Members of the presidency of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Messrs. Ali Aliu and Rexhep Ismajli, who are in Athens for the celebration of the national holidays, visited the DP headquarters. They were received by DP chairman Mr. Eduard Selami. The meeting was cordial. On Monday, Messrs. Selami, Dosti and Toto also received Mr. Olivier Dupuis of the Transnational Radical Party, who is responsible within the party for foreign relations, specifically for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. First, the situation in the Balkans was discussed; Mr. Dupuis said that he personally felt the situation in Kosovo had reached its limits and that efforts should be directed toward preventing another Bosnia. For his part, Mr. Selami stressed that Europe should be more forceful in resolving the Albanian question, since it was Europe that divided Albania almost 80 years ago. The efforts made so far have remained at the level of discussion. The results of the embargo are minimal. It must be understood that the conflict is in Europe, and it is the responsibility of the West to stop it and establish peace. But peace cannot be achieved as long as the ambitions of other nations are allowed to run unchecked and Milosheviçi is allowed to resolve problems only with weapons. Mr. Dupuis asked the chairman of the Democratic Party for the DP to join the Radical International, and Mr. Selami replied that he gladly accepted the invitation, but that time was needed to provide a response. The meeting took place in a spirit of mutual understanding. DP Press and Information Office

— 36 martyrs of democracy, innocent victims of the Stalinist dictatorship, are being exhumed after a lifetime of communist oblivion. — Honoring them is honoring all those Albanians who fought and fell for freedom and, at the same time, a major act by the democratic government toward national reconciliation and unity. The day before yesterday in Gjirokastër, Albanian democracy bowed with respect and special reverence before the unforgettable memory of the 36 martyrs—heroes of freedom, killed five decades ago by the black hand of red-and-black, Stalinist and Italian fascism. Every contemporary or student of the true history of Albanians in this century has kept in their heart a silent reverence, eclipsed by the inferno of dictatorship, and today feels profound gratitude toward the democratic government and Albanian democracy for the great legal and moral honor bestowed upon the martyrs of Gërhot. They were not traitors, as Enver Hoxha wanted to brand them. They were not terrorists, as Enver Hoxha wanted to make people forget. They were not anti-communists, warmongers and sellouts, as the palace of crime—the Party of Labour of Albania—wanted to stigmatize them. They were Albanians and democrats, patriots and brave men, peaceful and committed to the nationalist line. Were they traitors? Because they refused to ... collaborate with the fascist and Stalinist occupiers, Enver Hoxha wanted to make them so, because they did not work and fight for a communist, isolated Albania, a nest of crime and poverty, but for a truly democratic, prosperous and thriving Albania, an Albania where every citizen would feel free, happy and secure. Their “crime,” for which the dictator punished them, was to fight for a free and democratic Albania. By declaring them heroes, the democratic government honors their deeds and, in a humane way, all those Albanians who fought and fell for freedom; it honors freedom and national ideals. By declaring the martyrs of Gërhot heroes, the democratic government has taken a major step toward national reconciliation and unity.

After the Communist Party was outlawed, other parties are expected to leave the political scene. Thus, having failed to win 3 percent of the vote for parliament, the Agrarian Party must return 6450 lekë to the state, the Communist Party 4725 lekë, the Christian Democratic Party 1575 lekë, the Ecological Party 975 lekë, and the Popular League Party 450 lekë. Together, they amount to 143250 lekë. These parties are also debtors for [text unclear] as a result of the low percentage of votes they received in the local government elections of 26 July. If these parties do not settle their obligations to the state within the specified deadline, they will be considered bankrupt and will therefore automatically have to leave the political scene. The inspection authorities and the Ministry of Finance have no reason to show tolerance toward these parties.

A group of 30 Albanian refugees are on hunger strike at the office of the UN refugee organization in Belgrade, seeking to put pressure on it over their requests to be resettled in a third country; a UN spokesperson announced. After the fall of communism in Albania last year, the Commissioner suggested that they could return to their country, but they refused. Meanwhile, none of the countries contacted has offered to accept these refugees, she added. “They are in one of our offices and their presence is making our daily work very difficult. The police have been asked to help, but they have refused to get involved,” she added. (ATSH)

