The chairman of the group for ethnic issues, national minorities and minorities of the Peace Conference on the former Yugoslavia, Geert Ahrens, held a meeting at our Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Dervish Dumi, Director of the Directorate of Multilateral Cooperation and International Organizations, and other senior officials of this Ministry. As is known, Ahrens chairs the talks of this representative [?] school [?] iltat [?]

From January 24–28, 1993, a delegation of the People’s Assembly led by the Chairman of the Presidium, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, will make an official visit to Greece, at the invitation of the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, according to the announcement sent by the People’s Assembly. (ATSH)

Bill Klinton spent his first day as President of the USA in the White House. Celebrations for the event continued until midnight. What was special about this concert was that, for the first time, a U.S. President took part in the presidential concert not merely as a spectator. Klinton went up on stage and played the saxophone for the millions of Americans watching him enthusiastically, once again showing what he has said so far: that he will change many things about «old America». The exhilarating atmosphere seems also to have helped Klinton’s speech, in which, among other things, he made a statement of the kind usually made during an election campaign: «Just 100 days are enough—he said—for the changes to begin». «On his very first day, just one hour after taking the oath, Klinton signed an executive order establishing rules for his administration, an order that, according to him, would limit possible abuses and corruption in the administration. Soon he will introduce a law permitting abortion: «Women must be free to make this choice themselves». Surely his wife Hilari, a lawyer, also influenced this law. Klinton also promised that higher education would be tuition-free: «Students», he said, «must work voluntarily in nursing homes, with the police, and help the poor». And what about foreign policy? The tense state of the world obliged Klinton to deal with it immediately as well. A very significant decision in this respect is that Defense Minister Dik Çenei is to remain in his post for a few more hours. Moreover, his initial statements suggest that Klinton will take a hard line in resolving problems in the world’s trouble spots. Thus, he declared that there would be relations with Iraq, but not with Sadam. He also stressed that he would take a hard line on the problem of the former Yugoslavia, but that, in any case, he would initially continue trying to achieve a peaceful solution and establish a no-fly zone. Under the Constitution of September 17, 1787, and the 25 amendments approved from 1791 to 1967, Klinton, like all Presidents of the USA, will remain in office for 4 years. Surely, during these 4 years Klinton will once again confirm the role of the world’s largest democratic state, establishing justice and peace in the world, and carrying forward the work of his predecessor, Xhorxh Bush, to establish democracy in all post-communist countries.

Propaganda against reform, A FIXED IDEA OF COMMUNIST CONSERVATISM After every new step that marks a profoundly qualitative change in the orientation of the Albanian economy toward a free-enterprise economy, ultra-communist counter-propaganda does its calculations in the darkness of society, where the communist mafia has built its entire life, its revenge and its way of dealing with the Albanian people. The anti-reform phenomenon, presented under the pretext of defending the underprivileged classes; the anti-reform phenomenon, appearing as a classic communist revanche and as a way of defending social equality, is also a means and a tactic for undermining the newly born democracy. What inspires this political category to launch such an attack against reform? The fact is that this counter-propaganda is unique and perennial, appearing in the forms of attack—specifically, the struggle known in communist doctrine: namely, legal struggle (through the press, parliaments and the streets), illegal struggle (in the form of clandestine actions, extending to the ranks of the grassroots organization and the old bases of communism), and struggle coordinated with concrete actions such as the strikes in Policant, Bulqizë and Ballsh. This makes it clear that communist conservatism is a dangerous aggressor against democracy. This is also because counter-propaganda against reform, against President Berisha and the democratic state, has become a fixed idea, a communist madness. What really inspires these exhausted Bolsheviks to launch this coordinated action against democratic reform? First, through this counter-propaganda they are trying to paralyze administrative reform, which has only just begun in our institutions. In this way, Bolshevik conservatism is trying to retain as many of its own contingents as possible within the democratic administration, in order to serve it. Second, propaganda against reform is propaganda that, through anti-privatization, tries to prolong the transition as much as possible; prolongation that will bring people fatigue and loss of patience. In other words, it will bring, according to them, the destabilization desired by the conservatives. Third—and this is the main purpose of this entire Bolshevik attack—they want, through actions, strikes, thefts and political tensions, to make the reform fail. And, if they cannot go that far, to make it as unproductive as possible. MUJË BUÇPAPAJ

