The whole nation is waiting. Albanians everywhere in the world await the choice that the new Albanian democracy will make. Impatience has weighed heavily on people bound together by the long wait. Yet this country no longer has time to wait. Waiting, apathy and constant conflict only infect the country’s open wounds. When it came to choosing the government of stability, it was almost unavoidable at that moment; the political «state» was far too narrow and dangerous for further elections. Today the situation is completely different: the opposition front, led by PD, is much stronger than the communist resistance (PS). Viewed from this perspective, the situation must be taken advantage of, because in Albania’s extremely difficult political circumstances, as time passes new elements may intervene, negatively influencing the Albanian democratic electorate, which is still very fluid for the time being. The main key to explaining the country’s complicated political situation today lies in the position and activity of the government of stability. The government of stability is in a very weak position today. This government has no «political muscle». PS attacks and sabotages it, taking advantage of the weak and helpless image created for the democratic force. We must take into account a number of factors. First of all, the economic ones. Economic reform, which would be the main key to resolving a number of the country’s problems, is getting under way very slowly, for two main reasons: 1. Lack of capital. 2. Lack of the rule of law. Foreign capital entering Albania has come mainly in the form of food aid. This has certainly helped alleviate the country’s chronic hunger, but it is not a factor in the recovery and restructuring of the economy; indeed, it may in some way have negative effects, because this kind of capital is like a summer rain, «vrug», as people say: at first it gives the impression of freshness, but afterwards it ... If we continue to go into debt in this way for food and consumer goods without yet laying the foundations of a market economy, a time will come when we will be an unwelcome client for foreign financiers. Real financial capital, directed toward investment, is hesitant to come in. Let us remember that the only Holding (if it can be called a Holding) putting money into Albania is that of Mr. Hajdini. The reasons for foreign capital’s hesitation are clear. To them, we have likened it to an old train that it is worth repairing if it is already under way. But many problems in this economic reform are not being resolved within the proper time limits, and at the pace our train is moving, the station is still very far away. Perhaps it would be more beneficial for our country to stop our train for a while, repair it properly, and set off again at a new speed. But economic factors are not the only ones affecting the contest over when elections should be held. To think that the Albanian equation can be solved only through economic factors, without taking political and social factors into account, is naïve. Not only because these factors accompany economic reform throughout its development, conditioning it, but also because they act independently. Perhaps in the present situation, political factors outweigh economic ones in importance. This is because poverty has been a «permanent condition» for Albanians for years. Today we are absolutely poor, but to be realistic, two or three years ago we were not exactly swimming in abundance either. The Albanian masses were set in motion primarily by political and social factors. Today’s political situation is ... favorable to the opposition front if early elections are held. Not only because our position in the cities is strong, but also because today, in the countryside and small towns, protest against the communist regime is at its peak. On 31 March Albania was wearing the qeleshe, and we did not manage to understand it fully. Today, in the peasant’s qeleshe there is a mind that thinks without fear and is almost entirely on our side. This moment must be seized, because there is a strong possibility that if elections are postponed until May–June, other factors will influence the rural electorate, such as the failure to fully implement agrarian reform, the hardships of the coming winter, the expected poor harvest next year, as well as local factors, which will be particularly influential in the countryside. Extending the time until the elections would also give other political forces an opportunity to expand into the countryside. All these elements could have a negative effect... ...the country’s political situation and sabotages it, taking advantage of the alarming image created among the people, as if this government were an opposition government. PD does not defend it, because in practice it is not its government, but also because, in a way, it fears the idea of being compromised with the socialist forces. The other opposition parties have likewise shown no particular enthusiasm for the government of stability. As can be seen, the government has been left alone. This government must stand firm and move forward on the basis of good relations between the parties, and not merely on the basis of sympathy among the ministers. This has resulted in the government of stability making a wearisome effort to escape the influence of the parties, something impossible in today’s Albanian situation, where everything is highly politicized. In this way, the government is increasingly closing in on itself and displaying signs of a kind of governmental corporatism. Under these conditions, it becomes essential to open a political debate on bringing the election date forward. To determine a deadline... ...coming to an end. are clear. Mr. Pashko set them out very well at the First Congress of the Democratic Party; indeed, he stressed that today we are practically under a complete embargo as far as foreign capital is concerned. Another reason holding back reform is the absence of the rule of law. Legal and subordinate acts that aim to privatize the economy are obstructed in bureaucratic limbo by a ... that has still not been dismantled. In these conditions of a legal «vacuum», various forms compete to protect their economic interests, making the path of reform very difficult. The most flagrant case in this area is the implementation of the land law (regardless of the shortcomings inherent in the law itself), which is being implemented with great difficulty and in some cases has come to a complete standstill because the state lacks the proper authority to enforce the law. In these circumstances, the implementation of economic reform itself requires a new political solution. In a television interview, Mr. Ruli, the finance minister, used a very apt comparison for our economy. He compa...

