Provocative statement by deputy A. Makarjadhi concerning the rights of the Greek minority in Albania. Yesterday, the general debate on the agenda and the work of the committees reviewing draft laws was held in the People's Assembly. The Speaker of the Presidium of the People's Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, informed the deputies that on Thursday there would be a report on the activities of the State Audit Commission for the one-year period and a question-and-answer session with Deputy Prime Minister Bashkim Kopliku, at the request of the group of independent deputies. Meanwhile, he announced that a letter had been received from the Tirana District Prosecutor's Office, suggesting the establishment of a commission to investigate the financial activities of the Socialist Party. The letter states that 20 thousand dollars were withdrawn from the party's funds for use in Peshkopi, but their whereabouts are unknown. Regarding this issue, deputies Z. Brozi and A. Baleta said that conducting investigations falls within the prosecutor's remit and that it did not need to seek permission. N. Dokle said that we agree to establish a commission to investigate the financial activities of all parties, but that, in the case of the prosecutor's request, the financial activities of the Socialist Party should not be conflated with those of Fatos Nano. He added that deputy P. Minga had expressed agreement with setting up a commission to investigate this matter. Next, deputy A. Baleta raised several issues, including the verification of assets, disinformation in the press, and the activities of SHIK. Deputy P. Kalakula addressed several social issues, such as the privatization of housing, delays in pension payments, etc. At the end of this debate, PBDNJ deputy Kosta Malkariadhi made a statement in which he reiterated demands for education in the mother tongue even in regions where no members of the minority live. Among other things, in his statement he used the expression “minorities living in their ethnic lands,” which greatly irritated many deputies. Deputy Makarjadhi declared that if their demands were not met, they would be forced to boycott classes. Mr. Makarjadhi's statement calling for the opening of Greek-language schools came only two weeks after the Greek-language department opened at the University of Gjirokastër, a fact that even he himself was obliged to acknowledge. Taking the floor in response to this statement, deputy A. Baleta described the expression “minorities living in their ethnic lands” as a provocation. Minorities, he pointed out, are newcomers to Albanian lands, a fact denied by no Greek scholar. We, too, have a nation to defend—the Albanian nation—against the strategy of Hellenizing Albania, which is being systematically pursued by Greek chauvinist circles. In conclusion, he said that the right to learn in one's mother tongue, including for the minority, has been and remains guaranteed. In his contribution, I. Ferizaj said that no nation or minority in the world has rights as protected and guaranteed as the Greek minority. Taking part in the debate, Z. Rapaj said that if members of the minority were asking for their lands, they should go and take them in the Peloponnese or Arta. Deputy Makarjadhi's explanations are not only anti-Albanian, but also anti-Greek. Next, deputy U. Butka described deputy Makarjadhi's statement as provocative. It is strange, he pointed out, that these deputies are concerned about the Greek minority but say not a word about the existence of the Cham minority in Greece and its rights. N. Dokle described Mr. Makarjadhi's statement as ill-considered. (ATSH)

