A basic principle in the establishment and functioning of the PD has been, and remains, transparency, as a permanent feature in its executive and communicative aspects, in the sphere of its internal reach, as well as in its self-expression. This tendency is, first of all, a characteristic of the Western parties on which the PD is modeled, and in this respect it remains the only political force in Albania that upholds transparency as a principle of democracy that builds the party and enriches it with a human sense of understanding, stripping the party of the myth created under the communist system by the PK itself, which directed society through secret, illegal and unclear channels, in a mysterious manner behind which came crimes and gallows, camps and prisons. Formal communication, or implementation of the line of the masses, accountability before them or discussion among the people, was an act cloaked in the most brilliant formalism and hypocrisy. For in reality, for every decision and law imposed in that cold communist reality, people could only applaud the party’s decisions painfully. From its creation, the PD established an open and entirely transparent dialogue with its people. For the first time, the PD and its government broke through the formal sectarian walls of a state, accurately showing the Albanian people the real state of their government, its investment opportunities and reserves, its prospects and the paths that lead to overcoming the crisis. Perhaps it was this transparency of the PD, this human quality of communicating with its people, that led Albanians, firstly, to understand the difficult economic reform, with all the sacrifices we would make for it, and, secondly, to support it unwaveringly. A clear indication of this was the local government elections, where the PD once again won a majority at the height of the reform, as well as the elections in several communes of Dibra, where the PD again received an absolute majority of the votes. But, returning once more to the transparency of the PD as a permanent feature of its functioning and development, we would emphasize that it has established open communication with its members. PD members have never been mechanical implementers of the party’s directives. They have always played an active role as its builders, in a creative role, freed from the abstract experience of “that’s what the party has decided” or “the party knows this business.” In this way, the PD is once again the only political force that has openly expressed its position before our people on important decisions concerning the national interests of all Albanians. At all the meetings attended not only by senior PD representatives but also by its government officials, right up to the President, open communication with the Albanian people has taken place through the mass media, without creating any mystery around them. Things have been different with other parties, the PS or the Alliance, which have signed declarations described as anti-national or made visits that were once again harmful to our national policy, without communicating with their own members or asking about their views. They have plunged the activities of their respective parties not only into an information blackout, but have also given their decisions and actions the classic form of communist parties—in other words, a political adventure destined for inevitable failure. The PD has been and remains committed to ensuring that political transparency, this form of its development and functioning, never fades. The campaign for new elections within the PD itself speaks concretely to this feature of the party, to this human-minded disposition that mobilizes not only the party but its entire electorate.

At the instruction of the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha, a special commission was established at the Institute of History to determine the date of the liberation of the city of Shkodër. It was composed of researchers, veterans and intellectuals, and chaired by the Director of the Institute of History, Kasem Bicoku. Working groups were set up to establish this date. They conducted research in the Central State Archive, the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense, the archive of the Institute of History, and the press of the time. After consulting the documents we were able to obtain, and analyzing the oral testimonies of participants in Shkodër’s partisan units, we concluded that events in Shkodër on November 27 and 28 unfolded as follows: On the evening of November 27, 1944, unable to take with them the large quantities of weapons stored on the outskirts of Shkodër, near Rozafa Castle, the Germans blew them up. They also destroyed, for strategic reasons, two railway bridges in the city. Meanwhile, the Germans had mined the city, thereby creating an atmosphere of fear and terror among its inhabitants. They were cleared by two anonymous Italians. These actions preceded the departure of the German military formations from the city of Shkodër in the direction of Hani i Hotit. The troops departed in last tricycle carrying German soldiers left the building of the former Italian consulate in Shkodër at noon on November 28. During the tricycle’s departure, the last two civilian victims of the war fell; they were city residents who had come out in front of their homes to see whether the Germans had left. These killings, the explosions and flames from the depots, and the mining and demining of the city caused residents to hesitate to leave their homes. In the afternoon of November 28, groups entered the city ... (Continued on page 4)

“We can now say that the ‘Luigi Gurakuqi’ University of Shkodër is moving toward a European future,” said its rector, Gjovalin Kolombi, after signing the cooperation agreement with the University of Bologna (Italy). Having thanked the Senate for approving this agreement, Mr. Kolombo stated that this cooperation would strengthen confidence in the future of our University, ultimately leading to the full equivalence of its degrees with those of European universities. (ATSH)

Having been informed of the accusations made against it by Ferckovski, the Minister of the Interior of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, who accused it of trafficking arms to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry of Defence states: The Ministry of Defence categorically rejects such accusations, which are unfounded and incoherent. It declares with full responsibility that this ministry has supplied no military materiel of any kind to Albanian or foreign terrorists. We are convinced that the Macedonian minister knows the case in question, but we do not understand on what basis he is pretending to be “unaware,” or whether he really does not understand it. This accusation represents a trap ... (continued on page 4)

