Raising the party to new organizational levels, structuring it toward a genuine space within the political community, and building party initiatives on a tangible understanding of the current social, economic, and spiritual developments among Albanians: these are some of the distinctive features of the Democratic Party’s new election campaign. The theses of self-criticism and of carrying out a struggle against political extremists and corruption of color constitute a new test for the DP in the eyes of the Albanian people. For the first time in the history of Albanian politics, a political force admits that it has made mistakes, admits that it lacked organizational experience and methods for achieving its aims during this period of leadership, and acknowledges the historic efforts—distinct in the values they embody, the messages they convey, and the transformations they brought about. The DP clearly outlined its humane politics, the values of understanding and tolerance, and a programmatic space that recognizes the individual’s individuality, respects the intellectual’s universe, and reaches out to people with a message of peace and moral uplift, and with faith and hope for a better future. This led to the DP’s new elections being conducted in a spirit of open dialogue. These elections were a test of the democratic course, aimed at addressing the problems of today’s democratic development more constructively. In particular, through economic reform and the reform of sections according to intellectuals’ specialties, the party made a convincing investment in the future. This made the idea highly credible that the DP is a rising political force, consolidating its structures, a living party with a courage no political opponent can forget. An essential feature of the party’s new elections was not only the promise of social peace and human understanding, but the practical realization of such an example: defending the March 1992 platform, defending the law on the tax, etc. In this way, the DP’s election platform had an exemplary effect in reducing political tensions artificially stirred up by the PS and «ZP». In this regard, its program also had a constructive impact, winning the greetings of Albania’s members—not only DP members and supporters, but the entire Albanian people, who are making patriotic sacrifices for reform and the country’s future. During this campaign, the DP not only reviewed the work done and put its program to a popular test, but also once again received the moral vote of confidence of its supporters for its proper stance on the national question, foreign policy, and integration into the world. This is support not only for the DP, but also for the Government and President Berisha. For the successful implementation of this campaign, pu- a love that recognizes the individuality of the individual, that contemplates the universe of the intellectual who goes to the people with the message of peace and moral uplift, with the message of hope for a better future. This led to the new elections in the PD being held democratic test, enabling the problems of today’s democratic developments to be brought forward more constructively, particularly in the field of economic reform and the issues that accompany it. During this election campaign, the PD achieved a record number of new admissions, which allowed it to remain an open and popular party, a party of free people who accept the programme for a better future. By devoting attention to structuring its sections, especially in the villages, establishing them where they had not existed, and [—] During this campaign, the PD not only reviewed the work done and tested its programme among the people, but fellow citizens for its principled position on national issues, foreign policy and the country’s the PD, but also for the Government and President Berisha. Thousands of party workers, members and supporters of the PD who love their party wholeheartedly worked to ensure the campaign’s success. Hundreds of section and branch leaders contributed greatly to this effort, and above all the chairman of the PD, Mr. Eduard Selami. This also represents another distinctive feature of the PD campaign: its ability to mobilize the national democratic spirit in the direction of peace and human progress.

The 3rd Conference of the Skrapar branch of the DP held its proceedings — MR. TOMOR DOSTI ATTENDS — On Tuesday, November 30, the 3rd Conference of the Democratic Party branch in the Skrapar district held its proceedings in one of the halls of the Palace of Culture in the city of Çorovodë. The conference was attended by the PDSH delegate, Secretary General Mr. Tomor Dosti. After the national anthem was played, Mr. Sokol Bregu, secretary of the Skrapar DP branch, opened the conference and gave the floor to Mr. Demir Gramoz, the district DP chairman, who read the report prepared by the working group on behalf of the Governing Council. In the Skrapar district, Mr. Gramoz[i?] continued, land has been distributed without social conflicts, and the distribution of title deeds is continuing. Private initiative has increased considerably, and 836 businesses are operating, employing 1,065 people. The privatization of economic enterprises is continuing despite the difficulties that have arisen. Livestock farming has developed greatly, and the standard of living of rural families has risen significantly, partly as a result of emigration to Greece and Italy. Over these two years, 32 tractors worth 22 million new lekë have been brought into the district. Education in the district is functioning normally; there are shortages in healthcare, especially in the villages. Some enterprises have still not carried out the reform, such as the Health Directorate, the Construction Department, the Water Supply, Telekomi, and especially the Poliçan Mechanical Combine. The law-enforcement agencies need to do a better job of deepening the reform. The poor work done by the district Municipality and Communes under the direction of the Socialists is worth noting: ultra-communists have been appointed to leadership positions and are obstructing reform, creating difficulties ... (continued on page 4)

