-Speech by Mr. Sali Berisha at the ceremony honoring Mr. M. Camia- Dear Mr. Marchini Camia, Ladies and gentlemen, Your Excellencies, Ambassadors. Today we have gathered for this ceremony honoring Mr. Marchini Camia on the occasion of his departure from Albania. The period during which you, Mr. Marchini Camia, worked in Albania and helped Albania is one of the most noteworthy and distinctive periods in its history. It is the period of the demise of the communist dictatorship, a moment which the regime, in its death throes, through violence, terror, arson and looting, and organized mass exoduses, managed to turn into a genuine agony for the country and the nation. This is a period of great national suffering. I am a witness to the fact that you experienced those moments with the great joy of seeing a dictatorship destroyed and deep sorrow at the barbaric destruction it was inflicting on the country. Albania was also a period of true national rebirth, because the Albanians and Albania succeeded, with extraordinary courage and great sacrifices, in marking a major turning point in their history during this brief period: emerging from their half-century of isolation, opening up to Europe and the world, and successfully undertaking profound political, legislative, institutional and economic reforms aimed at integrating Albania into Europe, building a state governed by the rule of law and developing a market economy. In doing so, they clearly demonstrated to themselves, their children, Europe and the whole world that they deserved, with dignity, and knew how to use wisely the long-awaited freedom and democracy they had won with such sacrifice. In all these processes of historical rebirth for our nation and country, you, Mr. Marchini Camia, were not only a witness to their determination, but also an active helper and invaluable adviser to Albania. The government and all Albanians found in you a true friend and well-wisher who rejoiced just as they did at their achievements and shared their sadness at their failures. The years 1991–93 will also go down in our country’s history as years of great solidarity with the Albanians and Albania on the part of the European Community, which you represented. In their first struggles against the dictatorship, Albanian youth raised the cry, “We want Albania to be like all of Europe.” This cry expressed both the desire to end the policy of deep isolation into which the communist rulers had plunged the country, and the strong desire to overcome and leave behind as quickly as possible the devastating consequences of the— [The Albanian people], turning [it] the country. sacrifice, with such sacrifices. the devastating consequences of the dic-

TIRANA From the outset, Mr. Eduard Selami, we stressed to you that the democracy born and growing in our district and throughout Albania is invincible and, as such, remains untouchable. We are addressing you as the representative for the Korçë district and as chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania, a party whose democracy-loving supporters in Korçë hold it so dear, asking you to raise your voice to stop a few hooligans and criminals who, for reasons unknown to us, threaten and terrorize the lives of innocent people. The Independent Union of the staff of the Korçë District Council, prompted by the blatant case in which the council’s lawyer, Mr. Pirro Stefanis, was brutally beaten in broad daylight while returning home from work and is now in a very serious condition in hospital, and deeply outraged by several other incidents in our city, reports as follows: 1. Uncontrollable and unidentified people enter the operating room of the Korçë district civil hospital, threaten the doctor, take his gloves and leave the patient to his fate. 2. Dynamite is placed at people’s doorways. What are the law-enforcement authorities doing? 3. There are dozens of cases of children being run over by cars, while those responsible are released. 4. Gangsters enter schools, beat children, abduct girls, rape them and leave them in the middle of the street; groups of people threaten families, saying, “You will vacate the house because this is a ‘Communist base’ and it will remain so”; officials and ordinary people are threatened. Whom does this destabilization serve, sir? It is obvious and needs no other answer: only the social-communist forces. They want the people to be frightened and afraid, and then to blame democracy for all of this. Democracy is the law; we have loved it and will always love it. The cultured people of Korçë know how to put these people in their place, but the law-enforcement forces and the prosecutor’s office must always uphold the law and support the people. The case of the employee of the district council’s staff has outraged us beyond measure. The district council leadership was just as concerned as we were, but the district prosecutor asks for a complaint from the victims themselves; he asks for a complaint from a mother whose daughter has been raped, and from the parents of those killed and run over, because, he says, that is what the law requires. So, according to the prosecutor, the law is easy: the offender pays. This suits the prosecutor, who then suspends the criminal case. The incidents continue, the criminals are free, and they go so far as to commit murder without anyone filing a complaint. Then what are we supposed to do? Could there be a more flagrant case? Parliament must urgently repeal this law, or tell us how to judge them fairly, so that people can be freed from fear and distress and assured peace and a normal life. This is what is killing you; people are not complaining about welfare benefits or unemployment, they only want order and peace. Help us, Mr. Eduart, as you have always helped your constituents—your Korçë, which loves and respects you so much. Deeply outraged, we await action from you and the government so that law and order will be given top priority and criminals, vagabonds and terrorists will be severely punished, because in this way democracy will achieve new victories. We remind you once again, gentlemen, that the social-communists put the disruption of public peace, killings, assaults and terrorism at the top of their agenda; therefore, they are troubled by the fact that the achievements are so evident after such a short period of democracy. Let us correct our mistakes and show the people and the whole world that Albanians are democrats by nature and love democracy. We await a solution and a discussion with you about these major social problems. Members of the Independent Union of the Staff of the District Council KORÇË The persons and rape girls and leave them in the middle of the road; groups of people break into families and threaten them, saying they will burn down their homes because these are called “the Communists’ base and will remain so”; they threaten officials and ordinary people. Whom does this destabilization serve, sir? It is known and needs no other answer—only and intimidated, and law; we have cherished it and will always cherish it, because the cultured people of Korçë know how to show these people case of the employee of the district council administration has outraged us immensely. The concern of the district council presidium was just like ours, but the district prosecutor demands a complaint from the victims themselves; he demands and from the parents of those killed and beaten, according to the prosecutor’s office, the law is easy: the person who caused the damage pays. This suits the prosecutor, who free, and they threaten people for not filing complaints, even going as far as murder. So what should we do? Is there any case more blatant than this, for Parliament to urgently repeal this law, or how should we judge them fairly so as to relieve people of their fear and anxiety and ensure their peace and normal lives? This Mr. Eduart, as you have always helped your electorate—your we expect you and the government to make law and order a top priority, and to severely punish criminals, vagabonds and terrorists, remind you once again, gentlemen, that the social-communists place the top of their agenda. That is why this fact also worries us: despite such a short period of democracy, the victories are very clear. Let us correct our mistakes to and a dialogue with you on these major social problems. Members of the Independent Trade Union of the District Council Administration, KORÇË (continued on page 2)