By continuing the fight against corruption, we secure our future victory. Speech by Mr. Pjetër Arbnori at the meeting of the PD National Council One of our major shortcomings is that many PD activists elected or appointed to state positions, while dealing with the responsibilities of their posts, have left the work of the Democratic Party behind where they used to be. If they continue in this way, a dangerous vacuum will be created, the consequences of which we are already beginning to feel. We certainly have a lot of work and many difficulties, but activity in the PD must never take second or third place. We had a wonderful group of people united when we had put our lives at risk, and now that times have changed for the better, we have all the more reason to work with dedication; unfortunately, the truth is that we are not working as we should. Moreover, regrettably, there are many people who, because they became directors or got a position, think they have reached the sky; you cannot talk to them, and they no longer even know where the PD headquarters are or in which halls its active members meet. It is even worse with those elected to local government who agree to attend ceremonies, but it never occurs to them to come and learn about the major problems in the PD; they have the answer on the tip of their tongue: “The people elected me and I answer only to them.” If only they would— [continues outside the photograph] The foundations of our democratic movement are human freedoms and rights, property, and free private enterprise. As long as the PD adheres to these principles, it will always be strong. We made the farmer an owner, gave him the right to have land and livestock, and put initiative in his hands; we can be sure that they will vote only for the PD and its allies. We made people free to say what they think and feel without fear, to write wherever they wish and to work where they can be most productive; we can be sure that democracy will never again be stifled in their souls. Sometimes we are needlessly alarmed by differing opinions and harsh tones. They are an expression of pent-up feelings after a long period of oppression. We often make the mistake of calling an opponent a journalist or a person who, in two or three articles or conversations, has said something we dislike or that does not suit us. I can tell you that even the insults and affronts we often hear are a kind of sui generis calendar that the communists make for us because we made them free—so free they never dreamed of being. They themselves were not able to liberate themselves; we made them free. [text continues outside the photograph] to liberate themselves. The socialist campaign of cracking skulls and dragging people along the ground did not harm us either; it helped us. If only we could get one or two or three more Kastrio Is-lamë to make historic calls, they will see that we will win with over 80 percent, not only in Zergan and Luzni, but in many parts of Albania. The bad thing is that the Socialists realized their own foolishness and, of the four or five potential loudmouths, they have shut their mouths and made no sound. In every democratic law, we have not forgotten the social curve, and this is the secret of our success. The land law protects the farmer who works the land. The law on the return of property, while supporting those whose property was expropriated, makes every effort to avoid creating new social conflicts. The law on pensions and social assistance is a commendable achievement. The law on guilt and the status of political persecuted persons seeks to remedy the social and economic injustices inflicted on entire strata. The law on privatizing state housing makes hundreds of thousands of people owners. If we manage to carry out the great privatization, it will be a good step toward the great privatization of the citizen from the state, which is our ideal. If we mention the PD program, we are on the right track. We must be determined and sincere about this. I have gone to several villages that are one hundred percent Democratic and still have not divided up the land. Why haven't they divided it? What is stopping them? Why don't they understand?—I asked them. “We understand,” they told me, and I could see the contradictions, but as soon as such-and-such official leaves, another says: “Wait a moment, the law may change”; then some other chief comes and says Parliament may indeed change it. And the poor farmer does nothing. We are committed to the principle: the greatest good for the greatest number, and we will not change this principle. Those who hide away, officials or chairpersons who have other illusions, can go to another party; there are plenty of democratic parties going bankrupt. Let them win with those parties—one percent, two percent of the votes—and change the law with them. The last thing I wanted to say is this: I gave an interview shortly before the 22 March elections and, among other things, said: “We want as many votes from the people as possible, but we do not want the votes of rogues, thieves, criminals. Let them vote against us, and we will still win the majority.” We must continue this fight against the corrupt, and we will win again. …or have taken up a position and think they have grabbed the sky with their hands; they will not talk to anyone, is or in which halls its active members meet. Worse still are about the major problems in the PD, and they have the answer ready on the tip of their tongues: As if they answered to them—if only that were true—but this is merely a slogan behind which everything is hidden by the word “people,” while in reality what emerges is the ego seeking independence from the party that elected it. In these circumstances, the party activists have been reduced to a small number of deeply committed people who work themselves to the bone, and another category of noisy people who do not let their comrades speak at meetings, who seek to impose their wishes with hysterical shouting, grandiose words, and all of it justified by the right to free expression, by their “democracy.” Thus, quite often, we find ourselves in a situation where ten people create a prejudiced opinion, and if anyone rises to oppose them, they all turn on that person until they silence them. And if you look at the neighborhoods of these loudmouths, their sections are either fundamentalist or very good, but the head of the section does not convey the common problems raised by its members; instead, they put forward personal ideas of their own. Thus we end up with a group of activists whose voices are never heard and who only vote. Fortunately, they have not been excluded from the decisions, which in most cases are positive, but it is not expected that the clever loudmouths will give time for these to be held, and the patient ones may eventually cast their vote, which the former do not like. Our second shortcoming is that those who form the party’s core do not raise issues concerning the course of the PD’s program, which is meant to be implemented; instead, they occupy themselves with whatever comes to mind, playing the role of the dissatisfied. The essence of their dissatisfaction is not matters of principle, but that someone has left a certain chair and they were not appointed—rather than, for instance, a section of its own in Shkodër, without a committee. It is significant that people who are not members have been brought in, with mandates that have not been properly authorized, and made activists despite not being members of the KD. I do not want to judge the exclusion of three members of the KD. I do not mean that these people should not be members, but it is important to ask whether the procedures of the statute and the KD are being observed. The presidency has been pursued before as well; there are two. This method has also been followed in other ways, one by one, with the aim of making them resign, so that economists and specialists leave the PD and their work is left to the incapable. A person is accused of being a “capitalist” because he built the best factory in Shkodër, with 2,300 workers, while Shkodër Democrats who shut down enterprises and left workers unemployed are praised; another is accused of coming from a family of martyrs, something that honors rather than shames him. …bursts out mistake of calling our opponents in the newspaper, or a section of them [?]

