— Greetings from Mr. Andon Thanasi, who is in the homeland these days — Your government’s invitation is a great honor for us. It allows us to visit our beloved homeland once again. We have come here knowing all the serious problems facing our Community, and we are trying to oversee matters after decades of suffering following the Second World War. We are aware that human needs must be met first. Recently, we have helped with the means at our disposal to alleviate the suffering that Albanians are experiencing today. In the future, too, we will continue to send [sic] supplies and financial aid for these essential needs. Our mission today is also important for all those who inherit spiritual sentiments belonging to the national and religious aspirations of all communities, both here and abroad. We are convinced that the historic independence of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania must be preserved forever. This independence is now at risk with the appointment of a clergyman of foreign nationality as head of the Church. We do not wish to dwell further on this matter. We have come here hoping that our experience with these problems in the past will help resolve this situation, which is so serious because it concerns the very essence of the legitimate national aspirations of all those who are Albanian Orthodox. We are not alone in this matter. Our position is supported by the ardent backing of our Catholic and Muslim sisters and brothers, both in Albania and in the United States of America. Our silence on this matter would add further pain to the memory of the Albanian martyrs who gave their lives to defend our people’s inviolable right to express themselves fully and freely—which means worshipping God in their mother tongue and having their own Albanian priests and archbishop.

1. Equality is satisfying... One day, a bread-maker worked his field and sowed rye. The crop was very good, but the cold had damaged it. At night, while everyone was asleep, the enemy went into the sown field and scattered weed seeds among the rye. No one noticed anything until the plants began to sprout. “What shall we do? Shall we pull up the weeds?” the owner’s workers asked. “No,” the farmer replied, “because along with them we would pull up the rye, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then we will pull up the weeds, burn them, and put only the rye into the barn.” (Bible Stories, 1992). 2. The transition period calls for swift decision-making. Albania is undergoing an extraordinary situation of political, economic and psychological transformation. While the old system and its new burdens have not been completely neutralized, the new system has not yet crystallized. The restructuring of institutions and economic reform have only just begun, while corruption, a product of the former power-holders, is operating at full intensity under the regime. The remnants of the past, masterpieces of antidemocracy, are making every effort to break the people’s morale by obscuring the future. They are now advocating a hypothetical, immaculate democracy in which the judge sleeps with the wolf, and the persecuted are reconciled and embrace their persecutors. The difficulties are compounded by the fact that many people want to solve all the problems inherited from the dictatorship in a single day, without establishing any order of priority. Others prefer short-term, half-baked solutions in the regions to serious, longer-term solutions. In these extremely complicated circumstances, when the President and the government need the necessary calm to act more swiftly and accurately in making crucial decisions for the good of the country, a group of self-proclaimed “Founders of the DP” appears. They have completely lost touch with the people, yet mistakenly claim that popular revolts elevate them to a pedestal and regard them as the sole work of the DP, to which they belong. 3. What do those who have left the DP represent? Various opinions circulate about them: that they are individuals brought into the DP ranks by others, careerists, and so on. Let us examine this phenomenon. We emphasize that diversity of opinion concerns the tactics to be followed in achieving the strategic objectives that distinguish the DP from other parties. Diversity of opinion is also present during the drafting of the strategy. But once this strategy has been approved, tested and proven, it becomes something sacred for all party members and representatives; all debate is then about adapting it. From this perspective, the gentlemen in the opposition chose to strike at the most vulnerable point. They did not agree to include in the DP ranks the political persecutors, the genuine dissidents who were sent to prison by the forces of antidemocracy. But who would have trusted the DP without the participation in its ranks of the de facto fathers of democracy? How could elections have been held and power taken without the votes of that part of the people who had felt the oppression of the communist regime to their very bones? Could a moderate intellectual, a pioneer of change, have decided to sacrifice himself so that the people’s votes would go in favor of the self-appointed? As for the claim that you are deserving intellectuals who kept the University lecturers and Tirana’s intellectuals at a distance because you feared their competition: gentlemen, all your actions have contradicted your final goal—the removal of power from the hands of the antidemocratic forces. You demanded that solutions be reached without reform, promoted the cult of the Government of Stability, spoke everywhere against other DP leaders while securing the support of left-wing parties. You did not take part in the July 26 elections, but used the “independent newspapers” to misinform the public on the eve of the elections about the alleged existence of imaginary factions. Now you shed “crocodile tears” over the failure to achieve results; this was the moment to come out openly with your divisive intentions. Gentlemen, at this very delicate moment you wanted to change the course of our ship, which is sailing through a very turbulent sea. Fortunately for us, the true captain did not let you change course, and we will forge ahead. At the general meeting of the ship’s crew, it was generously decided that you should leave. ARBEN TASIKO