- PSD declares itself center-left, while its newspaper is openly becoming far-left - For some time now, «Alternativa SD», in all four of its pages, has given the impression and created the conviction that it is singing along with «ZP», or has entered into a contest with it over who can crow louder against the DP and the Meksi government, and who can better promote the old social-communist alternative dressed in a new guise. While the PSD leaders continue to declare that their party will not move from its original position as a center-left force, its newspaper, through its actions, is establishing itself as one of the loudest voices in the anti-DP and anti-government chorus. It has voluntarily taken up the role of backing vocalist to the aging, hoarse soloist «ZP» on its right. However «brave» and «independent» «Alternativa SD» may be, it should not forget or overstep the role of a party organ—especially since it has the good fortune to share a building with the party’s central leadership. It should not charge headlong toward the far left. Nevertheless, we hope and wish that the newspaper will understand this soon.

The Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, received the distinguished American figure, Mr. Berzhezhinski. At the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, they discussed the excellent relations and friendship between the United States and Albania, as well as the situation in the region. Both [discussed] the former Yugoslavia. In his remarks, Mr. Berzhezhinski said: “My visit to Albania is a very special event for me… …I came here to learn more about your country and to see the political developments in the context of efforts to ensure stability in your region. We want Albania to become an island of geopolitical stability, and that is why the United States is showing ever greater interest in it. This is a sound basis for strengthening our relations.” The meeting also addressed Serbia’s repression and genocide in Kosovo. “We are grateful to the United States and to Mr. Arbnori for the support being given to the people of Kosovo, who are seeking their legitimate rights wisely and courageously, in accordance with accepted international norms.” Press and Information Office of the People’s Assembly Tirana, 4. 10. 1993

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, SALI BERISHA, REGARDING THE EVENTS OF THE LAST FEW DAYS IN MOSCOW The bloody developments of the last two days in Moscow are the result of the coup d’état organized by Hazbullatov and Rutckoi and a mixture of various adventurers, who sought to repeat, in the final 70th anniversary of this century, the ominous October Revolution, which has gone down in human history as one of the most fateful events, opening the way in Europe and throughout the world for the establishment of the communist totalitarian system, based on the harshest oppression, persecution, collectivization, class warfare, terror and massacres, and causing the deaths and extermination of tens and hundreds of millions of people, thereby proving itself to be the most tragic political, social and economic experiment known to humanity. Yesterday Aleksandër Rutckoi ordered his supporters to occupy Moscow City Hall and the Radio and Television of Russia, and they seized them by force. Yesterday the specter of the October Revolution caused the first victims in the streets of Moscow. Attempts to repeat the October Revolution after communism’s failure in Europe clearly demonstrate that its remnants remain active and even dangerous, and that conservative communists will not abandon the theory of violence as a means of seizing power. They consider violence legitimate for overthrowing democracy. There is no doubt that President Yeltsin’s response to yesterday’s coup in Moscow is a wholly legitimate act intended to restore order and calm and to defend legality and democracy. It is also a warning to destructive left-wing extremist forces everywhere in Europe. Press and Information Office of the President Tirana, 4.10.1993