News from the social-communist “storm” in Vlorë . Although autumn is coming, the socialist commune officials have not felt it yet. It seems they have still not shaken off their sleep beneath the fig tree. But what is causing the waves? The only easy thing these “wretches” can do is make excuses: “We have no laws,” “We have nobody to turn to.” In the village of Akerni, the sluice gates used to drain the plots are being stolen, while the commune officials look on. People are still waving their sticks and saying: “What is the government doing?” But when asked: “What is the local government doing? What are those wretches being paid for?”—there are 1,800 hectares at risk of turning into marshland. That represents 20 years of sweat, comrades—communists, socialists. Wake up! Our fig trees are shedding their leaves and will soon be left with nothing but their trunks. Get moving and do some work! Do not let wrongdoers ruin the sweat of the majority! You say you care about other people's hard work, especially the people's toil. In any case, one thing is clear: in more of the communes where the Socialists have won, their headquarters have brought in former secretaries of organizations and bureaus of the PP. It is obvious that things cannot go well with such people. Isn't that what is happening in Orikum, where three former organization secretaries have gathered in the administration? The same is true in the communes of Kota, Vranisht, and elsewhere. But if someone is sleeping in the shade of a fig tree, could you say the same, for example, to the village head of Vllahinë, who, instead of attending to the work of local government, distributes “ZP”? Another socialist commune official is collecting signatures for Nano. Oh, what a sight Vlorë has to offer! What a sight! The heavy sleep in the shadow of... “ZP” is giving the Socialists a serious chill. And what about the people's troubles!..

SHKODËR. – On Monday, the Shkodër Public Order Department announced that it had detained three Yugoslav citizens: Ali Rexhep Demiroviç, aged 21, resident of the village of Kronobar-Ulqin; Gani Rexhep Demiroviç, aged 18, resident of the village of Kronobar-Ulqin; and Izet Hasan Kasnecoviç, aged 32, resident of the village of Braish-Ulqin. They were detained because on 18 September, at 4:10 p.m., they were caught by the Murican border post after illegally crossing the Albanian state border from outside to inside. This department also [continues outside the photograph] other persons with Albanian citizenship, who have been involved in smuggling fuel and other products prohibited by UN sanctions into what remains of the former Yugoslavia.

The twinning of the city of Tirana with Marseille has begun to produce its first results. On Sunday, 19 September, the cultural division of Tirana Municipality organized a cocktail reception at the “Bar restaurant KALAJA” (the reception was also sponsored by the “KALAJA” company) between specialists from “Spelia-Klub” of Marseille and the Albanian Speleologists' Association. Among those who spoke at the reception were the honorary president of “Spelia-Klub,” Mr. Henri Garguilo, and the well-known European vice-president and speleologist Mr. Clod Toulomdian, who expressed their willingness to cooperate and provide material and technical assistance to Albanian speleology. They emphasized the importance of exploring existing caves and those that may be discovered. The speleologists from Marseille were welcomed by the president of the Albanian speleologists. During the reception, Albanian and French speleologists got to know one another. They discussed concerns and various issues of mutual interest in speleology, including its scientific, sporting, and tourist aspects.

KUKËS. - So far, the Agricultural and Development Bank in the Kukës district has contributed to the progress of privatization in the countryside in three main areas. First, by providing loans to purchase transport vehicles, which the countryside currently needs greatly. So far, private farmers have bought 30 transport vehicles and 16 tractors with loans from this bank. Second, by supporting agro-trading enterprises in purchasing chemical fertilizers. Third, with the aim of extending transport services to rural areas, loans ranging from 50 to 200 thousand lekë have been granted to rural traders to support them as they begin small-scale businesses, which will improve the supply of industrial goods and other products to the countryside. In addition, repayment of the loans granted is proceeding well, especially for short-term loans. What is even more surprising is that women make up 65 percent of the employees in these enterprises. Isn't this an example to show other enterprises how work gets done when people are willing to work? GËZIM LLOJDI

3 people die and 7 others are injured SHKODËR, 20 September. - A serious traffic accident occurred on the Shkodër–Shllak road, near the cemetery of the village of Drisht. As a result, 3 people aged between 14 and 30 died at the scene and seven others were injured, three of them seriously. The accident happened when a Skoda car with Shkodër registration plate 25-17 A, while passing another car, collided with a Umt Kir tractor, a low-built vehicle with a dark-colored wooden body that was traveling on the road to the city of Shkodër. The car was in the cab and the supervisor more than 17 passengers. The injured were immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment, while the district prosecutor's office opened a criminal case to determine the causes of the accident and those responsible. (ATSH)

The construction enterprise in Vlora, with 230 employees (65 percent of them women), keeps working. In the city of Vlora, when the destruction began, one enterprise managed to survive creditably. This is the construction enterprise headed by director Devi Sharra. Among the alternatives offered by the market economy, it agreed to cooperate with foreign partners. Although this cooperation has not yet embarked on the path of investment, the enterprise nevertheless managed to survive and keep its workers employed. It put a stop to theft and destruction. For the workers, it would be normal to build around 60 apartments, making a profit of 8.5 million lek. Unlike other enterprises weighed down by debts, this enterprise did not incur any. It has built up a fund of 3 million lek for carrying out its work processes. After handing over one wing of the building, the enterprise also has another 90 apartments under construction, which it aims to hand over by the end of the year; specialists’ salaries reach 4,500 lek. It has not faced difficulties due to shortages of iron, cement, or wood, because these materials have been secured by going to seek them where they are produced. Continuous work meant that around 60 apartments were built during the past year, for carrying out its work processes.

But 65 percent of the employees in this enterprise. Is this not when you have the desire to work?