ELECTIONS. In three months we will have new elections. Both in the era of pluralism. All the parties are at the starting line. In democratic countries, the state creates conditions so that all parties are on an equal footing in entering the “game” of elections. To be more precise, at least equality is required among parliamentary parties. But has the National Stability Government created this equality? Let us speak with facts, beginning with the “Achilles’ heel” of a democratic campaign: PROPAGANDA. The Socialist Party’s newspaper, “Zëri i popullit,” comes out every day. The Democratic Party’s only organ comes out just twice a week. “Republika” and “Alternativa” are published in the same way. All the newspapers of the parties created during this month. Why shouldn’t these organs be daily? It is said that technical limitations prevent it. Indeed, that there is no paper. Let us take these claims as true. Then why is a forecast being made for the newspaper “Zëri i popullit”? If we add that the SP also has another theoretical organ, the magazine “Sot,” while the other parties have nothing, it is clear that the inequality gap is widening further. We will not dwell on television and radio. It is a waste of time. Every reader can choose for themselves and understand the inequality. But let us mention the SP’s property, inherited from the PPSh. A decree on expropriations was issued, but what has remained on paper? The SP continues to be the country’s largest property owner. It still has the “lion’s share” of the Central Committee of the PP’s headquarters. In every district it has the buildings of the Party Committees. It also has many vehicles and other equipment. With this “equality,” concocted for half a century and not entirely dismantled by the National Stability Government, are we to begin the battle for free elections?! RANKS: After thirty years, the army was finally freed from Chinese influence. Ranks were introduced. A sign of democracy. Symbols of discipline. The ranks were introduced on a momentous day, Independence Day, 28 November. This is a victory for democracy. But the people are waiting for something else of great importance: the depoliticization of the symbols on the Flag and the Republic’s Coat of Arms. “MADE IN ALBANIA” STOCK EXCHANGE. For months, one of the symbols of capitalism (the market economy) has been taking root on Albanian soil: the STOCK EXCHANGE. It is a peculiar kind, a relic of the last century or the beginning of the nineteenth century. A STREET STOCK EXCHANGE. At first it was run in an improvised, fragile way. It operates in front of the “Tirana” and “Dajti” hotels. Then it spread into central Tirana. It even moved around from district to district. Now its center is in front of the steps of the State Bank of Albania. Today everyone trades on this STOCK EXCHANGE. Amateurs and professionals. Albanians, Kosovars and foreigners. Dollars, marks, lire, drachmas and lek pass from hand to hand. There is speculation, too. There are failures, just as there are profits. In recent days, the Bank has also begun trading on this STREET exchange. Late, but better late than never. THE PROBLEM: How much longer will this STOCK EXCHANGE remain out on the streets? Could it not be institutionalized? Could the completely empty FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKET building in Tirana, for example, not serve this purpose? The specialists should answer before it is too late.

We highlight an issue The “Kumbaro Affair”! The most scandalous Enverist rigmarole, a tragedy and comedy of a special kind. It began at gunpoint, according to the script filed away by the PP leader on the days when the three busts of Enver Hoxha were toppled. Remember, and do not forget! The Radio and Television building occupied by army forces. And on the scene, above all, Comrade Kumbaro, the most zealous employee of the Institute of Enverist Studies. Mrs. Nexhmije’s Benjamin. They say he was the only one who disagreed with this formidable lady’s retirement. Remember, and do not forget the counter-rallies and other news reports that Kumbaro put on, his hand at his waist, on his pistol! Remember, and do not forget the putschists of the United School who, with weapons in hand, forced the issuing of their infamous declaration on the creation of the Army Initiative Commission! Remember, and do not forget Mr. Alia’s speech the day before the elections! The PP decided all of this, and F.K. carried it out. And he was rewarded. Ignoring the decision on this institution’s pluralism, the Party Congress elected the esteemed Comrade Kumbaro as a member of the senior leadership! Remember, and do not forget the efforts, the struggle, the debates, the strikes, the protests, the press articles and the reports by Radio and Television employees to topple from his “throne” the illegal director, the PP and SP favorite! The role of the independent trade union was decisive in the extreme. But who is Fatmir Kumbaro? An ordinary man, a robot, a chess piece moved according to a set script. The director’s hand was never visible. Neither when he was raised onto the pedestal and praised, nor when he was toppled from it. At times, only his ironic smile could be made out in the haze... Well done!

