In the destruction of the village, the «ZP» writer takes up the ten qualities of the PP, published on the first day, in order to analyze this program of the DP and its implementation. This little social-communist, after bringing out his own anti-democratic and anti-human similarities with the M-L apparatchiks, adds the absurdity of the comparison together with traits he has imagined for them. The «ZP» article writer tries to portray the DP as a political force with a demagogic approach, while the political leadership has managed, in such a short period, to present to the world a democratic Albania that has brought inflation down to zero, halted the further decline in production and begun its recovery. Sir social-communist, it is not demagoguery—the «noise» made about Albania’s interests in international forums, the signing of dozens of agreements with the world, the aid the world is giving Albania, the rising prosperity of every Albanian, the establishment of the rule of law, the filling of the markets, the end of queues, the bringing into the country of thousands of cars, thousands of household appliances and tractors, the start of construction, the strengthening of privatization, the distribution of land deeds, the privatization of homes, and so on. In other words, the DP made real everything it promised, in a short time. But not everything depends solely on the DP. For example, it would have been impossible for the DP to repair in two years, or one four-year term, everything that the PP(S) damaged and destroyed over 50 years, since communism and the PP(S) left the Democratic Government a country in which work in enterprises had fallen drastically, with 80 percent [unclear], and thousands of schools, kindergartens, hospitals and health centers, the telephone and railway networks, and the whole country left in chaos and anarchy. In reality, this was among the latest and most serious injustices that the PP(S) leadership inflicted on the Albanian people and Albania. The «ZP» article writer accuses the DP even of euphoria, while the author in question forgets that he belongs to the party which, for 50 years, through this very newspaper, tried to persuade Albanians that socialist Albania was entirely different from the rest of the world, a fortress of socialism on the Adriatic, a land of happiness, harmony and fabulous prosperity—while Albanians received 400 grams of meat a month and one liter of milk a week, not to mention the life of the peasant, who today it is hard even to imagine could keep body and soul together. Sir social-communist, this did not happen in the time of Tancizmi, but only three years ago, when people received 14 old lekë for a day’s work and the PP(S) wrote that they lived happily in a leading state, among the foremost, while infants were dying for a spoonful of milk. As for the DP’s achievements, there is no need for euphoria or publicity; every person living in Albania today, and every foreigner who visits our country, can see for themselves the increase in prosperity and the restoration of the dignity of the Albanian people. The DP is aware that it has managed to implement only part of its program. For the «ZP» analysts, all this, unfortunately, looks like pseudodemocracy! What else can be expected from a party and a newspaper that for 50 years called the economic and social system Albania is building today pseudodemocracy? According to the «ZP» analyst, Albanians should return to the old democracy. In making this brief comment on the malicious ideas of the «ZP» pseudonym, I would emphasize that disloyalty, demagoguery, euphoria and pseudodemocracy are features of the PP(S) leadership. MUJE BUÇPAPAJ

At midday on Friday, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received General Atilla Aisheli, head of the Turkish military delegation, which has arrived in our country on an official visit within the framework of military relations with Turkey. The President thanked the guests for their commendable contribution, which represents a further strengthening of Albanian-Turkish relations in the military and defense fields. Following the success of the New Solution, the formation of NATO’s southern flank and Albania’s membership in NATO will be an important and beneficial step for Albania. The President noted that Albania aims to prepare itself militarily so that it can not only withstand possible aggression, but also cooperate with other armies within the framework of NATO and KESB. (ATSH)

Asked to comment on the latest developments in the region, the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, told ATSH journalist Viktor Chanozani: «The recognition and establishment of diplomatic relations by Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark with the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is an important step to be welcomed toward the stabilization of this Republic, whose independence and stability are important for the entire region.» (ATSH)

On Friday morning, Prime Minister Meksi received the delegation of the European Democratic Union, headed by its president, Mr. Wilfred Martens. «I am pleased by your visit to Albania, the country that has suffered most under the communist regime,» said Mr. Martens. «Our Union, as well as the European Community, follows the democratic processes and developments in economic reform in Albania with particular interest.» Mr. Meksi said that the democratic Government was committed to the path of reform and considered it the only means of restoring the economy and building the rule of law. «We are in the second year of government, and among the most significant results I would mention the reduction of inflation; the stabilization of the economic decline; the resumption of the aid process; the privatization of agriculture and the increase in agricultural production; the continuous improvement of legislation, etc. The year 1994,» Mr. Meksi went on to emphasize, «will be decisive for reform, and the resolution of property issues in accordance with the law; the privatization of small and medium-sized enterprises; and the launch on a large scale of investments, especially in the mining industry, infrastructure, etc., will be our main objectives.» The delegation of the European Democratic Union expressed to Mr. Meksi its appreciation for the work carried out in Albania concerning democratization and constructive economic reforms, and assured him of its commitment to supporting Albania during the transition from a centralized economy to a market economy. (ATSH)

