Press conference by the Director of NATO’s Political Committee, Mr. XHON KREINDLER Yesterday, before the NATO delegation left our country, the head of the delegation, the Director of NATO’s Political Committee, Mr. Kreindler, held a press conference for Albanian journalists. Present during the conference were also a member of the delegation, Colonel Ricard Kohen, the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Ilia Vasho, and the military adviser to the President, Colonel Adem Cobani. Mr. Kreindler first expressed his pleasure at the hospitality extended to the delegation. “From the moment we arrived,” he said, “we felt that we were honored, that we were among friends.” He then gave a brief account of the visits he had made in our country and of the important meetings he had held with senior figures: President Berisha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff, and members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. “During these meetings and visits,” Mr. Kreindler continued, “we had the opportunity to provide important information on some issues of partnership and cooperation within the framework of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, of which Albania is the newest member. We also had the opportunity to understand your side’s views on issues that are important to both you and us. This visit makes an important contribution to the further development of relations between NATO and Albania. We are interested in helping you integrate with international institutions.” Regarding the reform carried out in the army and the processes of democratization in general, Mr. Kreindler said: “I express my admiration for the process of democratic political transformation and military reform, which we have heard a great deal about and which have been very clear to us.” Mr. Kreindler then answered questions from journalists. In response to a question about the restructuring of the Albanian army, Mr. Kreindler said that during visits he had made to several military units and bases, he had been impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the people. “In this regard,” he said, “NATO can provide considerable assistance for the future reform of the army by sending experienced experts.” Continuing his answers about the development of army reform, Mr. Kreindler added that he had been moved by what had been accomplished. In response to a question about Albania’s rapid accession to NATO, Mr. Kreindler said that for the time being there were no plans to change the number of NATO members, but that Albania, through its participation in the Cooperation Council and in various other ways, was actively taking part in the Alliance’s activities. “You do not have to be a member to benefit from NATO projects relating to security and stability,” Mr. Kreindler stressed. Nevertheless, there would soon be a NATO ministerial-level meeting, and he hoped Albania would take part. Regarding NATO’s position on the issue of Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia in general, Mr. Kreindler stressed that NATO would support the efforts of the UN, the Council of Europe and the CSCE to establish peace, and would work to ensure that the decisions of the London Conference were implemented and that Kosovo Albanians enjoyed their rights. In this regard, Mr. Kreindler spoke positively of the Rugova–Paniq dialogue. In response to a question about converting the military industry to civilian production, Mr. Kreindler replied that this had to be viewed in close connection with the market economy. “We,” he continued, “are considering a plan to help Albania with its military industry.” At the end, Mr. Kreindler once again expressed his pleasure at his visit—a visit that was the first by a NATO official of this rank. We continued for this crime. It is right to punish a driver who causes an accident through carelessness, but it is inconceivable that those responsible for a catastrophe of such economic magnitude should go unpunished. It is not true that there are no documents or facts concerning the “gold affair”; what is true is that this matter cannot be resolved by pleading with thieves. The gold can be found in the same way it was stolen. But the criminals mock the leniency of the principles of Helsinki. At all costs, they try to lull democracy to sleep and smother it by appealing to its magnanimity. The collectivization of livestock and the destruction of forests, flora and fauna are also major crimes that can be documented, just as the value of the destruction, thefts, arson and all the other acts of vandalism committed during 1991–1992 can be calculated. Economic crimes of unbelievable proportions have also occurred in other spheres which, at first glance, seem to have little to do with the economy.

From 14 to 16 October 1992, the third annual conference “Global Markets in the 90s” was held in Washington. A delegation from our country, headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Kopliku, also took part. The conference addressed economic issues at the international level, emphasizing analyses of the economy during 1992, viewed in close connection with the problems expected to arise during the 1990s in general and, in particular, those at the beginning of the 21st century. During the conference, Mr. Kopliku held a number of meetings with participants and experts in economics and trade, who expressed particular interest in a comprehensive legislative framework that would make it easier for foreign investors, mainly from large and developed countries, to enter the country. Mr. Kopliku exchanged views on the reform in Albania and heard their opinions and suggestions regarding concise, clear and flexible regulations that should minimize decision-making procedures and make them as efficient as possible. During his stay in Washington, Mr. Kopliku met with specialists and businesspeople, with whom he discussed solutions to Albania’s most urgent economic problems, particularly emphasizing the issue of heating for this winter and for the future. He also visited the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), where he was received by the Deputy Director of the FBI, Mr. Daglas Gou. On his way back to his homeland, Mr. Kopliku made contact with the UN office in Vienna and with officials of the UN Commission on “Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.” They discussed the study and report by this organization on the situation and measures to improve work in Albania in combating crime through the institutions specializing in this field, as well as the general legal framework connected with this area. ATSH

