— FOLLOWING THE TELEVISION NEWS COVERAGE OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES — In the Socialist Party’s television news coverage, we learn that the Italian ambassador has denied the words of Mr. Grafini, the special envoy of Foreign Minister Xhani De Mikeli, at his meeting with the chairman of the Democratic Party, Dr. Sali Berisha. And this fresh news is communicated to us pompously by the Socialist Party spokesperson, to give the impression of a sensational scoop. We already learned on the day the news of his visit to Albania was broadcast that the television station itself, through its journalist present at that meeting, Arjan Milonashi, disagreed with Mr. Grafini’s statements. This journalist, with professional competence and political maturity, criticized the Italian foreign minister for not asking permission—or at least asking Albanian television—about the meetings and discussions he was going to hold in our country. But that the Italian ambassador, Mr. Torkuado Kardili, was also supposedly not in agreement with Mr. Grafini’s statement is something we are only learning now. And not from an information source at the Italian embassy, but from the spokesperson of the Albanian Socialist Party, as though they were both under the same roof! As far as we know, in an interview with the Italian ambassador conducted by Arjan Milonashi and broadcast by Albanian television, no denial was mentioned. It was only stated that, in the ambassador’s view, Italy helps Albania, not political parties. Yet in the ambassador’s words, without the meaningful implications one might imagine, we noticed no official denial of the kind referred to in the Socialist Party’s statement. If the Italian ambassador said in this interview that the people, and not political parties, should be helped, Mr. Grafini confirmed the same thing. In fact, for this purpose, the Democratic Party’s opinion and assistance were sought, so that Italian aid would reach the people and not be wasted. Because, as everyone knows from the communist experience, the people gained nothing from the millions of dollars spent on the caste of the party and state elite. And since the Socialist Party is the offspring of the infamous Party of Labour, there is nothing wrong with foreigners making sure before sending food parcels. Former communists are in government, in the state, and everywhere. FILIP ÇAKULI

— MR. NANO INCognito IN GREECE. — THE GREEK PASOK (SOCIALIST PARTY) TELEVISION CHANNEL HAS THESE DAYS CALLED FOR TAKING OR [?] NORTHERN EPIRUS. — THE ALBANIAN EMBASSY IN ATHENS OPPOSES THIS TELEVISION PROGRAM. — THE ZP AGAINST AZEM HAJDARI AND IN DEFENSE OF THE PARTY OF LABOUR. “Once we were accused of organizing the exodus to reduce the PD’s votes, but now another b... (the SP spokesperson declares in the ZP). (A REMINDER TO THE READER: AT THE TIME OF THE EXODUS, IT WAS THE PARTY OF LABOUR, WHILE THE SOCIALIST PARTY TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEEDS OF THE PL.) — NINE-MILLION-PERSON GREECE WAITS, EMPLOYS, AND ALLOWS AROUND 200,000 ALBANIANS TO LEAVE AND ENTER FREELY. THE GREEK EMBASSY ISSUES VISAS. THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER IS DENATIONALIZING ALBANIANS BY ISSUING THEM PASSPORTS UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES, ESPECIALLY TO CHRISTIANS (ORTHODOX). P.S. For further details, read our forthcoming issues. AZEM HAJDARI

Petro Marko, this writer fragile in talent, like all the great ones, yet iron-willed, unbending and uncompromising with the dictatorship. His talent, proclaimed to be valuable, traveled a long, exhausting, torturous road, right up to the point of exhaustion, but always avoided the path of joining forces with the Communist power-holders as a co-author of the national crime against culture, against humanism. None of the Albanian writers in the days of liberation from Nazism and occupation by Communism had a greater chance to enjoy privileges and power, or to rise to the highest official circles, than Petro Marko. But what was his fate? It is a unique, concrete and meaningful example. The whole life of this man emphatically confirms, with pain and horror, that Communism in power under the Stalinist crown was a totalitarian crusade, akin to the fascist dictatorship. Petro Marko went to prison when ... [?] ruled half the world. Petro Marko went to prison again when Communism had welded a billion people's lives to the temperature of crime. There you have it: two powers, apparently enemies of one another, yet identical in nature, reconciled and embracing one another in order to destroy talent that sought freedom, justice, humanism, that sought democracy. Petro Marko, this free literary thread, was destined, like the talented figures of Albanian letters, always to find himself in the state, face to face with dictatorship, face to face with evil. Never, and never, indeed, will even the person who undertakes to write a monograph about Petro be able to say everything; on the contrary, he will only awaken curiosity and interest, and spur literati and writers to search once again through Petro Marko's life—I would say, through the Petro Marko myth. To have known Petro Marko after reading his work was an opportunity for writers with serious aspirations. To know Petro Marko was like having the good fortune to meet Hemingway, whose letter is one of the treasures in Petro Marko's archive. Petro Marko's life has many distinctive features, but its greatest distinction can be summed up as Petro's finest novel. This writer, aligned with the democratic wing of the intelligentsia of the 1930s; this outstanding internationalist fighter; this publicist, who, like him; this novelist of outstanding qualities—has his honored place in the atlas of prominent figures in Albanian letters and will always remain a figure who continually stirs the progressive opinion of society, an example for writers learning not to subordinate their talent to an idea. (continued on page 3)

