From Mr. Selami’s meeting in Shkodër On Friday, October 23, a meeting was held between the citizens and intellectuals of the city of Shkodër and the chairman of the DP, Mr. Eduard Selami. The chairman of the Presidium of Parliament, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, was also present. Mr. Uruçi emphasized that this meeting was organized by the Shkodër branch of the DP on the eve of its conference. “I am convinced that this will be of service to us,” he said. Mr. Arbnori then took the floor and, among other things, said that we are facing a campaign of destabilization launched by the PS. It is now clear that, for the DP, the freedoms and rights of Helsinki are sacred, but the PS has apparently misunderstood our conduct and taken it as a sign of weakness rather than as a sign of tolerance and democracy. An attempt is being made to shake democratic authority, which is now established even at the center. The chairman of the PS speaks badly of democratic processes during his visits abroad. Yesterday’s persecutors are presenting themselves as victims. The newspaper «ZP» has embarked on a campaign of lies and slander. Nothing but protests, nothing but mourning. Not a word in support of reform, the government, or democracy. Mr. Arbnori went on to stress that the DP began as an intellectual movement and would retain that character. On the other hand, nobody should think that we hold former villagers and workers in contempt. No. But intellectuals have their leadership role in the new society. At the meeting, Mr. Uruçi spoke about the PS’s destabilizing conduct. We hope they will change, but we have not paid them much attention and do not intend to, because one cannot expect a political force that bears responsibility for our shared misfortune to change and become constructive. The leaders must renew themselves and understand that with the fighting and quarrelling they have waged with everyone and among themselves, there is no prospect and no hope for Albania. But that is another matter. What concerns me is that everyone should understand; that is why we are conveying this message: we want your help, we want your support, we want you to stand behind us. The DP was conceived as an open party, as a movement to which the most rational and progressive forces came of their own free will. Alongside those among us who came with good, idealistic aims to help progress, there also came people with narrow personal agendas, people who identify democracy with their own personal well-being. They have hindered the participation of capable people. But this is normal; it has to do with human nature and not only with the DP. There has also been a psychological inhibiting factor. People grew tired of political talk. This is attributable to disappointment with the PP, where people joined simply for the sake of a career. We too have encountered this kind of morality and psychology, which had to be overcome—not for short-term aims, not to achieve something for oneself, but because this is how democracy works. The uniting of forces and the drawing in of the most qualified people, those who will become ministers, members of parliament, senators, mayors. We accept our responsibility, but since we are open to anyone who wants progress, I believe responsibility also falls on those who have been inactive. We are guided by this philosophy: we will build Albania together. The DP deserves credit for having come forward courageously and with a commitment to build Albania. But Albania does not belong to it alone, nor does it belong to the DP Presidium or its branches in the districts. It belongs to us; it is shared by all of us. We will all build it, which sake of a career. [Fragment continuing the previous article:] …reform, the government, democracy. They could not implement the policy; we have encountered this kind of… Later, Mr. Arbnori stressed that our… with their people and with r… The DP began as an intellectual movement… leadership role in the new society. The chairman of the PDSH, Mr. Eduard Selami, also took the floor at the meeting. “I would like,” Mr. Selami said, “to deliver my brief remarks in the form of a discussion and exchange of suggestions, because I have come here not only to exchange experiences, but also to learn from your suggestions, observations, and questions. I would not want to add anything to what Pjetër said about the policy of de—” (Continued on page 4)

TIRANA President Berisha received the Banka Di Roma delegation The Italian delegation was received by the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, who, among other things, expressed his pleasure and appreciation that a reputable bank such as Banka Di Roma was undertaking a major initiative at a time when Albania needs capital, as well as expertise. The Italian delegation was received by [text corrupted] fully ready to welcome them, and potentially able to [text corrupted], and in particular, for the excellent work of the «Pelikan» operation. The president of Banka Di Roma, Mr. Pelegrino Kapaldo, after expressing his thanks for the reception, assured them that this was only the beginning of a major and fruitful undertaking. President Berisha also expressed his thanks for the great assistance Italy has given Albania.