Humor of our times - ... Saint Dhimitër Gazhga in emigration - Adil Çarçani’s favorite and company, after playing the currency-trading game with complete success, squandered 170 million dollars. For these special achievements in business, he earned the right to spend the summer months at Greece’s tourist resorts. To be fair, it must be said that he lived like a count. There wasn’t a luxury hotel—or, as they are called in the world of dollars, a five-star hotel—that he did not sample. His health wasn’t bad, either! But it was precisely during those hot months that the opposition press somewhat disturbed his peace. But Saint Dhimitri had complete faith in his friends and partners. So, in September, he returned to his homeland. He made several statements. He swore by heaven and earth that he was as innocent as a saint. But things did not turn out as he and the Adil and Company group had expected. The State Bank denounced him to the investigative authorities. The investigators sent him a cell, with every courtesy, so he could appear at their offices. And Saint Dhimitri, courteously, on a fine October day, left his homeland and “went to blazes” in Greece. Why run off to live a quiet and modest life? Well done to him and to the Investigative Service! And the millions lost in business and so-called currency trading? They go into Ilqaria’s bottomless sack of “Loss-Profit.” There, everything dissolves like salt in water, whether it is gold, dollars or mejites...

Comrade Foto Çami’s eldest daughter is continuing her third year of postgraduate English studies in Italy. Every month she receives 800,000 lire from the government of Arnautistan (the Albanian Republic), twice as much as the Albanian ambassador in Rome. This simple Albanian girl will voluntarily remain in Italy after completing her studies to teach Italians the language of the English. Well done! • • • Sulo Gradesi’s only son-in-law is settling in France. For three years he was the Foreign Trade representative at the embassy. Now he is settling in as a private businessman with the money he inherited from his father-in-law’s estates. (It is said that Comrade Sulo has recently put his pen aside) and is engaging in private activities. But the wolf changes its fur, not its old habits! • • • Visar Zhiti informs us from Italy that there was a bit of a clean-out at the Albanian embassy. Security personnel were cut. But there are malicious people who say that they weren’t... From the latest highly “secret” files, we have learned that a sensational contract has been signed. Twenty-one kilometres of coastline in the Kavajë district have been leased to a foreign tourism company. Naturally, without the consent of the people of Kavajë. But who signed it? Mr. Fatos Nano, when he was Prime Minister. (In our next issue we will publish details of this historic initiative.) * * * Another giant has sprung up today in the Lushnjë district. One of the agricultural enterprises has leased 8,000 hectares of land to a foreign company. For better or worse? Read the article prepared by our newspaper’s contributors in the next issue. * * * The Ministry of Energy, together with its enterprises, has signed several contracts. These concern concessions for oil exploration at sea. Before the ink has even properly dried, a study of the contracts reveals a few snags... The pear story in modern times.

On Sunday, at the cinema in the city of Berat, the chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, held a meeting with intellectuals and workers of the Berat district. Those attending included Mr. Dhimitër Anagnosti, PD MP; Prof. Pandeli Çina; Prof. Nedin Vlora, nephew of Ismail Qemali; Mr. Kris Hill, chargé d’affaires at the American embassy; Mr. Xhorxh Suit and Mrs. Adele Suit, translators, a prominent lawyer in the USA, and PD officials in the USA. The meeting was opened by the chairman of the Berat branch of the PD, Agron Muçaj. In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha spoke about the situation that had developed in the country and the solutions proposed by the Democratic Party. He also answered the many questions raised by the district’s intellectuals and workers. Also on Sunday, the chairman of the PD, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, together with the group accompanying him, held a meeting that had been arranged in the village of Donofrosë. Mr. Sali Berisha held an interesting discussion about improving life in this area. TIRANA On Thursday, 28.11.1991, the Tirana branch of the Democratic Party held a working meeting with the group of intellectuals from the municipality and district at the premises of the chairman of the Tirana PD branch, Mr. Dylber Vjonesi. Mr. Çimi Hasani presented a plan drawn up in collaboration with Mr. Dritan Shkupi, Mr. Valmir..., Mr. Besnik Kërçuku and Mr. Mark Kola, concerning the outlook for the municipality and the city’s enterprises: economic transformations, surface roads and centralization. ... ...a socialist-oriented market economy. The study was also enriched by the discussions and observations made by Mr. Selaudin Shabani, Mr. Asim Zajmi, Mr. Albert Brojka, etc. +++ On Saturday, 30.11.1991, this branch held a working meeting with the group of sports specialists. At the meeting, Mr. Agim Tabaku presented a draft organizational platform and structure for the governing bodies of sport, in the context of the transformations the country is undergoing, drawn up in collaboration with specialists in this field. Interesting discussions of this draft platform were held by Messrs. Edmond Gëzdari, Gëzim Kasmi, Albert Karriqi, etc. Mr. Njazi Lleshi discussed the problem of prominent specialists leaving active service because they had reached retirement age, despite the fact that in many cases some specialists are at the peak of their careers. DURRËS ● In the Durrës district, efforts to establish public order are continuing. Every week the pluralist executive committee coordinates the work of the public-order bodies, SHIK, the courts, the prosecutor’s office and the investigative service. In many cases, this form of organization has produced good results. ● But more must be done about the land. Especially regarding the division of land, because in many cases certain individuals have persistently obstructed the process. There is reason to enforce the law against those who have “occupied” land unlawfully. ● In recent days, in the hall of the tobacco-fermentation building, ... took part in ... the municipal meeting ...

