How should I know: about 12 years, how many? Two words. Our leaders were entering a dangerous game to protect themselves. More than twenty-odd years had passed since the overthrow of the communist dictatorship in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and the beginning of pluralism in Albania. In this process of historic proportions and epochal significance, it is rare for there to be institutions or media outlets that identify with pluralism and democracy. In Albania, this can be said of the Democratic Party, which was born on 11 December 1990, and of the newspaper “Rilindja Demokratike”, which began circulating two days later. The experience of this twelfth anniversary has shown that only resilient institutions or media outlets, with reputation, character and a clear political orientation, manage to become historical actors. “Rilindja Demokratike” was such an actor in December 1990 and remained so in the later phases of the Albanian transition. In those early days, the free press was still unknown as a practice and as a culture. The new newspaper had not only the mission of informing, but also of creating a new political language, a new civic spirit and a kind of spiritual mobilization against fear. The writings, communiqués, polemics, appeals, reports and chronicles of that period, which today can also be read as historical documents, bear the mark of a time when public speech was gaining new meaning and weight. Part of the new political elite was formed and established through this tribune. Likewise, part of public opinion was educated in the fundamental concepts of pluralism, the rule of law and Western orientation through its debates and analyses. This does not mean that everything was perfect. On the contrary, this newspaper, like the Albanian democratic process itself, went through trials, crises, political influences, setbacks and recoveries. But in essence it remained one of the clearest signs of epochal change. In the memory of an entire generation, the name of “Rilindja Demokratike” is linked to the first days of hope, to the rallies, to the students, to the engaged intellectuals, to the open tribunes and to the heated debates of the early 1990s. On this anniversary, the appreciation for it is at the same time an appreciation for an entire stage of Albanian political and media history.

It seems that the moves of the uncles are beginning to disturb the paths of reconciliation and of the new Albanian society. Fatos Nano has again come to the center of political polemics, with his well-known defiant tone and his insistence on presenting himself as the only alternative on the left. Within this framework, his statements have provoked numerous reactions, not only from political opponents but also within the Socialist ranks themselves. The criticism directed at him concerns his impatience to take charge of the processes, to impose the pace of developments and to minimize the role of other figures on the left. According to observers, this impatience is not only a personal trait, but also a sign of a strategy to regain ground at a time when the Albanian political scene is still fragile and unstable. On the other hand, his supporters call this political energy and determination, arguing that without strong leadership the opposition cannot rise again. His opponents, meanwhile, interpret it as excessive ambition and a tendency toward conflict. The open debate around Nano’s figure shows that the Albanian left still has not fully resolved the relationship between the legacy of the past and the need for political renewal.

In the trial of the former block officials Five days before the doors of the Court open for the former high-ranking leaders of the communist regime, public interest has increased significantly. Testimonies, documents and comments about what is expected to emerge in the hearing have become part of a broad debate. Former members of the Political Bureau, former leaders of the state apparatus and other figures of the nomenklatura are expected to face charges related to the way power was exercised and the consequences this power had for citizens. In public opinion there are expectations that the trial should not be merely formal, but should serve as an important moment of confrontation with the past. For many, this is a test of whether the new state has the will to place political and moral responsibility on those who ran the country. At the same time, there is no shortage of voices warning about attempts by the accused to portray themselves as mere executors of orders or as victims of circumstances. For precisely this reason, public attention is focused on the details and on the way the evidence will be handled. The process is seen as part of a broader social need to understand the mechanism of repression, privilege and closed decision-making that characterized the former system.

Parliament Speaker Pjetër Arbnori, after his visit to the Council of Europe, leaves today for Vienna, where he will take part in the CSCE proceedings.

The sports club "Bullimi" of Tirana calls on donors and sponsors to help its team participate in sporting activities.

More than 1,500 people have been employed in recent months in the private sector, according to official sources.

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