion and presented the events in a way diametrically opposed to their actual course. In this regard, the mass media also played an extremely negative role. Their duty is to inform the people—domestic and foreign public opinion—accurately and with a high degree of professionalism. They failed to bear in mind that they belong to the entire people, not to the party in power. They went to the scene of the events very late and, with great delay, gave only a faint picture of what had happened and what was happening. … Shkodra. Despite our repeated demands, they left space only for false communiqués and statements. On the morning of 2 April, people had gathered in front of the Party Committee for a peaceful demonstration, including pupils from the “Jordan Misja” and “29 Nëntori” secondary schools. No one can characterize peaceful demonstrations by 14–16-year-old pupils as unlawful gatherings. Nevertheless, as soon as the police forces arrived, they viciously charged at them with rubber batons and kicks. “We were asked to help disperse the demonstrators,” they write, and [they] were shot at … That is why I say that the killings were not left locally to … by the police for political killings, by the body … The Party Committee building was burned three hours after the killings, and there has been a distancing … … with the same determination as toward any other act of violence. The investigations have not only been incomplete; the investigative group has tried to spread confusion and drag the investigations out as long as possible. We are in favor of social peace, but the people demand that the truth be told in full, and nothing but the truth. The people demand that the killers be brought before a court. Not only those who pulled the trigger, but also those who ordered the trigger to be pulled. Four people were killed: Arben Broci Nazmi Kryeziu Bujar Bishanaku Besnik Çeka Many people were wounded. The earth and dreams—no one has stopped [unclear]. We want social peace and national unity. We do not want more martyrs, we do not want … This is what the people demand.

Durrës, city of a very ancient civilization, of the greatest Illyrian culture, Durrës of early democracy and human love, Durrës of thousands of skilled workers moving joylessly through factory departments and yards, the city of Albania’s largest port, could never endure the oppression of the monist regime of these fifty years. This painful fatality forced thousands of people from Durrës, thousands of workers, women, girls, and even infants, to take the sorrowful road of exile, full of spiritual suffering. They left, departing from their loved ones, their troubles, their beloved shores, which still groan for the sons they abandoned. But the people of Durrës could not endure the shameless demagoguery of the PP politicians. They had been deceived by the PP’s promises; they had been its parrots. Thirsty for freedom, they headed to the ballot boxes with the freedom-given confidence, guided only by their love of democracy, and voted unanimously for the deputies of truth, for the deputies of the Democratic Party. In Durrës, not even the PP leader there, Nazmi Skuqi, won. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Executive Committee, Fatmir Minguli, won in the Kryevidh constituency. He won there after, just a few days before the election, people had driven him out, just as they drove Nazmi out in Kavajë. But, Fatmir says, this dried-up demagogue then gave cows to the villagers for free, and the villagers repaid his trick by giving him their vote. He gave away the cows, they gave him the votes—fair enough. That’s what they call it, Fatmir. While the villagers won one hundred percent in the city, the citizens of Durrës were left saddened. Everyone asks thoughtfully why they turned so many soldiers and [unclear] our city into a military zone?

Law and Maliqi With the achievement of pluralism, this historic victory of our people, the democratization of the school system was seen as more than necessary. But the bureaucracy tried, as it does with everything else, to slow this process down as much as possible. Seeing this unjustifiable delay, we, a group of teachers from the “Jordan Misja” art high school, … and personally the former minister, Mr. S. Gjinushi, a petition in which … lidhgjejim … the school’s removal of around and softened fa-deologji monarchist and he again… trained military as that pa… democratic …

PD deputies observe… one minute of silence to honor the martyrs of Shkodër. (Photo: A.SH)