President of the Republic Sali Berisha departed for Switzerland to take part in the 23rd edition of the World Economic Forum. He will attend the opening of this edition in Davos, a city in northeastern Switzerland and the traditional venue for the Forum’s meetings. For one week, under the direction of Hans-Ditrich Gensher, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, and the co-secretaries Aklo Morka, president of the “Sony” company; Karl Otto Poni, former governor of the Bundesbank; and Edgard S. Voolard, president of the powerful chemical company “Du Pont de Nemours,” the Forum will examine the possibility of bringing together all economic forces for a global recovery. Around 1,200 participants, mainly prominent businesspeople and experts in the economic field, are taking part in this very large meeting. The politicians invited by the Forum generally represent countries that will be at the center of the Forum’s economic activity. In this context, President Berisha’s participation has aroused particular interest. Swiss television has scheduled a live interview with him for 19:30 on Sunday. During these days he will also meet with some of the most prominent figures in the world economy who have been invited to Davos.

The revival of the thirst for power—a social-communist diagnosis ...BARK, JUST BARK AND SEE, ONLY A STICK AND FOR YEARS, LOST IN THE FOREST, AFTER ITS OWN VOICE. ALI PODRIMJA A ballad for the end of the century. A ballad for the Albanian conservatives gathered on communist platforms, where the flags of regression and antidemocracy wave. A ballad for those who killed us, imprisoned us, isolated us, massacred us, left us in poverty and ignorance; denied us our dreams, smiles, joys and loves; killed the honors of our past and the years of our future; poisoned and denigrated us as a nation and as a faith, as a generation past and future. A ballad for the descendants of E. Hoxha, the sons of former ministers; former prosecutors; senior secretaries; investigators and judges. A ballad for the servants of the dictatorship, its ministers and professors; a ballad for the collaborators of State Security, informers, spies; demagogues, liars, hypocrites; careerists; the corrupt... a ballad for all those who have stood in the way of democracy’s caravan and are seeking to plunder and violate, calling for a crusade and self-isolation. For all those who keep barking, Podrijma gives us this ballad. On the mother’s road. ... national, the 29th of November and communist terror were defended and, finally, as the culmination of the unrestrained attacks, early parliamentary elections were demanded. The PS went even further than the “mother’s experience,” since it managed to win devoted partners in the PSD and especially in PS-2, the Democratic Alliance. A microphone in one hand and a pickaxe in the other The social-communists also built the barricades. They used a microphone instead of a pickaxe, while the pickaxe took the place of the rifle and neutralized its effect. The socialist physicist Kastrjot Islami threatened with “the verdict of the people”; F. Nano told the electorate that he would use every means to seize power. N. Ceka called for a second December, in which Ceka, undoubtedly, would not be in front of a TV screen but would be declared a “career hero.” Democracy in the Albanian parliament was attacked harshly many times by the people on N. Dokle’s lists, who, with the sole aim of delaying and confusing everything, went into and out of parliament in the name of an illegitimate electorate. Those with essays by Dokleviçes, Molotovs, Nanics … tears and security… of violence, for all those who have stood in front of democracy’s chair and seek plunder and violation, keep barking, Podima gives us this ballad. On the mother’s road. Thus the PS continued faithfully along its course. Knocked out by the Albanian electorate on March 22, it chose violence and the mother’s road. It attacked the first democratic government only a few days after it took office. It strengthened the most conservative communist forces and did everything possible to prevent the Communist Party from being outlawed. It attacked the PD’s insistence on restructuring the state administration. That was just the beginning. Then the social-communists turned their attention to the economic situation. They attacked the abolition of the 80 percent levy and the introduction of the assistance law. They attacked the distribution of land to peasants and urban planning in the cities. Schools destroyed in their time were described as gifts from the Meksi government. The work of the State Control Commission, the financial police, the traffic police and the border police was attacked. Efforts to organize and support an exodus along the coast and to the embassies were made… Then the social-communists resorted to threats of force. They shouted themselves hoarse accusing President Berisha of being a dictator, simply because he spoke loudly. The trade unions were attacked. “Uprisings” by the Police, in Bulqizë and Ballsh were planned and supported… The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Army were attacked. A motion and demands for resignation were presented against the head of the State Control Commission, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Education, the governing council and deputy editor of RTV, and Prime Minister Meksi himself. Berisha’s visits to Washington, France and especially Saudi Arabia were attacked. Albania’s accession to the Islamic Conference and our request to join NATO were attacked. The declaration of November 28 as a national day was attacked… means to seize power. N. Çeka called for a second dictator, in which Çeka, but would be proclaimed entered and left parliament in the name of an unregistered electorate. With essays by Doklevis, Molotovs, Nanics and Lilo Zenels, and the help of actors and unseen drunkards, they have become a group that plunders and violates everything humane and democratic. Their break with the past is extremely false; the saga of speeches and the pathos of N. Dokle, Pashko, Dobrovoda, Çuçi, Islami and Nano consist of the same phrases and the same counterarguments as those of the previous parliamentary season. They “left no” European, diplomatic or party address or table unvisited, knocking everywhere to warn of “S. Berisha’s dictatorship,” which G. Bush had described as “a valuable contribution to all Albanians.” But they do not care about Bush and Martinez, Baker and Gensher, Scalfaro and Demirel. They have only one ideal—power; one face—demagoguery; one voice—a Nazi one; and only one dream: self-isolation… Political power and filthy dollars There was a law on privatization. There was a government of stability and a government of work (a technocratic government). There was a shock-therapy strategy. And the result came. Hundreds of thousands of documents concerning crimes disappeared. Many criminals and dollar bosses emigrated. Private companies were created with social-communist owners. Former ministers of tourism and trade, former deputy prime ministers and former first secretaries of the PPSH were given ownership of tourist hotels and modern restaurants. Political debate was defeated by the power of filthy dollars. The Democrats took the political positions… (Continued on page 4)

