– From President Berisha’s meetings with various public figures – The President of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha, after delivering his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, also held separate meetings on January 30 with the Vice-Presidents of the Committee of the European Community, Messrs. Leon Bridell and Van Den Brok. They discussed continuing and intensifying contacts between Albania and the European Community, resolving the problems of the Balkans, as well as the grave situation in Kosovo. The Albanian President once again requested the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping troops in Kosovo to prevent the conflict from spreading. After commending the policy pursued by Albania, Messrs. Bridell and Van Den Brok declared that they would continue working for Albania’s integration into European structures, as well as to avert conflict in Kosovo. The President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Mr. Zhak Atali, told President Berisha at their meeting that the Bank he heads would finance projects in agriculture and infrastructure in Albania. To arrange the financing of these projects as soon as possible (Continued on page 4)

– Those who think they can use strikes to meet every absurd demand are mistaken, but... – The government and parliament are mistaken if they fail to meet legitimate demands that can be resolved. – When will the law on property be adopted? Are we waiting for the former owners to go on strike over this?- A strike is one of the democratic forms of protest, but it remains so only when conducted in accordance with the laws and based on real, reasonable demands. There will always be demands, since some people will be dissatisfied with a particular decision or law, because everyone’s interests can never be the same. That does not mean this should become a reason to start a strike. The problem is that here a mindset has begun to take hold that all you need to do is go on a hunger strike and you can get any demand met. But there is already a law on strikes in Albania, adopted by parliament, and it must be obeyed like all other laws. Those who think that by acting contrary to the law they can get any absurd demand that comes into their heads met are therefore mistaken. To act against a law adopted by parliament is to act against the interests of the rest of the population. And although in some cases these measures are initiated by a group in parliament, they remain something carried out only “through the neglect” of parliamentarians or government officials. Why should former political prisoners in Shkodër have to go on hunger strike for the decision declaring them innocent to be adopted? Without wishing to deny the work of parliament, it must be emphasized that the repeated absence of MPs is becoming absurd, to the point that it is impossible to pass laws. Add to this the deliberate obstruction by various groups, who prefer to spend entire sessions on motions, question sessions, etc. Their purpose becomes clear when they demand a vote of no confidence in the same minister within a single week. And so people wait. There are still very important laws to be passed. What is happening with the property law? What more is being awaited before that law is adopted—or are the owners expected to begin hunger strikes and open protests? We have long been waiting for our homes and those properties that can be returned to be restored to us, and the delay in adopting this law is causing entirely unnecessary social tensions. Could it be that— an absurd demand that you might be able to meet in time. To act against a law passed in parliament means acting although in some cases these acts are prompted by a group in parliament, they remain acts of lawlessness all the same, as were the Bulqizë strike and the one in Ballsh. But there are entirely opposite cases, when fair and entirely feasible demands for