— The 2nd conference of the DP branch in Kavajë held its proceedings — — Mr. AZEM HAJDARI attends — The conference began with a minute of silence in honor of the martyrs of democracy and the victims of the upheavals. The report on behalf of the DP branch was then delivered by its chairman, Mr. Luan Skura. The report analyzed the branch’s work over the past year and its efforts to meet future tasks. “We come to this conference proud of what we have achieved and to define the tasks needed to preserve and strengthen it, Mr. Luan.” After the questions, the central representative, Mr. Azem Hajdari, took the floor and said, among other things: “The victory of democracy in Albania meant that it truly set out for Europe. The vote of confidence from 67 percent of the electorate on 22 March ensured that our program was endorsed. Now it is our bible. We must work to implement it fully. We did not win the vote of confidence merely as anti-communists; our program itself won it. We have not drawn up five-year plans to build kolkhozes; instead, we have devised and are implementing a program that guarantees freedom of speech and of the press, a program aimed at establishing capitalism as a system. Although now the task before us is its implementation. (Continued on page 2)

At the “war” headquarters led by Mr. Rexhep Uka, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food, we find information on the extensive damage caused by the major flood. A meeting has just concluded at which the losses have been definitively assessed [text unclear]. Information is being prepared not only for the country, but also for international organizations. But let us turn to the figures. Lezha: 6000 ha; Shkodra: 3170 ha; Kruja: 1042, etc. More than 6000 animals were lost or died, including small livestock, poultry, cows, etc. Electrical equipment was damaged, including transformers, panels, and concrete and wooden poles rendered unusable. Their value amounts to 102 million lekë. The commission established to assess the damage estimates that so far the total damage amounts to 350–400 million new lekë. In addition, nature’s fury also claimed several human lives. The first assistance was provided to evacuate residents of villages in the areas around Milot, Bregu i Matit and Laç. Not only that, but the forces of Operation “Pelikan,” led with dedication by General Carlo Ciacci, saved more than 40–50 lives; he himself came to these areas during the difficult days. And furthermore: immediately after returning from visits to Germany and Austria, President of the Republic Sali Berisha ... went to the flooded areas. His presence and the words he spoke left us with great spiritual and moral support, said a villager from Bregu i Matës. Among other things, within a very short period of time, the Council of Ministers decided to establish a task force to clarify and (Continued on page 4) [The] minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, [we] obtain full information on the damage caused by the great flood. A meeting has not yet been completed at which the figures are definitively established and signed off. Information is needed But let us turn to the figures... 1,545 damaged homes, with a value of more than 178 million new lek. Classes are not being held in eight schools; damage to bridges and roads is estimated at 26 million lek, while damage to embankments and small and large dams amounts to 12 million lek. The area of cultivated and uncultivated land whose structure has been damaged is around 1,680 ha, of which 6,600 ha about 1 La- [text truncated/corrupted]. [Equipment] such as transformers, panels, concrete and wooden poles have been put out of service. Their value amounts to 102 million lek. far the total loss is 350–400 million new lek. In addition to these losses, nature’s fury also claimed several human lives, making the pain even greater. Faced with it — human solidarity From the very first midnight of the disaster, the democratic government’s agencies were there with the people at risk. The State Civil Defence Forces, and the forces of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Order, provided

- According to a statistic from the State Control Service - From the inspections carried out by the State Control Service at various enterprises and ministries in the country over the past few months, it emerges that 85 cases have been sent to district prosecutors for criminal prosecution for falsification, abuse and theft involving large sums. Of these, one case has not yet been opened; 3 have been dismissed by the prosecution authorities; for 4 persons (Continued on page 2)