As we were informed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on October 29, 1992, the two co-chairmen of the Peace Conference on the former Yugoslavia, Lord Owen and Cyrus Vance, will arrive in Tirana for a working visit. During their brief stay, they will hold high-level talks concerning the crisis and conflict in the former Yugoslavia. It is known that one of the main topics of the talks will also be the situation in Kosovo and the Peace Conference’s efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading to other regions and countries. The Albanian government and our public as a whole welcome the start of direct talks between Rugova and Panic, which have focused on meeting the legitimate demands of Kosovo’s representatives, such as lifting the state of emergency, restarting the education system, which has been blocked and paralyzed by the Serbian regime, restoring normal conditions in Kosovo, respecting human rights, demilitarizing Kosovo, etc.

At the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Alfred Serreqi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Guido de Marko, will make an official visit to our country from October 27 to 29. Also invited by Minister Serreqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Zdenko Skrabalo, will visit Albania from October 28 to 31. (ATSH)

— Interview with the President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. AHMAD MOHAMED ALI, given to our journalist SHPETIM LUKU — — Question — Mr. President, this is your first visit to Albania. What is the purpose of this visit? Answer: I came here in response to the invitation of the Albanian Prime Minister, Mr. Meksi, and in response to this invitation I found an opportunity to get to know Albania, since the Islamic Bank is interested in having Albania within its ranks and helping it. I am happy to have visited Albania. Another purpose of my visit here was to provide official information about the activities of the Islamic Bank. — Question: I, too, am interested in communicating information about the activities of the Bank, whose president you are, to the readers of the newspaper «Rilindja Demokratike». Can you help me? Answer: The Islamic Development Bank, headquartered in Jeddah, was established in 1975. At the beginning of its activity, it consisted of 22 countries. Today that number has reached 44 countries, which are also member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The 17th annual meeting of the Board of Governors will be held shortly. [The source text appears to omit part of the answer here.] long-term (1988). This scheme is primarily geared toward exporters and importers in the private sector. — Question: Why should Albanians be pleased that their country has been admitted to this Bank? What benefits will Albania receive from it? Answer: Albania will benefit from the Bank’s financial activities, which include providing loans for projects in infrastructure, industry, agriculture, and trade. Loans granted by the Bank have low interest rates and can be repaid over approximately 15–20 years. Albania will also benefit from technical assistance, specialist training, and training courses. Our specialists will come here, and your specialists will receive training with us. — Question: Have you managed to form an opinion about Albania? Answer: I had heard of Albania as a communist country. I had also heard about its consequences and the difficulties Albania has faced during these two years of transition, but I observed improve—improvements. I am convinced that your country will emerge from backwardness in a short time. — Question: Doctor Ahmad, is what you are saying a friend’s assessment or a conclusion based on evidence? Answer: First, I want to emphasize that Albania has a high level of literacy. A well-educated human resource is the basis of technical progress. Second, Albania has energy resources and other resources. Without even mentioning its other advantages, these factors, combined with good organization and supported by assistance, lead me to believe that my conclusion is justified. ...which you are communicating to the readers of the newspaper “Lindja Demokratike.” Can you help me? - in 1975. At the beginning of its operations, it consisted of 22 countries. This number has now of the Board of Governors of this Bank will soon be held in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran. To make it possible to use greater financial resources, the Bank has followed three stages; - The establishment of the Investment Deposit Scheme (1980), which accepts deposits from institutions and individuals for use in import-financing operations. - The establishment of the Islamic Banks’ Portfolio (1987), which includes a total of 23 Islamic banks. - The establishment of the Trade Financing Scheme