For some time now, PDSH chairman Eduard Selami has been at the center of attacks by Albanian Socialists and especially by «Zëri i Popullit». With the same passion and devotion with which they defend their imprisoned leader, they attack the chairman of the party in power with equal bitterness and ferocity. In truth, there is nothing new here; using the same style and concentrated strikes, Sali Berisha and other gentlemen of the DP have also been attacked before. It is a known fact that ZP is alarmed by the growing authority of the chairman of the Democratic Party and of the other intellectual leaders of this party, and, following the art of popular warfare, plans its struggle against them with a view to annihilating the enemy piece by piece and in a frontal assault. An Arab proverb says that, for a mouse, the most terrifying animal is the cat. In its rush to regain lost power, the Socialist Party has calculated well: with a Democratic Party like this, which has long won popular support, it is difficult ever to get ahead. Under these circumstances, the main obstacle has to be removed. The end justifies the means. The weapons are both old and new. His biography is brought up. In this field, the ZP people become so ridiculous that it is hard to take them seriously. A newspaper as black as pitch because of its nearly half-century-long biography dares to remind them— (continued on page 4)

Which deputy in Belgrade would not envy your statements in the Albanian Parliament, Mr. Imami? Which deputy in Belgrade today would be more successful in Albania’s democratic institutions than you, Mr. Imami—an unfortunate, bloodied man, not because of failed recorder roles, but because you have not been original in your role; as for being a recorder, that is for others, your masters?! This is your portrait; indeed, I think I am entitled to describe you as a Serbophile deputy, regardless of what you have added here as well. In your statements as a t-raxhiu in Parliament, you claimed to speak as a philistine in the name of the country’s interests and the Albanian public, whom you know very well. They have put a great deal on you, Mr. A. Imami. At least forget part of it and remember what is yours. You called on Ceka to go with you to Belgrade, not to extinguish or defend national interests—you had neither these aims nor the idea that the rights could be discussed there, nor did you appear to be concerned that the people you bloodied, along with people from Belgrade, were in the salons of Belgrade with E. Pashe Toptani and the others. They represented Kosovo. They represented the Albanians from Belgrade, the forces of the movement in the country. And you? Belgrade was raising you up, while the road through Mitrovë passes by the head-…; but now that things have changed, the lines have… [much text damaged/illegible] Mr. Imami, your visit to Belgrade was your end. Perhaps you feel it yourself, and that is why you are becoming even more aggressive. In truth, you speak in Parliament while appropriating in that (Ceka, Imami, Çupi) and not Albania. The masters in Belgrade needed you to use your charm for the election campaign, and you did them this service. Whether they ordered you to do it or you did so willingly, I cannot say. Perhaps it was both. Mr. Imami, you accuse Albanian TV, and from your position you are right: Albanian TV cannot promote you the way Belgrade TV does. Albanian TV is the opposite of Belgrade TV. The latter, as a mouthpiece for the interests of Serbian Greater Yugoslavism, slanders and spews bile against Albania and the Albanians, against our brothers in Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and southern Serbia. Albanian TV defends national interests with dignity; it does not side with bootlickers, mercenaries, Serbophiles, etc. None of this, it seems, matters to you, since you did not even mention it in your speech in Parliament, where you did not forget to emphasize, in a tendentious way, its informational and denunciatory functions as the primary ones. Why trumpet denunciations if they are justified and true? Ultimately, Albanian media must defend Albania’s interests against mercenarism too, mustn’t it? If it must—and it must—then it should act as it has acted, and not otherwise, without national feeling. Only the Serbs and their spokespeople would want that. while arbitrarily claiming to represent an electorate that is not yours, that you have abandoned and that has abandoned you. Thus you represent no one in Albania. Parliament is certainly wrong to make room for elements like you. The electorate has expressed its outrage at you several times. You know this very well, and that is why you avoid meeting with it. You have now replaced those meetings with meetings in Belgrade, perhaps because that is also where you belong; perhaps there too…. In the end, for what you have done against democracy in Albania and the Democratic Party, you, Mr. Imami, compete creditably with Ramiz Alia, who has long felt lonely. Perhaps you are looking for other company? You used the camera and deceitful tricks to deceive. Through it, you accused TV of supposedly having Mr. Selami edit in the applause given to Kalakulia. If that were so, Mr. Kalakulia would not have received 13 votes, or 14 if we add another one—your vote. But 14 votes are far too few for such loud applause, sir. You could also accuse Albanian TV of not broadcasting the sustained applause after your speech in Parliament. That is your right, but the reality is quite different. Perhaps you too need applause, but Belgrade did not give you that instruction for use in Albania, because the Albanians’ spectacular, hollow applause would have made the performance perfect: Albanians know well that empty vessels make a lot of noise. BASHKIM TIENOVA