16 October — Day of the Struggle Against TOTALITARIANISM: Once Again, Those Who Toppled the Idols — Student cultural-political rally in «Democracy» Square — Tired of the long «holidays» (spring, summer and autumn), disillusioned with party-style politics and democracy’s advancing pace, at last, from the early hours of the morning on 16 October, they poured into «Democracy» Square to remind communism once again that their DECEMBER is still far away, forever close, and to speak on this day, now declared the day of the struggle against totalitarianism, in their natural, student and political language... Besides students, «Democracy» Square also hosted secondary-school pupils and many Tirana residents. The rally was organized by the Pan-National Student Union, the Youth Federation and the Ministry of Culture and Sports (Youth Directorate). At around 9, the chairman of the Pan-National Student Union, Gjin Progni, declared the rally open. Then Arben Lika remembered the martyrs of our democracy, who did not return without bloodshed. A minute of silence fell over the square: a tribute to the eternal student, Arben Broci. His brother Dritan Broci also delivered greetings. Then students and lecturers—figures from DECEMBER 1990—gave their greetings in turn. They were Blendi Gonxhe, Ridvan Peshkëpia, Arben Imami, Azem Hajdari and Edi Rama. Looking back, criticism and accountability are natural in an audience so democratic. «It is ridiculous that the former dictatorial caste should be accused only of food abuses and not of the 46-year genocide inflicted on our entire nation,» B. Gonxhe stressed. He called for E. Hoxha’s remains to be removed from the National Martyrs’ Cemetery. «I have come to repay my moral debt to you, to B. Gonxhe, E. Rama, R. Budina, etc. ... You are all beautiful, because you knew how to topple idols; moreover, you toppled “idols without heads,” as Migjeni used to say... Someone now says that applause in our time “cannot belong to just one person or a few people. First and foremost, it belongs to you, and not only that—you have won,” A. Hajdari added with his characteristic natural simplicity. «PD is the first anti-communist front and is its successor; its shortcomings and weaknesses should become the reasons for the anti-communist opposition to advance, at a time when E. Hoxha has no place among the martyrs, since he is no martyr but a murderer of martyrs... Intellectuals are, and will remain, emissaries of democracy. Meanwhile, the opposition must be complete across the political spectrum. It is missing the opposition in exile, which has been fighting communism for 50 years. Balli Kombëtar and Legaliteti, regardless of our preferences, are links in the anti-communist chain,» E. Rama stressed, as firmly as ever. Whenever someone took the floor to offer greetings, the music filling the square paused briefly and then resumed beneath a cloudy sky. It was a day like those when Enver would step onto the podium and «disperse» the clouds with a wave of his hand... He would chase them away from himself and hurl them over us, the «prophets»! And how many «clouds» he left for us to disperse. Now his «miracle-working elixir» has been exposed—it no longer works on us. Long live Freedom-Democracy!... After 11, representatives of political parties and various forums addressed the rally. On behalf of PD, Dr. S. Berisha delivered greetings. Addressing the students, he stressed that E. Hoxha had gravely sickened the soul of the Albanian people, and that they—the students—and only they would heal it... «You are, and must be, polyvalent. PD will commit itself to realizing your aspirations,» he concluded. Mr. Xhek Bigner, director of the US Republican Institute, also delivered greetings: «Lenin was not buried in Red Square, but in the ballot boxes of democracy,» he said, among other things. Afterwards, Osman Kazazi, chairman of the Association of ... greeted the rally. [The text is garbled here: “bindem që Adheu është shumë i pasur dhe i fortë.”] After him, a representative of this party’s Youth Forum delivered greetings. Gjin Progni intervened, asking people to speak about students, not in the language of students. After him, student Theodhor Dhimitri proposed, among other things, that this day be declared Carnival Day. Then music and dancing took over again. Next came greetings from Kol Mehilli, a compatriot living in California; Gëzim Kalaja, chairman of BSP for Tirana; and the chairman of the PSD Steering Council, Mr. S. Gjinushi, who stressed that the