Letter from HALEM XHELOS addressed to ENVER HOXHA and MEHMET SHEHU Dear Comrade Enver, We are a group of military and civilian Communists who have fought and who love the Party, our government and our people. But seeing that these are now at risk, we have decided to write to you, so that you may take action before it is too late. We have seen you make a series of decisions: lowering wages, sending cadres to the pickaxe, stripping people of their ranks, dressing them in Chinese uniforms, and so on, and so on. “The peasantry is being robbed of everything and has been reduced to desperate straits just to get bread to eat. Workers have to work from morning until evening to meet the high quotas. In short, the noose is being tightened around the necks of all sections of the population. Why all this after 22 years of liberation? Now everyone is thinking about the future, wondering what will happen. No one is sure of tomorrow. Dangerous enemies surround us, but with this wave of discontent that has swept through the entire population, it will be difficult to defend the government. Why should we put ourselves at risk for a government and a party that do not care about us at all? When the Greek, the Serb or the devil himself attacks, your sons will defend the Republic, because we have nowhere to go. We do not want to be put in prison here; the amnesties of today may perhaps be impossible to reverse tomorrow. Take action before it is too late. Do not dismiss these views—these are views your comrades are telling you. They are circulating among the vast majority of Communists, and especially among the cadres. If you respond properly, we will never think, ‘Look, they backed down under pressure’; we will say that the leadership listened to the voice of the people. You may laugh at these views. One day you will admit we were right! With esteem and respect, A group of military and civilian cadres P.S. After examination by specialists, it was discovered that the author of this letter was one man, General Halim Xhela, Hero of the People. His letter was a forceful slap in the face of the Enverist line and its demagoguery. Zeus ordered the immediate and merciless punishment of Halim Xhela. Although he openly stood up for the people, the court sentenced him harshly under the formula “In the name of the people.” Nevertheless, this terrible truth is now being laid bare, exposing and denouncing even further Enver Hoxha’s true face. Time proved Halim Xhela right. h[?]appen, but with this wave of discontent that has swept over the entire population, it is difficult to defend the government. Why should we risk ourselves the devil himself attacks, you go out and defend the Republic yourselves, because we have no reason to put ourselves at risk. You have imposed silent rationing. Bread, cheese, pasta, oil, etc. are distributed only according to the register. And do not forget that those dissatisfied are no longer the enemies of the cla- personally, then go to the villages without telling anyone to expect you, and you will see the state our peasant is in, how badly the people and the officers who are to defend the Republic are living! Instead of conferences, put the true opinion of the masses to a secret vote on this reform in the army and among the people, and ask them: then you will learn what people think and receive the support you keep proclaiming. At open conferences people cannot freely say what they think the Chinese eat... of course we will eat them too. This is the height of servility, imitation, and the burial of everything national, everything belonging to our nation. We are losing everything, every source of pride as a people and as a nation. These things are not said to you openly, but everyone discusses them among true friends they trust. Only you, comrades in the leadership, must think deeply about these issues and do not allow our victories to be put at risk. These steps

TIRANA, January 31. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Aleksandër Meksi, departed for an official visit to Italy. Before departing at Rinas Airport, he made the following statement to the press: “I am going to Italy for a working visit, whose purpose is to examine the issues facing the Albanian Government in its cooperation with the Italian government in the economic field. I will meet with the Italian prime minister and the minister of foreign finances, where we will discuss specific issues of economic cooperation and of the joint Albanian-Italian commission, which was set up a few months ago—issues that have stalled and require a push forward. We will also look into the possibility of obtaining an intergovernmental loan, the main purpose of which is to rebuild Tirana airport, invest in roads and address other infrastructure issues. I will also meet with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. Meanwhile, I will have contacts with leaders of the Democratic Party and other Italian economic organizations. I can say that the purpose of this visit is to strengthen our economic and political ties with Italy.” (ATSH)

TIRANA, At the invitation of the American Government, the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Pjetër Arbnori, departed for the United States of America. He will take part in the N[?]ëshënjellë Bejer Brekfest and will also visit the Albanian-American community. (ATSH)

The purpose of holding this pan-national assembly was to unite Albanian intellectuals by bringing together in a single body the Forum of Albanian Intellectuals, the Forum of Intellectuals of Kosovo, and the Union of Albanian Intellectuals in Macedonia. This union, said the chairman of the Forum of Albanian Intellectuals, Mr. Pandeli Cina, in his opening speech, would serve the joint pursuit of the aspirations of the entire Albanian people for their spiritual, cultural and national unity. At the assembly, the first to offer greetings was the chairman of the Union of Albanian Intellectuals in Macedonia, Mr. Xhavit Gega. He discussed the potential for expanding intellectuals’ activities into every sphere, in the service of coordination and of bringing Albania into the movement of developed democratic countries. On behalf of the Forum of Intellectuals of Kosovo, its chairman, Mr. [?] Kelmendi, offered greetings. He praised the role of the intelligentsia in defending the national cause, emphasizing its inclination toward truth, freedom and justice. Also participating in and offering greetings at the assembly were Gjergj Gjikaj, on behalf of Albanian intellectuals in Montenegro; Mexhit Mehmeti, on behalf of the intellectuals of Presheva; greetings were also conveyed by the Albanian diaspora in the USA, etc. The program and statute of the Union of Albanian Intellectuals were then presented and approved, and finally the leadership of the Union was elected. The leadership elected the three chairmen of the previous forums: Pandeli Cina of the Forum of Albanian Intellectuals, Rexhep Qosja of the Forum of Intellectuals of Kosovo, who was unable to attend the assembly yesterday, and Xhavit Gega of the Union of Albanian Intellectuals in Macedonia. “RD” Correspondent