PD meeting in Gjirokaster The PD branch in Gjirokaster is expanding its activities every day, both in the city and throughout the communes. It has closely linked these activities with its ongoing efforts to help solve the many problems that arise each day during the implementation of economic reform. To improve its organizational work, so that it can respond in a timely manner to the current problems we face every day, this branch held a meeting attended by Mr. Tomorr Dosti. In the report delivered by Mr. Xhelik Beqiri, secretary of the PD branch for Gjirokaster, he presented the good work done by the governing council and by many sections in neighborhoods and villages to recruit new members. Commitment to reform should be the basic criterion for all those who express a desire to contribute to the ranks of the PD. The strength of a party, the speakers emphasized, lies in the number of its supporters. And the PD, as a party close to the interests of the people, enjoys this privilege and will continue to enjoy it in the future. The meeting highlighted the concrete steps taken by the PD branch in addressing many issues with the local authorities. Understanding has been especially strong in the district council, which has enabled many of people’s concerns and problems to be resolved or put on the path to resolution. Nevertheless, many speakers closely linked the progress of economic reform to the progress of administrative reform. Much criticism was voiced on this matter, both of the district council and of the local government bodies, which have done very little in this regard. The PD is not a state party, one speaker stressed. It is not involved in appointing officials. When its sections or branches raise specific issues, it is essential that state bodies take these concerns into consideration. The fact that administrative reform in Gjirokaster has not progressed as it should shows that the concerns raised for this purpose have not been given due consideration. Another issue discussed at the meeting was the progress of privatization. There are high expectations on this important matter from the local government bodies. They have not broken away from the monist mindset, in which everything is expected to come from above. Although a decision was issued on the allocation of land belonging to the agricultural cooperatives, Gjirokaster has only begun work with difficulty. Many other privatization issues were raised, including concerns that local authorities have favored people according to their political beliefs. Numerous specific examples were cited, from the allocation of building plots to the issuing of licenses. Many speakers called for the President’s decree on the verification of assets to be implemented. Mr. Dosti was asked many questions about this issue, and he clarified matters for the audience, emphasizing that this work is handled by the State Audit. Expressing his appreciation for the constructive spirit that prevailed at the meeting, Mr. Tomorr underscored the view that the PD, as the most popular party in Albania and a center-right party, will remain fully committed to implementing its program, while defending and harmonizing the interests of all social groups. JORGJI ÇAKALLI

ONCE, TELEGRAMS OF THANKS; TODAY, PETITIONS WITH ULTIMATUMS During nearly 50 years of the “socialist paradise,” many cadres of the PK or PP became great masters of telegrams of greeting, support, or gratitude. A robotic hand wrote them, but they were advertised in “ZP” and the other propaganda media as expressions of the whole people, as if everyone had one mind and one voice. Thus, city workers wrote to Comrade Enver and the Party about their happy lives and all the things they enjoyed, unlike any other people on the globe: monthly wages of 500–800 lekë, 2–3 kg of meat, 3–4 packets of butter, 1–2 kg of cheese, 10–20 eggs per family each month, and 2–3 families in one apartment, sharing a room or kitchen. The villagers wrote that they lived as well as anyone could, that they did not envy the city, even though they earned 4–10 lekë a day and yearned for a glass of milk or yogurt, an egg, or a slice of meat... So everyone wrote that they lacked nothing, when in reality we lacked many basic necessities of life; that we were the happiest people in the world, when in reality we were the most miserable, most oppressed, most exploited and most ridiculed. In short, we lied to ourselves and to them. Those who have benefited from democracy commit a crime and a sin when they complain about it. Of course, these robots, or shameless and immoral people, are playing an old game from which they have profited. Democracy has no need for such parrots, hypocrites, and liars, or for their flattery and praise. Having lost the right to practice this trade, they have turned to petitions. Instead of greetings, gratitude, and good wishes for the Party, Comrade Enver, and Comrade Ramiz—which they sweet-talked and wished to live as long as the mountains in the paradise of the Bloc, while three and a half million Albanians, despite living on and amid treasures, endured Somali or Ethiopian poverty—they now, in the days of true democracy and freedom, pour out bile, venom, and soot against democracy. And let us not forget: many of them are among those who have benefited most, from old and new sources, both legal and illegal. No gratitude toward democracy can be expected from them. They commit a crime and a sin by complaining about it. But the hundreds of thousands of others who, in one year, regained