THE PS IS PREPARING PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT On October 23, an expanded meeting of the Governing Council of the Socialist Party was held in Tirana. The materials from this gathering were published in «ZP». Even a cursory glance at those “speeches” immediately reveals the revanchist, antidemocratic, and anti-national character of this gathering, or meeting of communists calling themselves Albanian socialists. For a party that officially announces, “We must ensure that the recent concerns that have led to the non-enforcement of the law are turned into a movement through lawful popular demonstrations,” cannot be acting in Albania’s best interests. “The DP raised people at rallies to gain political capital; let us make them aware of the violations of rights being committed against them.” It has been said so clearly that no comment is needed. In other words, the PS will now incite the people to protest en masse against the DP and its government. This is because the DP, too, used rallies. What a chilling argument! Gentlemen, anti-Albanians calling yourselves socialists, do not forget that the DP and the other opposition parties brought the people out to rallies, but not for political capital. Those rallies were the great expression of popular hatred of the communist dictatorship, represented by your mother party, the PPSH. The people rose up so that Albania, too, could enter the path of European development, because Ramiz Alia was shouting that Albania should not accept pluralism and that Albania was not included in the CSCE. Do not forget the history of our own times, you gentlemen who so quickly forget the damage done by Enver Hoxha and Ramiz Alia, damage that went on and on… The DP never held cell meetings, as is your tradition. It only had to put out a call for demonstrations and the people came of their own accord, even at risk, because sympathizers stood ready to attack. And how can the people’s great desire for democracy and freedom so quickly be called political capital, when people themselves witnessed it? No, never, no! The people can never accept that. And not only that: even now, while they are living through difficult times (because the economy cannot flourish in the blink of an eye), this people, democratic at heart, who know well what communism was and what the PS represents, will not follow you. They know that you have merely painted your skin white and are still the same “you” you have always been, representatives of a party that bears primary responsibility for the physical misery of this people and for its suffering. So, no matter how hard you try, at most you may organize some kind of demonstration, as you did in Poliqan, but you will fail again. The people gave this government their vote. They know there are many difficulties, and they know mistakes will be made too. But they see that mistakes are also being corrected, so they will never act under the influence of your revanchist calls to overthrow this government, the first democratic government in these 50 years of your “victorious” communism, when, according to you (back when you carried a PPSH membership card), we were the happiest country in the world. Just how anti-Albanian this call is—and that it was not invented by «ZP» and cannot be dismissed as a correspondent’s mistake—is also shown by the opinion expressed at this same gathering by Mr. Brokaj, who welcomed the efforts of the united communists to establish links with foreign investors. He also speaks of advantages, then confirms a bitter truth: “…foreign companies will not come to Albania to invest if political stability continues to be absent.” And can a country be stable when the party that lost power calls for the people to be brought out to protest rallies against the government? Therefore, any party that takes such action or makes plans for such rallies does nothing but prolong the homeland’s illness, directly undertaking an openly hostile act against it. Only our most ideal “European” PS openly says it recognizes no authority other than the one to which it gave its vote in the local elections. According to the logic of our socialists (read: communists), the government should be a puppet, unable to do anything, because the decisions it makes and the directorates it establishes on a professional basis are supposedly all driven by totalitarian aims, and therefore the PS will not recognize them. In these circumstances, just like the communist cells or meetings of the PKSH activists held underground in the past, our “renewed” PS is preparing to turn the wheel of history backwards. It even makes the absurd claim, publicly declaring: “We want to convince people that we are capable of governing to the extent of the mandate the people have given us.” Yes, they are right: for 50 years, while they usurped power, they showed just how well they knew how to govern. And not only their “professors”: these successors under a new name have also shown how well they can govern. During the Government of Stability, they secured loans and opportunities for themselves, for well-positioned socialists, and for their relatives, and seized economic power, openly emerging as profiteers. They had no principles and did not care about the people; they rushed after licenses and personal benefits because they had always been accustomed to privileges. There is no need to name names. In every city people know very well those former communist or socialist officials who made their fortunes during the year of stability. Apparently, there are too few of them for the PS, which now wants to push the country into a course of destabilization. As if the poverty into which the PPSH led us, the destruction wrought by dark forces (which disappeared as soon as communist rule fell, because their strings were cut), and the difficulties that are natural in the first phase of the system we want to build were not enough. Therefore, people, stay vigilant and do not trust those people whose membership cards date back to the ill-fated year of 1941 and thereafter, and who have had, almost ever since, the tribune of this land’s misfortunes, which still abusively bears the name «Zëri i popullit», even though the people rejected the voice of communism with their free vote. Threatening calls for demonstrations and rallies are coming from this party immediately after the failure of its frontal assault to enter a coalition government, because they cannot do without the “benefits” that power brings them, because they regard power only as a source of personal gain. They are not to blame: their predecessors educated them, gave them those lessons and that experience, and that is why they cannot live without being in charge. But the people cannot be deceived. One district or two might be deceived, but an entire Albania will never act against its own interests for the sake of a party whose international credibility is close to zero, since it is not even admitted to the Socialist International. PETRO DIMITRI