The American Cultural Center, in cooperation with the National History Museum, organized the opening of a photo exhibition on the elections in the United States of America the day before yesterday, in one of the halls of the National History Museum. This event was organized on the occasion of the inauguration marking the start of the American President William Klinton’s work. At precisely 19:00, when the exhibition ceremony was being held, in the USA the first man of the Americans, Bill Klinton, was carrying out the formalities for the transfer of the presidential office. The American ambassador, Rajerson, noted the importance of this day for Americans and said that the USA had supported, and would continue to support, democratic processes in Albania. He said that a democratic Albania would be a factor for peace in the Balkans and that the USA would do everything possible to resolve the ethnic problem in the Balkans, and especially the Kosovo issue. Senior figures from science, culture and politics, as well as journalists from the press and media, were invited. Afterwards, for those present, Mr. Cynthia B, Caples, head of the American Cultural Center, hosted a cocktail reception. N. CEKA sacrifices friends and himself The leader of archaeology and political alliances, Neritan Ceka, hastily declared that there are 11 spies in the Albanian parliament, former collaborators of the State Security service. His statement is simply a personal fabrication, but it is also a party statement, a declaration by a political force that claims it will elect 6 deputies to the Albanian parliament. It is not known for certain whether Ceka is serious in making this statement, but, given the fact that Ceka was head of the files and of the Kocollarit Archive for 8 months, one must think that N. Ceka’s 11 spies are real. Judging by the facts known so far, it emerges that Neritani has some justification. Accused of being a de-

. The World Bank has granted Albania a loan of 40 million dollars to expand the water distribution network in the district of Durrës. 10 million dollars have been provided to restructure the distribution network, where six foreign companies work, including the Italian company Loti. In addition to this amount, the World Bank will give Albania a further 30 million dollars for a new water supply system, a pumping station and a reservoir, whose construction will make it possible to have water without interruption.

On 21.1.1993, the prosecutor, Mr. Teodor Mosko, delivered his closing arguments against the defendants Ne-Xhimije Hoxha and Kino Buxheli, accused of embezzling state property on a large scale and abuse of office. On 21.1.1993, the prosecutor, Mr. Teodor Mosko, delivered his closing arguments against the defendants Nexhmije Hoxha and Kino Buxheli, accused of embezzling state property on a large scale and abuse of office. The prosecutor, on the basis of documents, witness statements and the defendants’ own testimony, concluded that the two defendants, acting in collaboration with each other, had committed embezzlement involving large sums to the detriment of the state from 1986 through 1991. In conclusion, he declared them guilty and requested sentences for each defendant in proportion to the degree of culpability. Nexhmije Hoxha was declared guilty only of theft of state property on a large scale and, on the basis of Article 62 of the Criminal Code, the prosecutor requested that she be found guilty and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment; Kino Buxheli, meanwhile, was declared guilty of theft of state property and abuse of office, and a sentence of 9 years’ imprisonment was requested for the two offenses. There are many different views and opinions about the trial of these two defendants. Some say this is a sham trial. Nexhmija should be punished for genocide, for stealing the gold and for 47 years of abuses as a member of the ruling elite. Nostalgics, meanwhile, say this is a political trial and Nexhmija is being punished for nothing other than being Enver Hoxha’s wife. This, they say, is being done for political purposes. Others say: “Poor thing, they’re picking on an old woman.” Now let us justify the trial one by one. To the first group: That is true; she should be punished for genocide and for 47 years of corruption. I agree with you too, because Nexhmija was among the scriptwriters of all the filth the Party perpetrated while in power, or, as they call it, the PP, the Mother Party. But in a democracy, documents are needed to prove her guilt for genocide and theft of the gold. Nexhi’s tracks are concealed here, because, as she held no direct office, there is not a single document bearing her signature for genocide. But the period after Enver Hoxha’s death makes her guilty of theft, because she did as she pleased, and her signature appears on all the documents relating to the thefts. She took from the state not only what she was not entitled to; she trampled on the people’s sweat. Therefore, the sentence requested by the prosecutor seems reasonable and appropriate to me. To the nostalgics: Gentlemen, you can see that this is not a political trial, but you want to give it political overtones for your own interests, to destabilize the country and create anarchy; but that will not happen. History cannot be turned back. The people say: “You fool, Valarene’s mule, Ali Pasha was beheaded.” As for a political trial, don’t worry; you will see and hear plenty of it very soon. You will see when they sit down to answer for their actions in the dock: the head of the red dome, Ramiz Alia, together with the members of the dome, the former Politburo members. Then you nostalgics—or former common criminals, faithful tools of the red dome—will not utter a peep, but will prick up your ears to hear your own names too, names stained with blood. So be quiet and repent instead; the persecuted believe in God, and God forgives the sins of those who repent. Some people feel sorry because she is old. That is true. She is old. But do you know what this old woman, whom you pity and feel sorry for, did for 47 years? She lived in luxury. She led a fairy-tale life. While village children’s lips were parched for a ... (Continued on page 4) NEXHMIJE HOXHA TO 14 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT. KINO BUXHELI TO 9 YEARS.