I would like to take this opportunity to express my high regard and esteem for your legislative activity, which I consider decisive for the development of the rule of law and the consolidation of democratic institutions. But with this message I wish to address you about an issue that I consider to be of great historical importance and which specifically concerns establishing the correct date of the country’s liberation from the Nazi-fascist occupiers and designating it as an official holiday in Albania. The National Liberation War is undoubtedly one of the greatest epics in the history of Albania and the entire Albanian nation. In this war, Albanians liberated their country and joined the side of a powerful coalition, of which they will always be proud. By committing itself to this war, our people paid an exceedingly high price—a price in blood, a price in countless sacrifices, which cost the country thousands of dead and maimed, and unprecedented burnings and destruction. Thousands upon thousands of brave boys and girls, regardless of the political formations to which they belonged, took up arms and resolved to resist the Nazi-fascist occupier to the death; they fought with unparalleled heroism to liberate Albania and build an independent, free homeland. Likewise, the martyrs of this war, without exception and regardless of age, sex, nationality, education or ideological beliefs, sacrificed their lives in the name of the ideals of freedom, for a free and independent homeland. Their sacrifices, suffering and selflessness, as well as those of all the martyrs of the Albanian nation who came after them and gave their lives for the ideals of freedom, will be a great source of inspiration and courage to uphold and protect the ideals of national and individual freedom. Their great deeds will remain an undying torch on the road to freedom for Albanians of every generation. The martyrs of the National Liberation War never fought for the fascist dictatorship to be replaced by the communist dictatorship, or for Nazi extermination camps to be replaced by communist camps where hundreds of thousands of innocent people were eliminated. They fought for freedom, justice and social equality. Their sublime sacrifices will always be honored. Our attitude toward the war and the immortal deeds of those who fell in it will always remain a clear dividing line between those who love and value freedom and are ready to sacrifice everything in its name, and the collaborators and infiltrators who have worked or continue to work with the occupiers and enemies of the country and the nation. The discussions that arose in the Albanian Parliament last year concerning Liberation Day cannot be taken to express any tendency to deny the war or the blood of its martyrs, except by the extreme left-wing forces. Their sole purpose has been to establish the date of Albania’s liberation on the basis of unmanipulated and depoliticized historical truths. Honorable deputies, It has become clear to all Albanians today that the dictator Enver Hoxha was a great falsifier. For 50 years in a row he dared to mock the innocence of a people; he thought nothing of it, just as he distorted their lives and falsified their history. In order to assist Parliament in determining the correct date of liberation, I proposed setting up, under the Institute of History, a commission chaired by the Institute’s director, Mr. Kasem Bicoku, and composed of historians, scholars, intellectuals, veterans, brave fighters and distinguished commanders of the National Liberation War. After serious work, and on the basis of extensive factual material, including official documents from 1944, chronicles of that period, and the testimonies and recollections of fighters and citizens who actively took part in the liberation of the country, the ad hoc commission reached the following conclusions: 1. The date of November 28, 1944 marks the end of the War in Albania. It marks the liberation of Shkodër and, finally, of all Albania. 2. From the above it follows that November 29 was designated as the date of the country’s liberation by a major distortion. It was part of the platform for uniting Albania’s slaves with the Yugoslav Federation, to which, it seems, Enver Hoxha had pledged it to Miladin and Dushan on November 8, 1941. By this act, dictator Enver Hoxha concealed the National Liberation War, the blood and sacrifices of the martyrs and of the entire Albanian people. I am convinced that history will assess this act as one component of the great national tradition that the leadership of the PKSH had concocted from the very founding of that party. 3. The date of the country’s complete liberation coincides with the date of our national holiday, Flag Day. I believe this fact gives the date even greater meaning, joy, respect and significance for all Albanians. However, I would add that there are also opinions in favor of recognizing November 17—the date of the liberation of the capital—as the day of liberation and an official holiday. Such a practice has often been followed by other countries, since the liberation of the capital is undoubtedly the culmination of a war of liberation. Honorable deputies, By establishing the country’s Liberation Day in accordance with the truth, the Albanian Parliament will, on the one hand, reaffirm its own and the entire Albanian people’s great respect and reverence for the martyrs of national freedom and for the National Liberation War as one of the brightest pages that uphold the dignity of Albania and Albanians wherever they may be; on the other hand, it will demonstrate its commitment to uncovering, acknowledging and respecting the truth, which must lie at the foundation of the free and democratic order in today’s Albania. Respectfully, SALI BERISHA

Report on establishing the correct date of the city’s liberation motorized vehicles during the late morning of November 28. The last tricycle carrying German soldiers is

With regard to the Z.P. newspaper article dated 12.11.1993, entitled «The land-plot market is the greatest mockery the state today inflicts on wealthy people», the Tirana Municipality clarifies the matter to the public as follows: The lists of names of those receiving plots of land were drawn up by the Municipality on the basis of decisions made by the former Executive Committees of the Districts, with the main aim of identifying and correcting deficiencies and violations committed by previous governments and state bodies. This would also help ensure more precise implementation of the law on the privatization of state housing. In these decisions we have found that: - There were serious legal errors; for example, names were listed without addresses, deliberately by that regime. - The procedure for granting land often remained only at the level of decisions. In other words, these acts were not put into practice by proceeding with the other required procedures. - There are several dozen cases of plots being registered more than once, or having been sold or given away. This was done by people who were known and had this matter in their hands. The Municipality, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, is working to deregister these cases. - Many people on these lists do not appear in the civil-status registers at all. Mr. Selami, Uka and others do not appear among the owners of these plots, as confirmed by the respective mortgage certificates dated 18.8.1993 and 8.11.1993. Likewise, after checking on Minister Xhaja, it appears that the surname may belong to some other person. Articles of this kind do not serve the work of the state or the fulfillment of citizens’ demands; rather, they hinder it in carrying out its many duties. We request that the matter be dealt with in accordance with the law and that the author of the article be held accountable before justice. SPOKESPERSON OF THE TIRANA MUNICIPALITY

Due to a change in the date of the visit to Tirana by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Karolos Papulias (he arrives on 13.11.1993 and departs on the afternoon of 15.11.1993), the joint press conference of the two Foreign Ministers, Mr. Papulias and Sereqi, will be held on Monday at 12:30 at the International Press Center in the Palace of Congresses. CHRISTOS FAILADIS Press adviser