Do we help or take revenge? At the very beginning of 1992, our first democratic president made a significant gesture by giving special recognition to the great contribution of the Albanian diaspora during the struggle for democracy. This is an undisputed merit of our diaspora. Then the question arises: why did this diaspora, so committed to freedom and democracy and so energetic in all political battles against the unacceptable Albanian dictatorship, fall silent today in the “final sprint” of democratic reforms and the market economy? Or perhaps, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the barriers of the walls, the boundary of its moral obligations, still unfulfilled toward its country of origin, also fell away? This is only one part of the answer. Beyond it, there remains another important factor linked to the psychology, tradition, and culture of relations between the Albanian state and the diaspora. These relations, distorted by the former regime, which viewed the diaspora either as an enemy or as a propaganda tool, have left consequences even today. Instead of creating a real climate of trust and cooperation, reservations, prejudices, bureaucracy, and indifference were often preserved. Therefore, today a new appeal is needed: let us sound the trumpets of civic patriotism. Civic patriotism is not rhetoric. It is expressed through deeds, through investments, through concrete help for the school, the hospital, the municipality, the road, the private enterprise, and those in need. It is expressed through a willingness to contribute without expecting decorations, without demanding privileges, and without using aid as an instrument of political influence. Equally, civic patriotism requires transparency, seriousness, and gratitude from the state. An outstretched hand must not be left hanging. It is not difficult to understand that our country needs a broad mobilization of the diaspora’s capital, knowledge, and human connections. Our ruined economy, unemployment, poor infrastructure, lack of entrepreneurial experience, and the challenges of transition cannot be faced with enthusiasm alone. Real bridges with the diaspora, joint initiatives, encouraging laws, guarantees for investments, and a civilized climate of relations are needed. Seen in this light, the diaspora’s help should not be expected either as charity or as revenge. It should be understood as participation in national renewal. Only in this way can we move beyond the mentality of dependence and enter the culture of shared responsibility. The time has come to sound the trumpets of civic patriotism. [Note: parts of the text are unreadable in the image and have been reconstructed only partially with low confidence.]

The American president and the British government, among other things, also discussed the economic problems of this country during this visit. This also explains the fact that members of the British government were included in this delegation. Meanwhile, several explanations have also been given regarding the purpose of this visit.

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- The second conference of PD Fier[?] - On Wednesday, in Korçë, especially in the afternoon, on March 22, from this branch? [the following text of the article is very unclear in the image] (continued on page 3)

FROM THE VISIT OF THE BUSINESS DELEGATION IN NEW YORK Prime Minister Berisha[?] received Mr. Kopliku The British Minister of State for [?] [the text of the article continues, unreadable] (continued on page 3)

Dr. Hysen Çobani [the text of the article cannot be fully read because of the orientation and quality of the image.]

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The Albanian Helsinki Committee, based in Skopje, Macedonia, Archive, 14 issued 87/4? a protest addressed to the Serbian government in Belgrade. The protest refers to the event of [?] and articles from Kosovo, stating that more than 1,000 Albanian employees of the publishing house “Rilindja” in Pristina, among them writers, journalists, and other workers, were forcibly expelled from their workplaces. The protest emphasizes that this act constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression, as well as part of the policy of differentiation and repression against Albanians in Kosovo. [the end of the text is unclear in the image.]