what had been denied them for 47 years, who became millionaires and billionaires in one or two years—while the world’s richest people needed decades and centuries—should feel it their duty to express their gratitude to democracy with all the strength of their hearts and drown out the chorus of whiners, panic-mongers who set Albanians and foreigners against one another, nihilists and nostalgics for the Enverian era. Naturally, not in the classic Enverian way, with telegrams and long, contrived letters, but by increasing their commitment to its complete victory, which will deprive those people of every possibility and hope of turning back and restoring social communism. Let us illustrate our point with two examples. At the “Naim Frasheri” publishing house for works of literature, the head of the enterprise’s independent trade union is also being placed on assistance. This seems to us neither justified nor lawful, especially considering that among those who have been retained, it would have been easy to find someone else to take her place. This act has sparked heated debate that has gone beyond the walls of the enterprise. Let us also refer to a recent petition, that of the writers’ club “Bota e Korçës.” Is there no other solution for the writer Skender Demolli than to put him on assistance? Could he not be found, or find for himself, a suitable position matching his qualifications? Could he not have knocked on the right doors himself to claim his rights and resolve his problem? Have all the ways and efforts to find a fair solution to his situation been exhausted, consigning him to the long line of many other intellectuals? He is neither the first nor the last. Does the transition have these [problems]? Nevertheless, we ask again: should he too have become a victim of assistance? Democratic debate, with arguments and tolerance, could provide the right answer to this question. His predicament can and should be resolved with a happy ending in Korçë. Our local or central government officials can prevent the mass accumulation of grievances that leads to petitions by listening to and seriously and responsibly considering people’s problems, sincerely addressing their concerns and resolving them fairly and promptly. But we must not forget that at present there are many problems and difficulties, while the possibilities for resolving them are very limited. Let us complain and grumble less, amplify our concerns, suffering, difficulties, and shortages less, and use all our strength and all the time we gain with cool-headed reasoning and effective action to overturn this balance and resolve this development contradiction during the transition we are experiencing. We are on the right and proper path. Time is working for us. The world and God are with us. Now it is our turn to be fully and firmly on our own side. ... [illegible] ... Rusi ... [illegible] ... 17 ... [illegible] ... 1934, ... [illegible] ... ridiculed. In short, we lied to ourselves and to the world. We praised our country as a paradise. Naturally, this is why such things were written and said. If you revealed the truth, they would cut out your tongue; they would send you to Spaç, Bulqiza... But now that democracy has opened everyone’s mouths, when no one is denounced, followed, or persecuted, and people speak without any restraint, even when they defy the law; now, when our economic situation, though not what we would like, is nevertheless better than it was a year ago, the masters of congratulatory and gratitude telegrams for the “socialist miracle” are demanding lengthy petitions full of complaints, threats, and ultimatums directed at the Government. ...to close it off, and to drown out the voices, to silence the chorus of whiners... panic-inducing for Albanians and foreigners, nihilistic [views] of the nostalgics of the Enver era. Naturally, not in the classic form of the Enverites, with fake, fabricated telegrams and letters, but by increasing the commitment to her complete victory, which cuts off every possibility and expression of looking back and of restoration by conservative social-communists. More care, effort, and patience in solving problems. By speaking this way about petitions, we do not mean that we are against the free expression of people’s concerns and opinions. We are not against petitions with a democratic spirit, with well-founded demands that can be met under our concrete circumstances, but they should not be conceived as political leaflets; in other words, we should not echo the former commissars who promote petitions and manipulate our unavoidable, temporary concerns, shortages, and hardships for their own malicious, destabilizing political and party ends in ...and party ends in

