At major historical turning points, two fundamental elements always emerge: breaking with the old and building the new. In general, leaders capable of accomplishing the first element are called “destructive,” while those who restructure the future are called “constructive.” In his article published on Sunday, 12 April 1992, in the newspaper “Drita,” entitled “Intellectuals and Democracy,” Prof. Dr. Kristo Frashëri analyzes, with the sharp insight of a professional scholar, the role and importance of politicians in each category, emphasizing the urgent need for the “constructive” to become involved at the present stage of our democratic revolution. The division of a social transformation into “destructive” and “constructive” stages is conventional. In general, they retain this order, although they are intertwined with one another. At the same time, the people who lead such stages have distinctive characteristics. Usually, as Professor Kristo Frashëri also observes, the former stand out for their courage and culture, while the latter are distinguished by wisdom and broad learning. For example, the hero of Italian unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi, was brave and unyielding, with outstanding “destructive” abilities to accomplish the great historical task of ending the country’s fragmentation. After that stage, quite naturally, he withdrew, and the Italian political scene was dominated by the “constructive” Count Cavour, who laid the foundations of the modern Italian state. Yet history offers other examples, though rarer, of a single person possessing both groups of qualities. Mustafa Kemal was such a person: successful in warfare and equally persuasive and brilliant in organizing modern Turkey. Thus, historical precedents do not always offer a single solution. What is important for a democratic order is to create full opportunities for everyone to demonstrate their abilities. But this cannot be achieved immediately. Time is needed to organize all the democratic institutions that will make it possible to exercise intellectual capacities. At present, our intellectuals are more or less reflected in the picture shaped by the communist liberation order. It has often been said that outstanding intellectuals should be brought in and entrusted with major responsibilities. But there is something in this case that cannot be set aside. Alongside professional abilities, restructuring a social order requires civic courage. Who will tell Sali Berisha or Azem Hajdari, Eduard Selami or Arben Imami to take the lead of the student movement— SKËNDER SHKUPI (Continued on page 2) and was led rarer, of one the country to continue advancing toward political stability and economic prosperity. Greece, which highly values the traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation with Albania, Europe that your people will achieve its integration into Europe and your people will continue to advance the traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation with Albania, With respect, I wish to reiterate our belief that the Greek minority in Albania will play a role as a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Your election marks a historic stage in Albania’s march toward democracy. I offer my warmest wishes for the swift implementation of the reforms to which KONSTANDIN MICOTAQIS Prime Minister of Greece

— Not everything should be expected from a magic wand — The deputy was surrounded by his constituents as soon as he arrived in their town. People of different ages, with different suggestions and complaints. Among them were those asking the deputy to resolve problems that the local authorities could quite well have resolved for them, and should have done so, but there were also those who would have to wait until the central government began work. People have their concerns and when these become impossible to resolve, even temporarily, they complain to someone: the deputy is their first and most important point of contact with the Government, with the State. But what stood out most was that the overwhelming majority of complaints that surrounded the deputy FARUK MYRTAJ (Continued on page 2)

1. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food 2. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Order 3. Secretary-General 4. Minister of Finance and Economy 5. Minister of Foreign Affairs 6. Minister of Justice 7. Minister of Industry, Mineral Resources and Energy 8. Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations 9. Minister of Defense 10. Minister of Transport and Communications 11. Minister of Construction, Housing and Spatial Planning 12. Minister of Health and Environment 13. Minister of Education 14. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports 15. Minister of Tourism 16. Minister of Labor, Emigration, Social Support and Political Persecutees 17. Chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology 18. Chairman of the Control Commission REXHEP UKA BASHKIM KOPLIKU VULLNET ADEMI GENC RULI ALFRED SERREQI KUDRET ÇELA ABDYl XHAJA ARTAN HOXHA SAFET ZHULALI FATOS BITICKA ILIR MANUSHI TRITAN SHEHU YLLI VESIU DHIMITËR ANAGNOSTI OSMAN SHEHU DASHAMIR SHEHI MAKSIM KONOMI BLERIM ÇELA