practices of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, etc. had shown that the Alia-Hoxha-Nano coalition had failed, and that student support alongside the opposition forces was essential to their final overthrow. A. Lika jokingly said, «I will speak on behalf of PS» (it was expected that Mr. Nano would come to deliver greetings, but in fact he never came), and read a humorous piece by the well-known humorist Shtjefën Palushi. Spartak Ngjela, a lawyer and former political prisoner, proposed, among other things, that the University be declared autonomous, since this would make it difficult for political groups to impose themselves and democracy would move forward more easily. B. Gonxhe closed the morning program by reading a statement from the branch of the «Enver Hoxha Union of Volunteer Activists», which provoked laughter throughout «Democracy» Square. The rally, music and speeches once again brought many students, pupils and residents together in the square. To make the afternoon more interesting, concerts by rock groups and film screenings had been planned. But the lack of technical equipment and the usual «reasons» cited on such occasions meant that neither the concert nor the film screening took place. Nevertheless, the jokes and «mockery of the regime» about Enver, Nexhmije, Ramiz and company, the music, dancing and youthful spirit made the evening last... to B. Gjonxhe, you knew how to topple idols; what is more, you toppled “headless idols,” as Migjeni used to say... Someone now says that with pluralism we are eating marmalade, but I say that butter cannot come without DEMOCRACY,” A. Imami said, among other things. Then Osman Kazazi, chairman of the Association of the Persecuted and Political Prisoners, and Zef Bushati, on behalf of the Republican Party, delivered greetings. Among other things, he said that when I see you... Institute, also offered his the memories of the vote for democracy,” he things, he said that when I see you Young people in the city of “Studenti” celebrate freedom for the first time

— IMPRESSIONS FROM MEETINGS IN ENGLAND AND BULGARIA — I was in Great Britain at the invitation of the Conservative Party to attend its 108th Conference, held from 8–12 October in the beautiful English city. During my stay in Blackpool I was received and met with the leader of the English Conservative Party and Prime Minister of England, Mr. Xhon Melkxer. I also held separate meetings with Mrs. Margaret Theçer, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Mr. Dagllas Hërd, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of England and the Commonwealth. During my stay in England I had the opportunity to hold a series of meetings with prominent figures from the political, economic and parliamentary life of Great Britain. My meetings with Mr. Hërd and Mr. Xhon Melkxer, Prime Minister of England, as well as Mrs. Theçer, former Prime Minister of England, were very cordial and open. In these meetings and in my speech, I expressed the Democratic Party’s deep gratitude to Mr. Xhon Melkxer, Mr. Hërd and Mrs. Theçer for their very warm, sincere welcome, for the friendship they offered and for the honor they showed me. I want to stress from the outset that their humane and warm reception, and their accurate knowledge of Albania and of the wretched situation of Albanians in Yugoslavia, created a special atmosphere for me during these meetings. In my conversation I expressed the gratitude of PD and Albania’s democratic forces for the particular concern they showed and for the principled and courageous stance that Prime Minister Mr. Melkxer, Mr. Hërd and Mrs. Theçer maintained during the days of the coup in the USSR. This intervention, I stressed in these meetings, was of great help not only to the Russian people but also to all the democratic forces of Eastern Europe, because the coup was a disastrous event that seriously threatened not only the Soviet Union but all the countries of the East, and gravely threatened the new processes and democracies in those countries. In these meetings I stressed that the Albanian nation is now experiencing a difficult but also most important period in its history. In Albania, thanks to the influence of many external and internal factors, the country first began to democratize; the Democratic Party of Albania was founded. ...the only party in parliament, which was these meetings, was a great help to the Russian people and to

Young people in the city of “Studenti” celebrate freedom for the first time