The article in question attempts to exploit your journalist Bashkim Koçi’s “honest concern” about “early signs of corruption” dating from mid-1991. The subject of the story is cigarette smuggling. The main accused person, the scenario and the facts are a film, a fabricated and distorted misrepresentation of reality. The fabrication of facts and public defamation are not uncommon phenomena in today’s press, especially in your newspaper. The absence of a law on defamation certainly allows this abusive vice to flourish further, since it permits anyone to irresponsibly insult anyone in public. Of course, in this newspaper attack, the personal element is neither so incidental nor so “personal.” The political motive behind it is clear, and the public announcement of this “forgotten fact” after such a long time best demonstrates how simple the formula of your “honest” journalism is. Since there is no credible and undeniable accusation of corruption (a fabrication already leveled against some of the people who supposedly offer the best protection), it would be better to accuse the accuser of serious corruption, indeed everyone, even with [cut-off words]. It is precisely the clarity of the political motive inspiring this aggressive piece that makes me feel no offense, either as an ordinary individual with nerves and [cut-off words] (as the journalist also is), or as a political person [...]. - Until the moment it was prohibited, the transit of foreign-brand cigarettes through our country’s territory was not a prohibited activity (quite the opposite), nor was it illegal. Therefore, the fact he describes—that “the financial police of Durrës and Vlora seized very large quantities of Malboro cigarettes”—was nothing “unusual.” For this transit, although it was legal at the time, but unsuitable for a European country such as ours, the journalist would have had to accuse state officials and organizations whom he has never thought of accusing. - The main initiators of the eventual prohibition of this cigarette transit in September 1991, as shown by official documents, were the Ministry of Finance, which I headed at the time, and the State Audit Office, headed by Mr. Karamuco. On the basis of this initiative, the Council of Ministers decided to prohibit this activity completely. - Cigarettes held in our country’s territory when the activity was prohibited, whether in the warehouses of Albtrans (an enterprise of the Ministry of Internal Affairs), Albkop or ADA, could not legally be confiscated, since until that moment this activity had not been deemed illegal. This was a collective decision of the Council of Ministers at the time, not my personal one. Secondly, to enable your journalist to investigate the matter further and pursue the fight against “yesterday’s corruption,” I assure him that, should he appear in person, he will have full access to the documents concerning this matter held in the archives of the Ministry of Finance, the Directorate of Customs and the Directorate of Financial Police. I remain faintly hopeful that he will take such a step instead of publishing stale articles about the republic.” GENC RULI Minister of Finance and Economy

At the invitation of the PDSH, a delegation of the LDSH of Croatia and the LDK of Slovenia visited Albania. The delegation included the chairman of the LDK for Slovenia, Mr. Martin Berisha; the deputy chairmen of the LDSH of Slovenia, Mr. Enver Recica and Ton Marku; and the party’s secretary-general, Mr. Zef Marku. At the meeting held at the PDSH headquarters, Mr. Selami briefed the guests on the progress of democratic processes in Albania. The PDSH, Mr. Selami stressed, is aware of its mission and responsibility to build a new democratic society. The situation in the region and the Albanian national question were at the center of the discussion. The visitors emphasized that their respective parties support the national and, at the same time, European character of the policy pursued by the PDSH. They invited a PDSH delegation to visit Croatia and Slovenia and highlighted the role of their parties in promoting relations between the respective states. The delegation was also received by and held talks with other Albanian political figures. Among these meetings were those with the chairman of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Arbnori, with the chairman of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Arbnori, and with Foreign Minister Serreqi. They conveyed to the Prime Minister their willingness and ability to influence the governments of their respective countries in favor of organized seasonal emigration from Albania. There are many influential Albanian businesspeople, especially in Croatia, who are ready to help in this regard. It is a request from all Albanians living in Croatia, the delegation informed Mr. Serreqi: the Albanian embassy in that country should be opened as soon as possible. Albanians living in Croatia will finance the premises for this embassy. The delegation also met and spoke with the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. “Your visit,” they told Mr. Berisha, “was of particular importance and was successful. We thank you and at the same time express our readiness to help during this transition period.” They also conveyed to Mr. Berisha greetings from Croatian and Slovenian political leaders. The President thanked them for their contribution at the national level and informed them about the new Albanian state’s extensive diplomatic activity aimed at resolving the regional crisis. “We have good relations with Croatia and Slovenia, and undoubtedly you also deserve credit for this,” the President continued. Thanking the President for receiving them, the delegation once again expressed the view that democratizing the Albanian political space and strengthening Albania’s economy are decisive for the Albanian cause. The delegation also visited the headquarters of the Republic of Kosovo in Tirana. RD CORRESPONDENT

