Our editor Petro Dhimitri learned at the Presidency, through the spokesperson, Mr. Genc Pollo, that this week the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. SALI BERISHA, will depart for a working visit to the USA. On 15 June he will be received at the White House in Washington D.C. by the President of the USA, Mr. XHORXH BUSH. Working meetings are also planned with the head of American diplomacy, Xhejms Bejker, as well as with senior representatives of the American Congress and Senate. This is the first time that a US president has received a head of the Albanian state. Without doubt, this is a special diplomatic event for our young democracy. On this occasion, esteemed and honored Mr. Sali Berisha, in your mission as President of the Republic of Albania, we wish you to present the problems of democracy and the Albanian question as well as possible to President Xhorxhe Bush and the American world. The people have great hopes and confidence in you.

...the strengthening and renewal of power and all its forces to deceive the people according to its 50-year tradition, presenting the movements and departures of cadres as an expression of a new monism, of a new class war, whose victims supposedly are only its eternal «underprivileged» members! No more than 2–3 years ago, it itself had smeared some of these people in the pages of «ZP» as bureaucrats, incompetent and corrupt, whereas now it is pleading for them, defending them as if they were cultural monuments. Naturally, there is nothing that surprises or astonishes us. PP or PS and «ZP» are accustomed to inventing enemies, victims, dangerous phantoms even where none exist; to make black white and hell paradise, and to turn the criminal, the corrupt and the immoral into a great hero and patriot, an inventory of professors bent under the weight of a sackful of titles and merits... The changes are being made on the basis of purely democratic criteria, also drawing on international experience. Bureaucratic mindsets, monist and partisan preferences, factions, favoritism, family ties and clans have made leadership a monopoly of people of the same ilk and the retinue of great and small bloc-men. Can these petty people still be left in the posts where, especially during these two years of the communist-socialist haze, they have even sucked the people’s anemic blood? Of course not. The fallen and the living, the innocent victims of these power-holders and their gruesome dictatorship, would not forgive us; nor would all the people, who desire and await a great, positive, democratic and genuine future. (Continued on page 3) democratic and genuine future. (Continued on page 3) …governmental and parliamentary. This alliance is successful… communism and neocommunism, building democracy… …we also need each other’s opposition. An inter-party alliance under democracy implies differences in programs, and we cannot…

On Monday, 8 June, the first congress of the RP began its proceedings in the hall of the Higher Institute of Arts. Besides the delegates, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Mr. Skënder Gjinushi, a delegation from the Italian Republican Party, as well as delegations from the Republican Party of Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo, the Popular Democratic Party, the Initiating Council for the creation of the RP of Macedonia, and ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Tirana, etc., took part. The opening address was delivered by the deputy chairman of the PRSH, Mr. Zef Bushati. Then the chairman of the RP, Mr. Sabri Godo, presented the report on behalf of the party’s Steering Council. It assessed the RP’s role in our democratic movement and the victories of 22 March, offered an in-depth analysis of achievements, shortcomings and weaknesses, and set out tasks and objectives for the future. Questions and discussions followed. The congress was also addressed by the chairman of the PDSH, Mr. Eduard Selami. At the final session, elections for the RP’s new governing bodies were held by secret ballot. This congress is a significant event not only for the RP, but for all the genuine democratic forces in our country. «RD» correspondent

We consider the historic victory of 22 March a shared victory, and one of the reasons for this victory was undoubtedly the alliance we formed before the elections. This alliance bore fruit at every level of government and parliament. This alliance is successful because it is founded on the struggle against communism and neocommunism, the building of democracy in Albania and, above all, our national interests... Albanian political life, which has only just begun to develop in a contemporary pluralist way, needs republican political thought. We need one another’s help, but we also need one another’s and we have no reason to be concerned about them; on the contrary, this is the very essence of democracy. What is required of us is to rise above these nuances, strengthen our cooperation and our alliance, which, like democracy itself, is still young and has its problems. The elections for local government bodies will be a new shared test for us and for democracy, and as the DP we are convinced that in these elections we will find a new path of cooperation for the good of our victory, which will be a victory for democracy.