During the days of December 27, 28, 29 and 30, 1991, the Christian mission AMG INTERNACIONAL, in cooperation with the YOUTH FORUM of the Democratic Party and the Christian mission GOD LOVES ALBANIA, carried out their program to distribute gifts and aid to children in orphanages in Albania. During the program, the Christian missions, led respectively by Timoti Vardalas and Stefani Bell, were accompanied by the chairman of the DP YOUTH FORUM, Ridvan Peshkëpia, and his deputy chairmen Eduart Proda-nic and Romeo Karaj, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Education, Skënder Laho and Leonora Çaro. In addition to the programs prepared by the children in the orphanages, the missions presented their own programs. In his speeches in Vlora and Saranda, MP Ridvan Peshkëpia spoke to the children and educators about the new place that orphans should occupy in the new Albanian society and about the importance of educating them free from political influences or various ideologies. Meanwhile, the programs of AMG INTERNACIONAL and the DP YOUTH FORUM have also expanded to include plans to build two new orphanages, one in Tirana and one in Durrës, as well as to continue helping existing orphanages. Assistance will also be extended to poor Albanian families. RD Correspondent NOTICE The chairmen of the councils of the [?] publishing houses, the secretaries of the editorial boards, and the editors-in-chief of the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike” and the Democratic Party’s local newspapers in the districts are hereby notified that on Monday, 13.11.1992, at 10:00, they are to be at the DP headquarters in Tirana, where a working meeting will be held. DP POLITICAL COMMISSION

The script was never filmed. The Stability Government was dissolved before reaching the finish line. Analysts are examining the causes. They are complex. Political. The Stability Government was the “hybrid” produced by the round table of five political parties. Four months ago, this “status quo” among the five broke down, and a coalition was formed between three opposition parties. From that moment, the alarm bells began to ring for the Stability Government. Suffocated, it survived for another two months. Social. Unemployment became chronic. Thousands and tens of thousands wander the streets. Workers. Cooperative members. Officials and specialists. And the unemployed have two alternatives: exodus or vandalism. Economic. Read on page 5 the article prepared by Mitro Çela.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM Regarding the draft law on the repeal of Decree No. 5196, dated 12.08.1974, entitled “On equating the Higher Party School ‘V.I. Lenin’ with the higher schools of the state system.” — Based on the law on the main constitutional provisions, the second paragraph of Article 6 of which states that political parties are entirely separate from the state; — Considering the fact that graduates of this school were educated in knowledge that serves only the Socialist Party and not today’s Albanian state; — Assessing negatively the contribution of these graduates to governing the country in the state of the dictatorship of the proletariat; We propose that Law system,” be repealed, meaning that graduates of this school should no longer be considered to have higher education. ARBEN IMAMI YLLI VESSIU MAKSIM KONOMI ALBERT KARIQI

STATEMENT A Propagandist for Northern Epirote Chauvinism — THIODHORI BEZHANI’S INTERVIEW CREATES UNNECESSARY TENSIONS BETWEEN ALBANIA AND GREECE. — The Democratic Party expresses its strong protest against the position taken by Theodhor(i) Bezhan[i], chairman of “Omonia” for Gjirokastër, in an interview given to the Greek newspaper “Kristianiki” on December 19, according to which “Omonia” will work in the future to detach from Albania the areas inhabited by the Greek minority and unite them with Greece. Such a statement, which needs no comment, does nothing but undermine the traditional atmosphere of understanding between Albanians and the minority in the south, and create unnecessary tensions between Albania and Greece. Mr. Bezhani may be right to demand all freedoms and rights for the Greek minority under the CSCE agreements. But he forgets that one of the sacred principles of Helsinki, whose implementation Albania and Greece, along with all of Europe and North America, have committed themselves to, is the inviolability of existing borders. From this perspective, comparing the territories of the minority with Kosovo is absurd, since it is well known that Yugoslavia was a multinational state, where naturally every nation should have had the right to self-determination. Moreover, we note that the position of the chairman of “Omonia” for Gjirokastër is contrary to this organization’s program and promotes Northern Epirote chauvinism. In such a case, it is the duty of the rule-of-law state to intervene and enforce the law. The Democratic Party calls on the Greek minority, the members of “Omonia,” its authorities and representatives, not to endorse and to condemn Mr. Bezhan[i]’s statement. We would also like the same from the Orthodox Church, during whose ceremonies quite unacceptable acts have taken place. DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ALBANIA