- Nothing but insults and vulgar language: traitors, sellouts, criminals, etc., etc. - Even if the square had five storeys, it could not have held 10,000 people, as “ZP” claims - A “powerful protest” against the government by those who were in the saddle yesterday and are saddled today - The reality of Pogradec speaks differently, not with the foul mouth and dark mind of the corrupt social-communists From the PS rally in Pogradec I attended this rally, where, like hundreds of other citizens, I wanted to hear what the socialists were specifically demanding... But, as always: nothing but insults and vulgar language—traitors, sellouts, Ballists and confused people. I do not want to comment on the rally’s attendance (“ZP” writes of 10,000 people, inflating the number of participants five- or sixfold, as if the square had five storeys, rather than covering about 1,000 square meters). The land law has not yet been fully implemented. (You have all the power in Pogradec. So whom are you asking to implement the law?) The families on the shore of Lake Pogradec do not even have enough land to plant ornamental flowers. (The PD did not undertake to open up new land. Nevertheless, with the power you have in Pogradec, you can carry on. As for flowers, do not worry about them, because even if they planted any, they would no longer plant them for Enver.) Reform in Pogradec is characterized by purging socialists and leaving them unemployed. (It is quite the opposite: they are totally against reform and against the democratic government. Decisions on these matters are also made by the senior structures of the democratic government. Or take the Directorate of Agriculture, which has employed all those specialists with whom you ran your election campaigns, since you cannot get by with your own instructors. They will forgive me, because I have nothing against them, but to convince you: are Guri Tola, Miti Jançe, Isa Cela, Latif Abrashi, Niko Isaku and dozens of others socialists? They have not been without work for a single minute, while so many democratic agronomists are unemployed. Perhaps he means the appointment of two assistant judges in Pogradec and [text continues outside the frame]. As for the slogans and calls for and against, in the interest of truth I want people to learn about and assess the spirit of the socialists from the words of each speaker at the rally, and where it stands. While the words are applauded and my comments on the reality of Pogradec are blackened: TAJAR KOLECI (Chairman of the PS in Pogradec, opening the rally): ...We are beset by troubles and have gathered to lament them. Pogradec has never been so degraded, poor and humiliated as it is today. (You must be blind. Although it was devastated like nowhere else, Pogradec is recovering its economic life. The two wood-processing enterprises, the food factory, the metalworks, the knitwear factory, the chrome works, etc. are operating almost normally. The ruined castle is being greened every day, to the benefit of the people of Pogradec. Every day, 200–300 more private boats are added to the lake, the same lake where, when you worked as an instructor for the People’s Party Committee, you did not allow people to swim farther than 500 meters from the shore. Hundreds of cafés and restaurants fill the city, dozens of them genuinely modern.) His troubles seem like a winter night that needs to be broken through. In Pogradec, they are taking shops away from the new owners. (It is the opposite. The former small shopkeepers of Pogradec continue to trade in the streets from stalls. Can you clarify two things for us: which new owner has had their shop taken away? And post a list of their names in town, preferably with their names... ...to be from Pogradec? Reform in Pogradec is characterized by purging the sir. First, because the local government in Pogradec is in the hands of the PS; second, because there truly is an unjustifiable tolerance on the part of the democratic state in reforming the governing apparatus in Pogradec; and third, sir, because the Democrats in Pogradec are more noble than you are. As for the purge you describe: since you made yourself a bourgeois, let me remind you of a few cases: your brother-in-law continues to head the district statistics directorate; your brother-in-law has been and continues to be a director. Your former first secretary, Belul Lufro, worked as a director and is now a specialist in water affairs. The second secretary, Rami Topçiu, is a teacher in town. Instructor Paqesor Zeneli, as well as former committee head Vasil Prifti, works as an engineer without any trouble. All the instructors from the former PP committee have chosen jobs, and their wives and families work in preferred positions. If you like, we can list them by name, though you know them better than I do. And all of this depends on the Meksi government. Or perhaps you wanted to remind us that we have made almost no changes in the bridges directorate, the forestry enterprise, the chrome enterprise, the ironworks, the tax office, the treasury at the bank, social insurance, nearly all the staff at customs and the hospital, the military units in Pogradec, etc., etc., where people work and hold managerial positions... ...beautification. (The PD has not undertaken have in Pogradec, you can carry on. As for the flowers, don’t worry about them: even if we planted them, they are no longer planted for Enver.) Reform in Pogradec is characterized by purging the positions... Zbukurisë [continued]. and dozens of others have not been out of work for a single minute, while many Democratic agronomists are unemployed. Could he mean the appointment of two assistant judges in Pogradec, who were appointed on the basis of proposals from your government? The people received them with “great” satisfaction. Or perhaps you wanted to bring before our eyes once again that cyclamen-colored bust from the rally and some of its staff, who were employed there thanks to the tolerance of Mr. Zhani Treska, the PD mayor of Pogradec, against the state, government and reform. There is no room in the newspaper here to give more examples, but the truth is that in Pogradec it is the Democrats and trade unionists who are unemployed, while you in the PS continue, unfortunately, to hold jobs and positions of authority. NAMIK DOKLE (on behalf of the PS parliamentary group): ...The PS parliamentary group will fight much more than it does now for your concerns and for true democracy. The socialist councillors of the Pogradec district came to Tirana one day. They were going to meet Meksi. They met with me beforehand, and I told them: I bet you that if Mr. Meksi has the courage to come to Pogradec, I will drown myself in your lake. Meksi will surely come to Pogradec very soon. I don’t know what Namiku will do after that. I’m saying it as a joke. (Continued on page 3)