Eight months have passed since the historic day of March 22, when, through the free vote of the people, we legally ascended to the throne of power, with the mission, the trust, or the almost universally popular aim of overthrowing the 50-year-old PP or PS as holders of power. But on that very day, the task of transferring power into the hands of democracy de facto was also laid before us as a necessity. Achieving this objective cannot be accomplished in a day or a week; it is not without difficulties and unforeseen, objective and subjective problems. Nevertheless, it is vital for the future of democracy, for the complete and final eradication of communism, and for the success of reform. If we do not achieve this success, we give time for the old system’s ideas to survive or be cultivated among the young in words or modern colors, through theories and practices; we place in jeopardy the success and continuity of the democratic forces in power. This would have serious consequences for the fate of democracy in our country, for the aspirations of the nearly half a million victims of prisons or internment, and for all our people, victims of one of the most inhuman dictatorships and of absurd and anti-Albanian experiments. So, have we fully concentrated in the hands of the democratic forces the power the people gave us on March 22? Are we exercising it fully, with the necessary depth and breadth? The eight months that have passed, even with an opposition that is not very strong, entitle us to say that we have not—and have not managed to—take power fully into our hands and use it with maximum productivity and efficiency to achieve our near- and long-term objectives. It is clear, and has been fully proven in practice, that we have [text incomplete: “kemi i çdo sistem (apo pushteti po-”]. Power is economic power. But who holds economic power in life today, for the time being? The state continues to be a sick patient kept alive with oxygen from the world. Much concern has been expressed that in recent years economic power has been seized and is being held tooth and nail by those who held political power before March 22. It is highly significant to point out here that among the approximately 9,000 people in Tirana with legalized documents for private production and commercial activity, more than 70 percent are employees or officials of central government departments, at the forefront of the Ministry of Foreign and Domestic Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Order, the State Security Service, the Central Committee of the PP (S), its committees, or the district executive committees. Reports with insignificant differences are also heard from other districts of the country. Businesspeople and officials continue to grow rich and eagerly rush to enrich themselves as much as possible by any means. They did not start the race from the same starting point as the previously privileged businesspeople. They are favored by the credibility inherited from the power they enjoyed and by the capital they were able to obtain through legal or illegal means. We undoubtedly help them too, through our delays in carrying out privatization, through failure to implement President Berisha’s decree on checking the origin or source of their wealth, through not bringing in serious, powerful investors from the diaspora or other countries, and through the broad limits they enjoy in currency exchange, trade and pricing. So far, we have also been unable to take judicial power fully out of their hands. This is also because reform in this field has not yet been felt strongly. Most of those who [text corrupted/incomplete] have put criminal will above the law, or a phone call and a piece of paper from some Enverist lackey or old-timer, continue to enjoy the status of justice employees, even though they have trampled and severely tarnished it and have long since ceased to deserve it.

have long since ceased to deserve it. Reform has not been carried out with the necessary depth and breadth in the ministries either. Go to the Prime Minister’s Office and you will see many people whom you saw in the offices or corridors of this ministry years ago. The same is true in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Public Order, Trade, Construction, etc. Naturally, the point is not to carry out a radical purge of officials or socialists without regard to the fact that there are also capable and honest people among them who are needed for the work of democracy. The problem is that, because of subjectivity, favoritism, cliques and nepotism, people have been kept on even though they were discredited, or have often been discredited in the wider public or among their colleagues, for incompetence, punishable abuses of office, or as incurable Enverists who spread poison against democracy not only among their families but beyond them as well. In earlier articles we gave names to demonstrate the shallowness of reform in the ministries. We could give others in today’s article, but the list would be long. The time we give them by delaying or tolerating them is being used with maximum productivity and effectiveness to sabotage us and consolidate themselves for a comeback. Not infrequently, we put up with and tolerate them even when they abuse democracy, when they trample the laws with both feet, and even when they openly harm democracy! They retain and exercise part of the power...

Practices of this kind in every system (or government pow-

[Those who] sent thousands of people to prison, [text corrupted/incomplete]

They also govern through their people placed in our ranks, or through “democratic” elements without ideals or principles, businessmen without principles, who do their work through incompetence and corruption. It is thus clear that even now, eight months after March 22, we have still left power in the hands of our opposition. We are feeling the consequences now, but sooner or later we may feel them even more. For the time being, they are using their capital for business. In the next elections, when they have multiplied it many times over, they will also use it in the electoral battle to regain power. The strengthening of their positions, thanks also to our mistakes and weaknesses and to the distrust of us among many people lacking political and democratic awareness, has emboldened and embittered them. They showed us this openly and without hesitation after the July 26 elections. In the district where the socialists won, their big broom swept the democrats away without mercy. In our reform, we must not fall into the trap of communist nepotism and biological [text unclear], reviving and copying their old practices of witch hunts, “class struggle,” etc. Let us not forget that what we have done, and must do better and with greater determination, is now also being done by the new president of the United States: “Its victims will not be accused of witch hunts and class warfare” [text corrupted]. These will be normal and necessary measures to bring it to light. And this is not a matter of [unclear]. This means that we have much more right to carry out a profound reform of the administrative leadership apparatus at every level!

— According to a statistic from the State Audit Service From the audit reports conducted by the State Audit Service in enterprises and government departments