After 48 years in exile in Italy and the USA, having been branded a criminal by the communist dictatorship in his homeland, Mr. Ramazan Turdiu, a member of the Central Committee of “Balli Kombëtar” since its Second Congress in 1970, arrived in his homeland for the first time in these days. A pharmacy graduate of the University of Bologna, married to an Italian woman, Mr. Ramazan Garibaldi lives with his two children (daughters) in New Jersey, USA, where they have been since 1956. The day before yesterday, at 7 p.m., Mr. Turdiu held a large meeting with Tirana residents in the main hall of the Palace of Congresses. The meeting was opened by Mr. Rinush Idrizi, who also presented a brief biography of Mr. Ramazan Turdiu. Mr. Turdiu then took the floor. He focused on describing emigration and many other issues inherited from the wartime period; he spoke about the organization of the Youth of Balli Kombëtar, its contribution and disagreements with Communist Youth on the national question, Mukje, the figure of Mit’hat Frashëri, and the organization of Balli Kombëtar, its confrontations with the occupiers and its 1942 Decalogue, emphasizing that this organization traces its roots to: 1. the Albanian League of Prizren, etc. Among other things, a recording was played of the message Mit’hat Frashëri delivered on Radio London on the occasion of the formation of the “Free Albania” Committee in 1949. Those present then asked numerous and interesting questions. He said that B.K. is against no other party except the Communist Party. Albania, devastated over 47 years, cannot be put right in 47 days or even 47 months; therefore, patience and a little work every day are needed. Our assistance, too, will not be lacking. I, too, am working to arrange for aid to come to the party as soon as possible from my pharmaceutical company in the USA. Yesterday, Mr. Turdiu met with the Minister of Justice.

- By decision of the competent authorities, the “Skënderbej” Military High School in Tirana and the Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Tirana were declared closed. - These days, large-scale entrance examinations are being held for admission of young women to higher education programs in all fields announced in the press. - Future programs are considering the possibility of moving to two- or three-year schools in various technical and agricultural specialties. - Of the locomotives contracted through the General Directorate of Railways and the “Krup Lohns” company in Germany, because of defects, only 823 days of work were completed out of the 2,203 planned. - Losses from the immobilization of foreign transport wagons and their assignment are estimated at 2,340 thousand US dollars. - In violation of the law, the Tirana Railway District Directorate rented depots to the “ADA” and “Transver Service” companies at an initial value of 866 thousand lekë, while citizen A. M. was given a floor of Tirana railway station valued at 320 thousand lekë, but without an appraisal document. In addition, director A. K. bought three IFA vehicles and a small truck from private companies without having an investment fund or approval from the General Directorate of Railways. - Employees of this Directorate of Railways (DPH) who travelled abroad were overpaid 13,330 lekë, and expenses incurred by foreign companies in 14 cases, amounting to 1,363 US dollars, were not collected. Those responsible for all these violations were subjected to legal measures.