OPINIONS

On Monday afternoon, in one of the halls of the “Aleksandër Moisiu” Theatre in Durrës, the chairman of the DP, Prof. Dr. Sali Berisha, met with party members and supporters. The chairman of the DP’s governing committee in Durrës, Artan Hoxha, outlined the work carried out by this branch and the current tasks facing party members under the prevailing circumstances. Mr. Sali Berisha, wishing the meeting’s participants a Happy New Year, emphasized the achievements of the past year and the tasks for the new election campaign, in which democracy must win again, especially in the countryside. At the end, Mr. Saliu answered the many questions asked by the participants. Some questions concerned the DP’s position on the act of the terrorist Neri[t]an Ceka and the activities of several DP ministers. KUKËS On Sunday, in the square in front of the “Hasan Prishtina” Palace of Culture in the city of Kukës, the district branch of the DP organized a festive rally to mark the first anniversary of the branch’s establishment. Thousands of highlanders, members of the Democratic Party and its supporters took part in the rally. The rally was opened by the secretary of the district DP branch, Isuf Spahiu. The commemorative speech was delivered by the chairman of this branch, Mr. Shefqet Hoxha. The DP’s deputy chairman, Mr. Azem Hajdari, also spoke. KRUJË On January 5, a similar rally was also organized in the city of Kruma. Young men and women, workers from the Kruma agricultural enterprise, and farmers from the surrounding areas took part. The rally was opened by the secretary of the DP branch for the Kruma region, Mr. Zenel Kastrati. Then the chairman of this branch, Mr. Sejdi Peka, spoke. Among other things, he pointed out that the DP now has more than 1,100 members in Kruma and that its sections have been established in all the villages. Mr. Azem Hajdari then spoke. After highlighting the patriotic traditions and ... Democrats of the Has area and all of Kukës, he focused on several tasks for strengthening the life and activities of the DP, particularly its responsibilities in the countryside. LUSHNJE On Sunday, 5.1.1992, the Lushnjë branch of the Democratic Party, on the occasion of its first anniversary, organized a rally for DP members and supporters in the town cinema hall. Those attending as delegates from the center were Mr. Eduard Selami, DP Secretary, Mr. Tomorr Dosti and Mr. Dylber Vrioni, members of the DP National Council. The chairman of the Lushnjë branch, Mr. Kujtim Gina, gave the opening address, then gave the floor to Mr. Eduard Selami. After this meeting, a working meeting of the DP branch's governing commission was held at the Lushnjë DP headquarters, attended also by the three delegates from the center. RD CORRESPONDENT On the occasion of the commemorative feast of Regabait (the Night of Goodness), the Night of the Blessed Friday of Rexhep, and the first anniversary of the reopening of the Ethem Beu Mosque, the Presidency of the Islamic Community of the Republic of Albania is organizing the main ceremony at the Ethem Beu Mosque in Tirana, under the direction of Haxhi Hafiz Sabri Koci, Chairman of the Islamic Community of the Republic of Albania. We are honored by the participation in this ceremony of the chairman of the Meshihat of the Islamic Community of Macedonia, prof. dr. Haxhi Sulejman Rexhepi, head of the delegation, as well as the director of the Islamic Institute of the Islamic Community of Macedonia, prof. dr. Bahri Aliu, etc. The ceremony will take place on January 9, 1992, Thursday, at 12 o’clock, at the Ethem Beu Mosque in Tirana.

One of the symbols of the market economy, the STOCK EXCHANGE, has at last been officially inaugurated on Albanian soil. It came into being in an original way. One of the symbols of the market economy, the STOCK EXCHANGE, has at last been officially inaugurated on Albanian soil. It came into being in an original way, on the initiative of private individuals. At first, street by street. In the hotels of the hotels. In the city squares. This open-air exchange had the great merit of exchanging the lek for all foreign currencies: the dollar, drachma, lira and mark began to circulate. These days, this private initiative has taken a further step. The State Bank has also officially entered the picture. You will learn the details by reading the article published on page 2, entitled: “At the Dawn of the Albanian Stock Exchange.”