MR. IMAMI IN A TRAGIC-COMIC ROLE Yesterday, on 2 December 1993, the People’s Assembly opened its morning session with an interpellation of the Director General of RTSH, Mr. Skënder Buçpapaj, requested by MP Arben Imami, seeking clarification regarding RTSH’s commentary broadcast on 11 November 1993, concerning the visit of the PAD delegation to Belgrade. Mr. Buçpapaj explained that RTSH would continue to implement Article No. 1 of the law “On the Status of RTSH,” which states that RTSH is a central state information and cultural institution, nationwide, guided by national ideals, and that RTSH would continue in the future to denounce actions that do not accord with national interests, thereby fulfilling its mission as a nationwide institution. Once again, Mr. Imami expressed the profound spiritual, moral and political [crisis] that has engulfed him and his colleagues in Belgrade. His exchange with the Director General of RTSH made even people involved in the Belgrade match blush, and put him in a tragic-comic role. Neither his ranting nor his profession as a failed actor affected Albanian public opinion in the slightest. It has denounced, and will denounce, every servant of Millosheviç’s dictatorial regime who acts to the detriment of our national cause. Mr. Ali Spahia, chairman of the PD parliamentary group, rightly stressed: “Our national interests do not pass through Belgrade.” Correspondent of “RD”

Until yesterday I thought that the occasional power cuts brought nothing but trouble, but yesterday I discovered that this is not entirely true. Apparently, the lack of electricity has its benefits too. Yesterday, for example, because of the power outage, the PS organ “ZP” did not appear in print. Isn’t that one of the best things for Albanians? Well, perhaps not for all Albanians. As a consolation for the latter, I offer some headlines from “ZP,” which did not come out yesterday: “Down with fascism” “F. Nano’s order, the fundamental condition for preserving Albania’s independence” “Profile: 49 November, Yugoslavia’s National Holiday” “The PR of Burkına Fisboa led the immediate Ilirmin” “F. Kastro expresses solidarity with Nano, preserves relations and calm” “PD violently overthrew E. Hoxha’s democratic regime and is establishing a dictatorship” “Democracy was brought to Albania by R. Alia, who declared in October ’90 that there would never be pluralism in Albania” “There was an earthquake in Honolulu. What has the Mexhufi Government done to eliminate earthquakes?” “In the chain of PD scandals: Çobo Rrapushi and the legs. Why doesn’t the Minister of Health resign?” “New parliamentary elections, flexible and postponed for elections” “PD is not implementing the PS programme, but its chairman must be removed, etc., etc.” F. PALOKA

On the occasion of November 28, the National Holiday of the Albanian people, greetings continue to arrive for the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha. Congratulatory telegrams have been sent by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides; the President of the Republic of Finland, Mauno Koivisto; the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos Bin Said; the President of the Republic of Madagascar, Zafy Albert; the President of the Republic of Senegal, Adbu Diouf; the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Rauf Denktash; the President of the Republic of Latvia, Guntis Ulmanis; the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Fidel Ramos; Sultan Azlan Shah, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia; and the President of the Republic of Slovakia, Mihal Kovach. Likewise, congratulatory telegrams have arrived from a number of Albanian cultural associations in various countries around the world. Such telegrams were sent directly from gatherings of Albanians organized by these associations on the occasion of the holiday.