The security [of] such things. His statement is simply a personal fabrication, but claims to steal 8 seats in the Albanian parliament. It is not possible to know for certain whether Ceka is serious in this statement, but, taking into account the fact that Ceka was head of the files for 8 months and [the role of] Irakli Kocolari, Neritani is somewhat right. Accused of being an informer by his victim, A. Qorri, Ceka has nothing left to do but prove that he is not alone. In his statement he presents himself as competent and thinks he should be believed precisely because, having been inside himself, he knows his fellow spies very well. By mentioning the number 11, he deliberately fails to mention the names of his work colleagues and the president of the moncionists, Molotov Zeqo and Ridvan Peshkëpia, accused in the press by their victims. It seems Ceka has decided to sacrifice himself and his friends, bearing in mind the principle that whoever tells on others gets a lighter sentence: President CEKA continues to lie! After his well-known lies, the former favorite of R. Alia, christened “president” after the moncionists’ congress, continues to lie in an even more original way. Twice in a row, in personal statements, N. Ceka published in the press the notation “Sent to” “ZP,” “RD,” etc. We know he did not lie about “ZP,” because he published there, because that is where he sees himself; but as for “RD,” no material has ever appeared there, so he is misinforming and shamelessly lying. Neither of his two personal statements was ever delivered to “RD,” as Ceka claims. We do not mean by this that he did wrong by not bringing them to us, since we would not want to publish the various lies of liars and political chameleons, but we mean that an intellectual should never do what Ceka does, because otherwise he would not be an intellectual but a street fortune-teller, like the one who shouts in front of the “Arbëria” hotel every morning. Letter from Drita to the lawyer! Dear lawyer! You continue to shine in your dirty work, just as you did years ago, just as our party taught you, the party that you and your parents served blindly. Bravo! You are the only lawyer in the world who, in four pages, drags the honor and names of 47 politicians, journalists and innocent people through the mud. You are the only intellectual and politician in the world to insult a generation of colleagues, who [love?] your nation and do the work of 30 talkative, dissolute women. You are the only person in the justice system who calls for a press law and talks about violations of human rights while, anonymously, violating a citizen’s most elementary right: the dignity, personality and moral character of dozens of people. With no respect whatsoever for your shamelessness and your ... [unclear] (A victim of your madness) “R. D”

Members of the National Council of the Democratic Party are hereby informed that the next meeting of this council will be held on Saturday, 23.1.1993, at 10:00, in the hall of the National History Museum. The Press and Information Office-