Mr. President, I have just learned with great joy of your election to the highest office of the Republic. This event represents an important turning point in the history of your nation and marks the definitive end of a long period of isolation, encouraging Albania’s full reintegration into the family of Europe. I am certain that your democratic convictions will be the best guide for your people on the path that Albania has just begun to follow. Italy, which feels deeply connected to your country for a number of historical and geographical reasons, will continue, Mr. President, its efforts to support the Albanian people, confident that bilateral relations will continue to be fruitful. I wish to express to you, Mr. President, my highest consideration. FRANCESCO KOSIGA President of the Italian Republic On the occasion of your election as President of the country, I wish to convey to you my warmest congratulations and best wishes for the progress, prosperity and well-being of the friendly Albanian people, as well as success in your high mission and in your personal life. I am convinced that under your leadership Albania will accelerate advance its traditional ties of friendship and cooperation with Albania, despite the current delicate situation in your country’s political and economic life at the end of a long period of dictatorship. At the same time, I am certain that your commitment to Albania’s full entry into Europe will be crowned with success, and Italy will do everything possible to remove every obstacle so that this may be achieved as soon as possible. Still remembering the warm hospitality you offered me in Durrës, I send you my best wishes. XHANI DE MIKELIS Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic Most esteemed Mr. President, We warmly congratulate you on your election as the first democratic president in Albania. We know that this office is associated with great hopes, and we will make every effort to give you our support, including on the part of the Austrian government. Mr. President, The day after your election as President of the Republic of Albania, it is a pleasure for me to send you my warmest greetings on behalf of the Union for the Republic and in my own name. democracy. I offer my warmest wishes for the speedy— you aspire to. On the other hand, I am convinced that, under your leadership, Albania will make a firm contribution to restoring and maintaining peace in the Balkans, an essential condition for European stability. Repeating my greetings, please accept, Mr. President, the expression of my highest consideration. ALOIS MOK Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor of Austria Your Excellency, It is a particular pleasure for me to convey to Your Excellency my most sincere congratulations and best wishes on Your election as President of the Republic of Albania. I note with great pleasure that political developments in Albania demonstrate the Albanian people’s preference for democracy, and I believe that the traditional, close and friendly relations between our two countries and peoples will be strengthened even further during the period in which Your Excellency holds this high office. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. TURGUT OZAL President of the Republic of Turkey On behalf of the Commission of the European Community, I wish to congratulate you The general elections held in recent days, which were free and fair, provided encouragement to all those who hold the interests of the Albanian people dear. Your election confirms that the democratic process has taken deep root in Albania. Please accept the assurances of the European Community’s continued support for political and economic reforms in Albania, as well as my best wishes to you in the many challenging duties you lead. ZHAK DELOR President of the Commission of the European Community, Brussels On the occasion of your outstanding election as President of the Republic of Albania, I extend my warm congratulations to you. The result of the recent general and direct elections marks a turning point in your country, bringing it ever closer to the other European countries. I wish you complete success in carrying out your mandate. CATHERIRE LALUMIER Secretary General of the Council of Europe Most Honorable Mr. President, I warmly congratulate you on your election as head of the Albanian state. Your election is a renewed affirmation of the initiatives for the rapid democratization of Albania, as was also evident in the recent parliamentary elections. With you in office, democratic changes will also be implemented at the head of state. I look forward to our conversation during my upcoming visit to Albania, and wish you well in your difficult and highly responsible duties. Good fortune and success! HANS DIETRICH GENSHER Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany Dear Mr. President, I was very pleased to learn of your election as President of Albania, and I send you my warm congratulations on this occasion. You will now assume great responsibilities at a time when your country is moving along the path of political and economic reforms. You are aware that You undertake this with the good wishes of my government and the American people, and we will try to help you along this path. Good luck! With my warm personal regards. Sincerely, XHON E. ROBSON Deputy Secretary of the Treasury I wish to congratulate you I am convinced that relations between our two states will develop on the basis of the principles of friendship and cooperation, for the benefit of our states and peoples, and of peace and stability in the region. KIRO GLIGOROV President of the Republic of Macedonia Your Excellency, On the occasion of your election to the office of for me to send you my warm congratulations and greetings, and my wishes for success in carrying out your new duties. I take this happy opportunity to express my willingness to work together with you to strengthen the relations of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two countries. With the highest consideration, MOHAMED BOUDIAF President of the High Council of State of the Democratic and Popular Algerian Republic It is a very special pleasure for me to send you, on behalf of the Senegalese people and government, as well as in my own name, our warmest greetings on your outstanding election to lead Albania. My greatest wish is that during your term of office I will see cooperation between our two friendly countries develop on a basis of peace and justice. With the highest consideration, ABDOU DIOUF President of the Republic of Senegal Our many meetings, and in particular the talks we held a few days ago in Durrës, have confirmed my view that you are the most suitable person to lead Albania toward democracy. Your Excellency, On the occasion of your election as President of Albania, allow me to extend to you, on behalf of the government and people of the Seychelles, our sincere congratulations. I am confident that the bonds of friendship that exist between our two countries and peoples will be further strengthened in our mutual interest. With the highest consideration, FRANCE ALBERT RENE President of the Republic of the Seychelles

In Kosovo, which has been occupied by the Serbian government of violence, the cultural and national rights of Albanians have been gravely violated; Albanian-language classes have been banned in primary schools, secondary schools and universities; Albanian-language means of communication have been banned, programming on RTV Prishtina has been prohibited, and the only daily newspaper in Albanian, Rilindja, has been banned; Albanian cultural heritage has been looted or desecrated: archaeological finds and documents of national history have been taken, and Albanian-language books have been removed from libraries; All Albanian-language publishing and cultural activities have been put at risk, on the verge of being completely shut down; Literary and cultural creators have been put in existential danger and physically threatened; and they have been mistreated and imprisoned for expressing their thoughts and views. Seeing that Albanian culture in Kosovo and its creators are suffering cultural genocide, the Albanian PEN addresses international associations and international PEN, urging them to take steps to protect this endangered culture. PEN CLUB of Albania TIRANA-PRISHTINA

My best wishes on your election to the high office of President of Albania. You are the first president of a new era, and I hope you will have complete success in your efforts to make Albania happy, clean, cultured and humane. ISMAIL KADARE