—Albania, invaded by Westerners— A distinguished foreign-policy analyst in the socialist press, named YLLI..., has repeatedly taken it upon himself in the newspaper “ZP” to explain the positions of world diplomacy and the sins of Albanian politics. After confidently predicting the overthrow of Boris Jelcin’s government in Russia with astonishing certainty, he did not wait to see his dream and wishes fail, but “returned” to Tirana and attacked the open diplomatic policy of the democratic government, parliament, and president. In his sharp lecture, “An Open Albania, Further A...,” dated 7 April ’93, the author takes on something that only someone who has forgotten what dictatorship and democracy are, and what nation and homeland mean, could undertake. He gives a complete panorama of the visit by foreign journalists invited by President Berisha, calling it foreign, foolish, and an invasion!!! But what is the truth? In response to accusations by certain European circles that Albania is supposedly preparing for war with Serbia, President Berisha was compelled to counter them in the most democratic way. He invited the best-known Western journalists, who visited the entire northeastern section of the Albanian border to see the situation in the country for themselves. Other, more democratic countries have taken similar action before Albania: Germany on the eve of reunification, when Poland accused it of territorial claims, and England during conflicts with its northern part. Thus, politically and diplomatically, analyst Y.P. is a fiasco. Continuing, he writes that Albania is “invaded” by the modern military technology of the “invaders”—Americans, Germans, Turks, Italians... because Albania is at the stage of considering its application to join NATO. And to join NATO, one must ... [the source text breaks off here]. Berisha was forced to respond in the most democratic way. He won over the best-known Western journalists, who visited the entire northeastern part of the state border to see the situation in the country. Other, more democratic states have taken such action before Albania too, such as of territorial claims, or England during conflicts with its northern part. Thus, analyst Y.P. is a fiasco on the political and diplomatic front. Further below, the author says that Western journalists invaded Albania because they learned how many tanks, aircraft, soldiers, submarines, etc. we have, while further on he praises the stationing of 2,000 “occupying” UN soldiers in Macedonia. As a successor to the communists, the author named YLLI should not have forgotten the simple fact that, despite the dictatorship of E.Hoxha imposing its will and total isolation, and his threats against the US and the West, every European state knew in detail the true strength of the mad Albanian demagogue. Nevertheless, as a fanatic of self-isolation, the author recommends shutting Albania off and liberating it from the “Western occupiers”!!! Preaching demagoguery in pursuit of a blind purpose, the author accuses the Albanian government of destroying the armed forces because the PPSH’s political secretaries, the uneducated or those who graduated from the “V.I.Lenin” Party School, have left the army, and because the army has been reorganized, which the PPSH had scattered across the mountains, newspapers, and had ears to listen to Albanian RTV, then he should have known M.Ymeri’s statement that NATO would stand by Albania and would not allow a Serbian offensive against Kosovo. Clinton, Kohl, and Özal expressed themselves in the same way... but for YLLI and “ZP,” they are nothing but occupiers!!! The author vainly tries to justify Milošević’s accusations that Albania was “warmongering,” because the opposite was demonstrated by the NATO Secretary-General himself, military experts themselves, and the West’s best-known journalists... By accusing Albania of informing its “occupiers,” the Western journalists, about its military strength, perhaps the party analyst YLLI... will accuse the journalists of the newspaper “Bashkimi” and ATSH of occupying Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania... etc., since these journalists published details last month about the military strength of each of the heads of state! And who knows, perhaps he would say: “The Balkans are open from end to end,” and Balkan diplomats would liberate the Balkans, cowards, lackeys... etc. And who knows, perhaps he would write that the Balkans had been occupied by Albanian journalists, that independence had been lost, and that they should not defend themselves if a country such as the US attacks them, since they have fewer forces... that they should keep the secret, accept the accusations of warmongering, isolate themselves... and listen to more lectures from social-communist, demagogic, malicious analysts of the YLLI P. type. BUJAR LEZHA

The Italian Ambassador, Paolo Foresti, paid a visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Mr. Kalakula, just two days after his appointment. A friendly atmosphere prevailed during the meeting, and they discussed support for the development of agriculture, in which Italy continues to be concretely engaged. The possibility is now being considered of moving from the emergency phase to a phase of genuine cooperation for the revitalization of the agricultural and agro-food sectors. Ambassador Foresti introduced Mr. Kalakula to a delegation from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had arrived from Rome that day. The delegation finalized the procedures for the three-year cooperation program agreed in Rome in May last year. The largest allocation in this program is specifically devoted to development projects in the agri-food sector (around 70 billion lire). Among the objectives of this program, which will help revitalize agricultural production, are strengthening private initiative, supporting the development of associations, and developing people’s professional skills. The Ambassador assured them that Italy would act as quickly as possible to help address the difficulties caused by rising prices of basic products such as flour and bread. This renewed Italian commitment, which confirms Italy’s position as Albania’s leading donor in the agricultural sector as well, may be supported by countries and organizations that also assist Albania’s agricultural sector.