To date, so many newspapers have been printed that no one can say exactly how many there are, let alone list their titles. The newspaper market ranges from party newspapers to «Kush?», «Antena», «Reklama», etc. But just as the newspapers are «varied», the paper they are printed on is equally «surprising». Some are printed on paper from Lezhë; seven major newspapers in Tirana use paper supplied by the American foundation «ZP». One uses Russian paper purchased in Bulgaria, while it is not known where those that are being set up get their paper… The source of paper in the country is the paper factory in Lezhë. THE STATE OF PAPER AT THE LEZHË FACTORY. This factory has been closed for a year because its condition is in question. And with … it was put in a state/condition during the period of its enterprise… [partly illegible] the Albanian newspapers. It was done… for material needs, but it was also said that this enterprise was… at that political time, in order to stop the free Albanian press… The director of the Lezhë factory, Mr. Cane Palushi, says that uncertainty about the continuity of production makes it impossible to enter into contracts with relatively long terms. The supply of paper to various newspapers is arranged directly for a production run. The main problem is securing caustic soda. The quantity of soda that came from Germany, very limited, is not 30 t. but 20 t.; according to the account, 3 t. were taken by the fiber factory in Shkodër. These days, 20 t. of soda are expected, for which the factory’s truck has set off for Greece. With these 20 t. of soda, 120 t. of paper can be produced. At present the paper factory produces 6–7 t. of paper a day. This includes paper for newspapers (newsprint rolls and sheets), paper for… [damaged text], ordinary paper, paper for ATSH, and paper for textbooks. Mr. Genc Palushi says there is demand for paper especially from newspapers in the districts… that use sheet paper. The quantity of 6–7 tons a day can be sold. The current price for one kilogram of paper is 44 lekë, and it is expected to rise very soon. Regarding the claim that different newspapers are sold the same quantity of paper of equal quality at different prices, the director said that this is not at all true. The price is the same for all newspapers. WILL NEWSPAPER PRICES GO UP? While there has been much talk lately about increases in the prices of imported goods, this is connected with the population’s basic material needs. Meanwhile, an increase in… newspapers is forecast. Will they…? [part illegible]

These days the President of the Republic, Dr. Prof. Sali Berisha, issued the decree long awaited by the people to investigate the acquisition of wealth by Albanian government officials who have started private activities as individual traders or as joint firms with foreign businesspeople. This constitutes an act of political, economic and social importance, clear evidence of the determination and consistency of the DP and the Government to eradicate communism completely, and to bring before the court of law, the people and history all those who have been exposed sucking the sweat and blood of the people like leeches, engaging in macabre trade in their bread, health and lives. The book of red corruption in Albania is voluminous. It is the collective work of the communist-socialist mafia. Deciphering it will take a great deal of time and energy from the financial police, the state audit, the investigative authorities, the courts and journalists. But it must be deciphered, from the first page to the one being written these days. If we do this as soon as possible, attentively and with a sense of civic and national responsibility, we will become convinced that its first and principal authors are the dead or living «gods» of the Albanian Olympus, the red pashas in the great block in Tirana and their stewards in the smaller blocks in the districts. For many years the people have whispered or spoken about their deeds and misdeeds, because they have eyes and ears, because they have felt them like knives in their backs and bodies. There is no doubt that the leaders, many members of the PS, and the journalists of «ZP» are also well aware of this. Some of them may be witnesses or even accomplices. But, as successors and disciples of Enver Hoxha, Ramiz Alia and their close comrades in ideology, following their 50-year-old tradition, they want—and are doing everything they can—to cover up or erase forever the traces, great or small, old or recent, of abuses, thefts, unscrupulous tricks and crimes. For some time they have wanted to secretly destroy or burn compromising documents concerning communist-socialist party and government officials, with the intention that, when their files are opened, the evidence that emerges will make them look like angels. Knowing well the protection the party has given them, they swagger around Parliament and elsewhere like heroes and martyrs defending the people’s interests, as the most privileged people. But however hard they or the file-room rats try, they will not erase all the truths; many clear traces will remain, requiring no particularly careful or painstaking expert examination. During these two years, when the PP or PS became convinced that it would not be able to hold on to power for long, according to a scenario… [the article continues; text cut off and partly illegible]

Starting Wednesday, 10 June 1992, the newspaper «Rilindja Demokratike» will be published three times a week, on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The press distribution agencies and the branches of the Democratic Party in the districts (in cases where the latter handle distribution) should make the necessary arrangements. Subscribers must submit the supplementary number. THE EDITORIAL OFFICE

The holy festival of Kurban-Bajram gives me the pleasure of expressing, on behalf of the Democratic Party, my warmest and most sincere wishes to all Muslim believers. “Many happy returns, now and always.” May God be with us! Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania EDUARD SELAMI The celebration of Kurban-Bajram gives us the opportunity to address all Muslim believers at home and abroad with the wish: “Happy holiday, and many happy returns of this great day.” THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF «RILINDJES DEMOKRATIKE»