● British Prime Minister John Major declared that the Council of Europe is obliged to recognize the independence of the Yugoslav republics of Croatia and Slovenia. “The issue is, in fact, now very much a matter of time,” Major stressed. ● During a television interview with the American network CNN, Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev declared that “it is likely they will execute conditions for another attempt at a coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.” ● U.S. President George Bush declared that peace talks in the Middle East would begin on December 4 in Washington, with or without the participation of the Israelis. ● Cuba’s Ministry of Agriculture announced that it had halted the use of 1,000 tractors due to a lack of fuel. The communist state is facing numerous economic difficulties.

- New horizons and opportunities for the impoverished life of Albania - A few days ago, everyone had the opportunity to follow, through television reports, a group of young people setting off for Italy for a three-week visit. The visit is the result of the twinning between the district of Lezha and the province of the Marche, Italy. No exodus, no hijacking of ships, no breaking and burning, no tears or risking lives. With dignity and culture, as befits them, they set off for Ancona. So one can also travel to Europe this way—as citizens, calmly, if officials work together and our people know how to be patient. Links between cities, otherwise known as city twinning, are a worldwide practice in democratic countries and a positive way to open the way to ties between countries, not only at the official level. Such twinnings envisage new forms of relations between two countries: relations among young people, workers, pensioners, professionals in the same field, and so on. Twinning relations between cities encompass a broad range of mutual understanding in cultural, customary, social and economic terms which, ultimately, converge in humanitarian cooperation between the inhabitants of two cities in neighboring countries. In the conditions of Albania today, when government diplomacy and the efforts of ministries are aimed at opening up the country, direct relations between cities are the best way to bring about this opening at the level of provinces and, indeed, why not, even villages. That is why representatives of the Albanian Rotary Club, headquartered in Tirana—Mr. Prec Zogaj, as a deputy, together with the notaries of the city of Lezha—put forward the idea of twinning the cities of Lezha and Ancona. The first contacts were made with Mr. Kheovan Gana and Mr. Armando Gjinaj, distinguished gentlemen of the Marche region, whose principal city is Ancona. The talks were held in the city of Lezha in the presence of Agron Dibra, chairman of the city Executive Committee, and the notary, Paulin Gjoni. Lezha proposed twinning with Ancona and, following an exchange of initial letters, a relatively large delegation from the Marche region was welcomed in Lezha. The delegation included the vice-president of the Marche region, the deputy mayor of the city, as well as industrialists, financiers and local administration officials. The delegation came to Lezha with the aim of inaugurating the twinning and cooperation in all fields: agriculture, light industry, infrastructure, transport, culture, art, sports, health, etc. Lezha gave the delegation the opportunity to learn about the city’s advantages and disadvantages. The Italian regional representatives also learned about the resources on which the city is basing its future development. Discussions between specialists made it possible to determine the areas and forms of cooperation. It was agreed that, within a short time, the delegation from Lezha would return the visit and, on that occasion, the first agreements would be signed in Ancona. A group of young people from Tirana and Lezha, approved by the district Executive Committee, were invited to Ancona for three weeks. The aim was to improve their Italian and learn about the region’s culture and development. According to the Italian side’s commitment, these visits will be repeated several times during the year and organized as courses in crafts, public services, etc. Meanwhile, Prof. Armando Gjinaj has donated to Lezha 150 dollars, with a value of 20,000 dollars, which will be used to support works by Lezha painters. The Rotarians from Ancona promised to resolve some of the district’s urgent problems, such as... (Continued on page 8)

In order to clarify further the treatment of Comrades who are members and candidate members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSh, Deputy Prime Ministers, the President and Vice-Presidents of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, when they go abroad for medical treatment, we hereby instruct as follows: 1) When the aforementioned Comrades are admitted to foreign clinics for medical treatment, they are entitled to receive pocket money in foreign currency, without reimbursement, for as many days as they stay in these institutions. The medical staff or attendants who, for work-related reasons, are required to stay with them are entitled to the same benefit. 2) You are also authorized to prepare and give the aforementioned Comrades, free of charge, a certain quantity of gifts to be used by them to give to friends and healthcare personnel abroad. Their type and the amount of money to be spent on each occasion will be determined in accordance with special instructions issued from time to time for this purpose. This order takes effect immediately. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ADIL ÇARÇANI Yesterday our parliament stripped the venerable former Prime Minister Adil Çarçani of his mandate. In truth, Deputy Adil had stripped himself of his mandate long ago, since he never came to parliament at all. But one thing amazes me: an Assembly dominated by former communi

Today at 13:00, the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, will hold a press conference concerning the statement of the DP National Council. RD correspondent