On 11 April, the entire Catholic world celebrated Easter, the great feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Albania’s Catholic believers also celebrated Easter for the second year in a row[?], after many years of interruption under the communist regime. There is something else that makes this year’s Catholic Easter especially significant for Albanians. It is being celebrated on the eve of the historic visit that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, will soon make to Albania. On 11 April, the entire Catholic world celebrated Easter, the great feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Albania’s Catholic believers also celebrated Easter for the second year in a row[?], after many years of interruption under the communist regime. There is something else that makes this year’s Catholic Easter especially significant for Albanians. It is being celebrated on the eve of the historic visit that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, will soon make to Albania. Baptism on the eve of Easter His Holiness Pope John Paul II baptized 30 people from various countries on Saturday evening in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Among those baptized were Albanians as well as two young Bosnians. The baptism took place on the eve of Easter, which this year is dedicated to the former Yugoslavia. President Berisha wishes people a happy Easter To greet the Albanian Catholic clergy and all Catholic believers at home and abroad, last night the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, attended Holy Mass at the Church of the Heart of Christ, celebrated by Monsignor Ivan Dias, who greeted all the Catholic believers of Tirana. Monsignor Dias then said, among other things, that Jesus’ victory over death calls to mind the Calvary of the Catholic Church in Albania during the communist dictatorship. Even then, people thought that the Church and religious faith had been killed and buried, but this was not true, because the great presence of people in the church showed that faith had been resurrected. Two weeks from today, Monsignor Dias went on to say, Pope John Paul II will be in Tirana. This once again shows that the Church is being resurrected in Albania too. He then thanked the President, on behalf of the Catholic community, for his presence in the church, describing it as a comfort and a source of strength for the resurrection of the faith. Wishing people a happy Easter, President Berisha said that, in Albania’s millennia-long history, this Easter would be one of the brightest and most unforgettable. It is being celebrated on the eve of the Holy Father’s visit, which marks a new page in relations between Albania and the Vatican. “I am confident,” he concluded, “that his visit will be a great success.” 6 million lekë for the reception of Pope John Paul II The Council of Ministers of Albania allocated 6 million lekë to the Shkoder District Council to organize the reception of Pope John Paul II, who will visit Albania on 25 April. The deputy chairman of the Shkoder District Council, Jozef Bushati, told ATSH that the funds allocated by the Council of Ministers were being used to repair and decorate the city. Work is under way on decorations along the main streets, where people will gather to accompany the Pope’s visit; painting façades; improving and completing the city’s lighting; preparing cultural and artistic events; and arranging the reception for representatives arriving from abroad. Ibrahim Rugova wishes Pope John Paul II well On the occasion of Easter, the President of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, sent a telegram of congratulations to Pope John Paul II, which says, among other things: “I personally wish you and all Catholic believers a happy Easter. I hope that peace and understanding will reign among people. Your contribution in this respect is irreplaceable,” the telegram from President Rugova states.

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