The well-known American newspaper “Washington Post,” which usually presents the position of the American administration, writes in a note that the U.S. government is considering more active American and international involvement in the crisis of the former Yugoslavia. Citing several officials in President Clinton’s administration, the newspaper reports that the American National Security Council has called for possible U.S. plans for the Balkans to be prepared. According to the officials mentioned above, the National Security Council, chaired by President Clinton himself, has submitted a series of issues relating to these problems to the State Department, the Pentagon and the CIA for consideration. This shows that the Clinton administration will go much further than Bush’s administration when it comes to U.S. involvement in the Balkans, the newspaper emphasizes. According to the sources cited by the “Washington Post,” the main focus of American options is the adoption of a Security Council resolution under which all Serbian aircraft in Bosnia-Herzegovina would be shot down, Serbian airports and artillery positions would be bombed, and a change to the arms-sale embargo would be sought, meaning that Bosnia would be allowed to buy weapons for its defense. According to the newspaper, one of President Clinton’s options is to deploy Blue Helmets in Kosovo and Macedonia and to establish an International Commission for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia. As for deploying Blue Helmets in Kosovo and Macedonia, approximately 300 troops have so far been deployed in Macedonia, with another 500 expected to be deployed. It therefore remains for the Security Council, at the insistence of the U.S., to approve a special resolution as well for the expulsion of the Blue Helmets to Kosovo. (ATSPI)

Regarding the article: “The truth about the PD crime in Shkodër,” published in the newspaper “Lajmëtari” on January 19, 1993— Rebuttal A vile lie in an ominous article Regarding the article “The truth about the PD crime in Shkodër,” published in the newspaper “Lajmëtari” on January 19, 1993— Let us set aside the contents of this ominous article. What concerns me is the name of the article’s author, Tefalin Malaj (my son). (I am Lucie Mark Malaj, widow of M. Malaj, formerly sentenced to life imprisonment in Burrel Prison, that red hell, and Tefalin’s mother; he is here beside me.) My son has nothing whatsoever to do with this article; nevertheless, with considerable effort I managed to speak to him by phone. I categorically reject the article’s text and, above all, the use of his name. I know that my husband, Mark Malaj, and Mr. Pjetër Arnbori suffered the most severe torture Arben Broci—they all have one thing in common: the struggle against communism. I strongly protest against this red mafia hand, which seeks to divide people, to drag honest people, true democrats, and the persecuted into its game— Let us set aside the content of its author. Tefalin Malaj (my son). My name is Luçie Mark Malaj, widow of M. Malaj, who was sentenced to life imprisonment and held in Burrel Prison, in the red hell. I am the mother of Tefalin, who, together with me and his sister Erma, suffered imprisonment and internment under the dictatorship. My son has now been in Greece for 18 months with his children for purely economic reasons. I was absolutely certain that my son had effort, I managed to speak with him by phone. He categorically disavowed the article author's text and, above all, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori endured the most severe tortures in Burrel Prison; they shared their pain and their bread. I know that we, his family, passed through the communist inquisition, like hundreds and thousands of persecuted families. I know that, together with the martyr of democracy, Arben Broci, they all had protest against this red, mafia-like hand that seeks to sow division and game. Why are you playing with the bones of the fallen? Leave them in peace to rest at the sacred altar of democracy! Only the murky waters, raised in the bunkers (Continued on page 3)

- The Savings Bank branch near the General Directorate of the Savings Bank on “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard is robbed Yesterday, at around 11:30, a robbery involving an armed attack took place at Savings Bank. According to witnesses, whose accounts were also confirmed by the police, the attack was carried out by four armed individuals who threatened the bank employees. The amount of money stolen is unknown, but according to the testimony of a bank employee, a packet of dollars in denominations of 10 and 100 dollars was stolen. When the bandits entered, the safe was open because the money in question was being prepared for transport. The bank is guarded by only one armed civilian. Nevertheless, the alarm system gave the bandits enough time to leave undisturbed. According to witness accounts not confirmed by the police, the thieves were about 18 years old and unmasked. This is the fourth robbery of a savings bank, following three previous robberies: two in New Tirana and one at Cash Office No. 8. To avoid obstructing the investigation, law-enforcement personnel are not disclosing further information, but we will ask some questions that need answers: 1. How is it explained that, even after the previous robberies, no measures have yet been taken to secure the banks? 2. Was it a coincidence that the bandits entered the bank precisely when the safe was opened? 3. Is this robbery connected to the others? In the coming days, we will put these and many other questions requiring answers to law-enforcement personnel, in the hope that they will respond. “RD” CORRESPONDENT

On the mother’s road. Political power and filthy dollars