—Zëri i Popullit—, on August 9, 1992, reports the first discovery of a “bottle” [unclear] “Accusation of bureaucracy.” —An 18-year-old boy, victim of the bread queues. But what is the truth? The article concerns the victim, 18-year-old Aranit Dragusha. As if in keeping with their scenario of destabilization and discrimination against democracy. All the blame has been laid on them, and they are filling people’s ears with what democracy has brought them: the day has come when people die even in bread queues! Let us consider the concrete facts of that incident. On the 7th, 8th [date unclear], citizen Shpëtim Hane got into a fight with an electrician. Aranit Dragusha was left dead. He was stabbed with a knife. Citizen Shpëtim Hane suffered minor injuries in the fight and is in hospital receiving treatment. These are some of the preliminary, established facts. The statements of ...

The newspaper “Zëri i Popullit” published an article on 9.8.1992 entitled: “An 18-year-old boy—a victim of the bread queue.” We would like to inform the public that this article distorts the truth about the reasons for the killing of Aranit Dragusha. The investigation conducted so far indicates that Eduard Pepa had an argument with Shpëtim Hana near the bread shop at around 1 p.m. on September 7, 1992. Six hours later, Eduard, together with his friend Aranit Dragusha, who had not been present during the initial incident, met Shpëtim Hana away from the bread shop. During the ensuing argument and knife fight, Aranit Dragusha was wounded and died on the way to hospital, while Shpëtim Hana was seriously injured and admitted to hospital. We emphasize that the killing of Aranit Dragusha was not connected with the bread queues. Spokesperson for the Shkodër District Investigation Office.

It was reported that during the six[th month?] of ’92, at around 1:30 p.m., a citizen of the [unclear] or the perpetrator of the crime was lying, burdened with ... They managed to come to light, saw and shouted at him ... Thus, Bedriu’s article is entirely a slander. The killing and injuries that they have admitted ... his journey to Shilla ended in a brawl in Shkodër, but no article of this kind was published in the newspaper ... There is only one important, understandable thing here: carrying out their activities in a ... A citizen of the [unclear] or the perpetrator of the crime was lying, burdened with ... They managed to come to light and see ... Thus, Bedriu’s article is entirely a slander. The killing and injuries ... Why has Bedriu pushed so hard over this one case? You say you speak for all the people, but the whole people ask you: ... Readers are now fed up with the tales, slanders and intrigues of “ZP,” the organ of the PPSH. TONIN ZEFI “RD” correspondent The cause of this article was the counterintelligence article by Besa Sela, concerning people including “ZP,” dated 12.6. [unclear] Selami, as a director in “1992. «Crypt[?] of the DP, Eduard Se—» [garbled] ... in control of the State Security ... this SHIU, because director of the Ministry of the Army. From beginning to end, this article is permeated with deception and lies. At the beginning, Mr. Beso writes, among other things: “The State Security—the beloved and faithful weapon of the PPSH”—has passed into the hands of the DP. A year has passed since the Albanian Parliament legally halted all activity and disbanded all the former structures of the State Security, its ministries and the former Army Security Branch. Further on, the article continues: ...” Another lie... The cause of this article was the counterintelligence article by Besa Sela, concerning people including “ZP,” dated 12.6. [unclear] Selami, as a director in ... From beginning to end, this article is permeated with deception and lies. At the beginning, Mr. Beso writes, among other things: “The State Security—the beloved and faithful weapon of the PPSH”—has passed into the hands of the DP. A year has passed since the Albanian Parliament legally halted all activity and disbanded all the former structures of the State Security, its ministries and the former Army Security Branch. Further on, the article continues: “... as a new State Security structure, ... the first ministries ...” ... “The truth is that ...” It goes on to say that “... in this situation, the appointment as head of the Counterintelligence Branch ...” ... the President of the Republic ... The article then describes ... ... the issue raised concerning Besnik Selami’s record ... Besnik Selami is involved, and here too you are lying, comrades ... ENGJELL TOSKA

- Milan Pançi, dubbed the politician of promises, justified this personal note at a meeting with Lord Carrington, where he claimed that he had proposed peace between Serbs and Croats and later between Serbs and Albanians. His remarks about Kosovo astonished the Englishman so much that he expressed doubts about the Yugoslav politician’s recurring statements.