The entire domestic and foreign activity of E. Hoxha’s regime was criminal and anti-national, but in the field of the economy it was truly monstrous. The people must be made aware of the scale of the economic crimes and who was responsible for them. There are many; let us recall some of them. There has been much talk about turning Albania into a country of bunkers; they say there are more than 600,000 bunkers and thousands of tunnels and shelters. But to this day no precise figures have been released showing the extent of this damage. “In the world, people say that each citizen is entitled to so many cars or so many rooms to live in; in Albania, they say that each citizen is entitled to so many bunkers or ‘works’ by Enver.” Everyone acknowledges that instead of being a second liberation, the “Steel of the Party” Metallurgical Combine became a third world war for Albania. Yet no one provides precise figures that those responsible for such an economic catastrophe should not be punished. It is not true that there are no documents and facts about the “gold affair,” but it is true magnanimity. The collectivization of livestock, economy. I do not know the functions of the Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies, nor do I know what its annual budget was, but I know that, among other things, it was also responsible for publishing political literature, especially the “works” of E. Hoxha. An analysis of the value of those “works” is beyond the scope of this article, but while the contents of those “works” may make you smile with disgust, the wounds they inflicted on the economy are not at all something to laugh about. Let us take just “The Titoists,” a special edition in terms of its binding, print quality, and so on. The minimum price of such a publication on today’s foreign book market is in no case less than 20 US dollars. The print run is 150,000 copies, which amounts to 3 million dollars! On the special glossy-paper cover of the “work” “The Tilitists” there is a small inscription that caused another great wound in the budget of workers and peasants: “The book ‘The Tilitists’ is published in Albanian and several other languages.” There is no doubt that those “several other languages” snatched at least another 3 million dollars from the mouths of Albania’s hungry children. “Imagine how much this people paid for the dictator’s grandiose delusion, bearing in mind that there are more than 300 Albanian-language and foreign-language editions and reprints of his ‘works’!” Now the direct or indirect culprits of this crime howl: “What good comes of these calculations? Do we gain anything by punishing the guilty? This is revenge, this is revanche! Is this how we will go toward Europe? Where is democracy? We stand for unity; we stand for national reconciliation!” They are lying; they are afraid of punishment, and that is why they howl, because they know very well that there can be no national reconciliation, no rule of law and no social justice without examining the past and punishing those responsible for this great tragedy. No revenge at all, only justice! NEKI KALAJA – Economist

Yesterday afternoon, debates that had begun on Friday continued in the Council of Ministers’ hall between the Government and the BSPSH. At the end of this meeting, the Government agreed to meet the demands presented by the union’s representatives. Thus, the minimum wage will be increased by 25 percent. In other words, the minimum wage used to calculate social support and social assistance will rise from 675 lekë to 840 lekë. Pensions will be increased by an average of 25 percent, taking into account the differences among the various types of pensions. Meanwhile, food compensation for pro- The allowance for persons in charge of those categories of employees with lower income levels is increased by 20 percent. The measures concerning the above shall enter into force on November 1 of this year. Following the concerns raised by BSPSH, it was agreed to reduce personal income tax, starting with salaries of 4,000 lekë and above. Thus, salaries up to 4,000 lekë are not subject to tax. TRIBUTE TO THE MARTYRS OF DEMOCRACY Yesterday afternoon, in the theater hall of “Aleksandër Moisiu” in the city of Durrës, the “Durrësi” Association organized the meeting (continued on page 2)

As part of the humanitarian aid being provided by the government of the Republic of Turkey to meet the urgent needs of the brotherly Albanian people, 10,000 tons of wheat have been sent as a gift. The ship “Tirana,” which brought this quantity of wheat, arrived at the port of Durrës on the evening of 12 October 1992. After this shipment of wheat, valued at 3,100,000 dollars, a considerable quantity of millet will also arrive in Albania as aid in the coming months.