- “ZP” calls for: the recreation of cooperatives; the resumption of class warfare against those who “fought the people’s power”; a struggle against imperialism on all fronts; indirect support for Serbia and other anti-Albanian circles. - N. Dokle complains about the dictator being dug up from his grave. - “ZP”: “The Balkans belong to the Balkan peoples; let us not allow foreign interference.” “Reality versus demagoguery...” “Reality versus demagoguery” is written in large letters at the top of “ZP” dated the 6th ... and not without reason. But if you take ... and read “ZP,” you will see ... at the end ... directions from above have ... and not only is it pointless to ... democracy for the supposed ... communists ... socialists, but it is also ... If we read ... “Father” ... “In this enthusiasm” and “revolutionary impulse” has also been placed ... “ZP” ... Mother [partly illegible passage]. Nanos’s chronicler (who ranks among the successful members of the troupe) finds this ... and continues to occupy the top of “ZP” ... After using some of the stock phrases that “Father” had also used well ... “the people remem... the hero and ...” Is that anything new? “The Mokra of true democracy”: the chronicler realistically describes how democracy destroyed and impoverished Mokra! How all those successes achieved in Mokra during the era of socialism ... To be truthful, it must be said that the hen ate bran, but also corn, until “Father” allowed them to keep hens ... Later the chronicler mentions the words of his leaders. I will repeat some phrases: ... “We will never allow ...” (Continued on page 2)

Under a decision adopted by the Council of Ministers, all those convicted of crimes against the state who served as former senior state and party officials are excluded from the amnesty and exemption-from-payment law, even if they held those positions for only a short time before 22 March 1991. In addition, persons in this category who have so far unjustly benefited under the law approved by Parliament before this decision was made must return the sums they received. According to the decision that was made public, those excluded include former members of the Central Committee Bureau of the Communist Party and the Party of Labour of Albania; former leaders of the Presidium of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly; former chairmen and candidates of the Central Committee of the PKSH and PPSH; former ministers and former chairmen [text cut off] of executive committees in districts and regions; former first secretaries of the Party in districts and regions; former chiefs of the General Staff; generals; former officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and former heads of Internal Affairs branches; former ambassadors, etc. For the period ahead, the decision requires people wishing to benefit from the law in question to declare whether they have held any of the above-mentioned positions, even for a short time. Otherwise, people who benefit despite being ineligible, as has happened until now, will incur civil and criminal liability. (ATSH)

...to accuse the accuser of corruption [upper part cut off]. As for... [text partly illegible in the column cut off on the left]. Secondly, to give your journalist the opportunity person, all the documents relating to Finance, the Customs Directorate and the Financial Police Directorate, will be made fully available to him. I remain with the faint hope that he will take such a step, instead of writing and Economy

... [text from the column on the adjoining page, cut off and mostly illegible]