The Democratic Party, formed under the conditions of a harsh communist dictatorship that had openly declared its incompatibility with the new democratic formation heralded by the DP, fought until the historic victory of 22 March as a strong organization, with a dedication that was also of a high standard in terms of discipline. After taking power, many DP branches lowered their political propaganda, reduced the level of organizational work, accountability, discipline and obedience to decisions taken within the party. We have observed this in many branches, but this particular assessment was prompted by the state of the DP in Kuçovë. In this branch, the Party appeared divided, unable to make decisions and paralyzed by an entrenched leadership group. A spirit of anarchy, indiscipline and division prevailed there, based on groups, clans, preferences, levels, strata and cultures. There, a clan championed the spirit of the initiator, the initiator as an absolute superman, who was deemed superior to the Democratic Party… with new elements, intellectual idol-worship. A grouping, by its very nature dispersive, is neither talkative nor megalomaniacal, but nor is it motivated. The mass rallying cry, “Where was he in December?” would greatly damage the DP, because it would drive away new people who until now, in a sense, had remained unaffiliated and undecided about joining a party. Failure to respect decisions of the branch presidium is also a sign of indiscipline. In every democratic party in the world, party members follow their party’s statutes, even in how they conduct themselves in their section, in the branch and in its activities. A party cannot be subjected to the ego of one person or another, regardless of whether that person was an initiator, was persecuted, or contributed to democracy by sacrificing everything. A party has rules and discipline; without them it cannot understand the situation, organize itself or make decisions. Every sub-branch and branch must submit to the normal functioning of the party in resolving every issue, which is achieved either by consensus or by voting, but not by monism. The fact that the greatest struggle and tension were directed precisely at careerism is explained by the fact that in some cases those who had obtained a position had found jobs for their brother, cousin or friend, or put them on a list to go abroad. Yet the Kuçovë branch was paralyzed. It operates in genuinely difficult terrain, in a former communist stronghold, but this cannot justify the anarchy that existed there. It is painful when someone who has sacrificed and contributed to democracy sees them fighting tooth and nail for a position. Careerism will seriously harm the DP and all of Albania unless we strip it away like an old garment inherited from the past—from the state, from a committee office. This is the first deterioration of democracy and its abuse by the new bureaucracy. Starting from this case and others like it, we will emphasize the need to establish the necessary discipline in party life. The DP is indeed an electoral party, an open party, but like all the democratic parties of the world, it must establish a proper system of conduct within its sections. Every democratic party, regardless of the openness and tolerance it allows within its ranks, has strict rules governing the conduct of every member—rules that are clearly defined and must be followed. As they reorganize, the DP branches and sections must consolidate discipline. With the distribution of new membership cards, it is necessary to remove those who are undisciplined, those who have damaged the party’s image during this period, or those with a dishonorable past that harms the DP. Regular meetings, dues, accountability for assigned duties, punctuality and seriousness in making decisions must all be carefully observed by every DP member. Particular attention must be paid to coordinating the party’s activities and establishing order and discipline. Discipline sustains a party; anarchy destroys it. MUJE BUÇPAPAJ Let us take a few examples: The Party of Labour, being a party-state, had created a bloated and entirely unnecessary bureaucratic apparatus that duplicated the state administrative apparatus. This entrenched apparatus squandered colossal sums every year, drawn from the toil and sweat of the wor-

During these days, since the beginning of the new academic year on 1 October 1992, some political forces, such as the PS through its newspaper “ZP” and others, have tried to politicize the situation in the “Student City” to the extreme. During these days, since the beginning of the new academic year on 1 October 1992, some political forces, such as the PS through its newspaper “ZP” and others, have tried to politicize the situation in the “Student City” to the extreme, exploiting to the utmost certain difficulties caused by bureaucratic procedures concerning students’ financial support. On this occasion, the Presidium of the Pan-Albanian Student Union, on behalf of Albanian students, strongly protests against this unscrupulous attempt by the PS to create tension and discontent among the student community, with ulterior motives arising from its desire for a comeback to power. We Albanian students understand perfectly well the hypocrisy of these advocates, since it was precisely their signatures that closed our universities in March 1990, committing an unprecedented act in the modern history of Europe. We, as the largest national student union, independent of the influence of political parties and their politics, also take this opportunity to thank President Berisha and the democratic Government for the consideration shown in providing us with state-subsidized scholarships and half-scholarships. This once again demonstrates our democratic state’s commitment to improving students’ living conditions. However, we ask that in future our government act more promptly in responding to students’ requests. On this occasion, we express our positive view of the democratic government and our strong support for President Berisha in consolidating democracy and overcoming the difficulties of the transition. For the Pan-Albanian Student Union Chairman GJOVALIN SHYTONI