ONLY IN 20 MONTHS - Around 400 modern bakeries brought into Albania - 75 percent of the Republic’s bread needs met by private operators - There is no country in the world like Albania, we were told at the Food Industry and Public Food sector attached to the Council of Ministers’ office, which in just 20 months has managed to change the country’s bread supply and the structure of that supply. During these 20 months of democratic government, the state has imported around 58 ovens. Another 32 electric, rotary-type ovens, with trays— (Continued on page 4)

Amid a torrent of wild invective, in Mr. Imami’s often emotional and theatrical logic, accompanied by Mr. P. Zogaj’s balancing act, on Wednesday in Kuçovë AD displayed its faded tunics (ancient Greek half-length garments) before a large social-communist audience. The few Democrats in the cinema hall were shocked by Mr. A. Imami’s aggressive tone, as he spared no one in attacking the DP and its intellectuals, completely discrediting himself in Kuçovë. The people who left happy and content at the end of the «massacre» were the social-communists. Their open delight kept them company for another two hours by the car. It was a display of the hall’s taste, with applause after Mr. Imami’s frequent answers, always against the DP; it continued after the performance with the communist comrades’ remarks and arms around one another’s shoulders, in an indescribable happiness created during these social-communist «days of mourning». Personally, this is AD’s shame before democracy. If you are honest and admit that you are bound to your mother, you should represent yourself without hesitation and without illusions that you will be left alone with the withdrawn comrades, forty and forty years old. Against this you must have more invective! Or have they taken to heart the old saying: «He who shouts, loves you?» The famous Horace said: «Pede poena claude.» If crime is not punished immediately, sooner or later it will not remain unpunished. It is clear that the world did not end on Wednesday. Life goes on; time will prove it. The views AD presented in Kuçovë and the answers given to the questions showed that megalomania, bluff and egotism are Siamese possessions of this Party. The balloon-like declarations that the DP will not get past 15 percent in the next elections, that AD will be the surprise in the coming elections, and that AD will be a first-rate party while the DP will be second-rate, can intrigue only the immature minds of kindergarten children, on the one hand, and satisfy the spirits of the brothers of Albanian communism, on the other. Certainly, they may also upset the pure hearts of all DP members and supporters. Mr. A. Imami! You say that 99 percent of the intellectuals in the DP lack capacity, because if they had it, they would have gone to hold the meeting in Belgrade. You say that anyone in Albania can take such steps, even ordinary citizens. As for your first «proof», I would tell you that I intend to remind you of your meetings and conversations before you left the DP, where the DP’s strong figures and intellectual talent are sorely lacking. Well then, were N. Çeka, P. Teta, T. Keko this powerful intellectual talent? You’ve left yourself with quite a fine reputation! As for your other claim, that anyone can undertake the adventure of the national question, I wanted to tell you that you nearly became a popular «moener» (English—someone who goes to a funeral for money) among the local people and Albanians in general. You then mentioned Jelcinj’s defeat in Russia and tried enthusiastically to link it to the same fate awaiting the DP in Albania in the coming elections. First, Jelcinj had neither the taste nor the [unclear] before these elections in [unclear]; comparing Russia with Albania and predicting the same fate is both absurd and ignorant. You then tried to prove that your party is purer, more capable, more «vestalja» (a virgin priestess of Roman temples—excuse me for explaining certain things to the reader and to you). You forgot the great Shakespeare and the words of one of his characters, very well known throughout the world: Never trust the love of a horseman nor the vows of a whore. And one more thing, Mr. Imami! As for your party’s ideal position, the political position that you see as enabling it to lead power, I would also like to tell you what I think. I don’t know whether you understand that your position, which is not at all European, is «Buridan’s ass» (my note). Thus, Buridan’s donkey, placed between two choices, hay and straw, could not choose what to eat. In conclusion, I would like to remind those who came to Kuçovë for AD that the time has come to remove their masks and openly reveal the path they aim to follow and whose servants they are. Mr. Imami, I suggest you give up this fashionable fiction and interpretation. There is a risk that this weak game of an independent dilettante, his work intended to be a bestseller, will be influenced only by his own talk and by the other propagandists participating in this farce. DIMITER LLESHU

- AT LAST: THE COMRADES KNEW THE POLITBURO’S 1976 DECISION — BEYOND THE EXPENSES ON THE LIST, EVERYTHING WAS BASED ON REQUESTS - During the former bloc members’ [unclear] fifth day of proceedings, witnesses were questioned one after another. The last witness questioned the day before yesterday was A. Gjoni, who passed the baton and testimony to another former bureau member… former Prime Minister Adil Çarçani, 73, who had become ill, together with his already arrested comrades, Adem Çarçani and the others. The proceedings concerning the comrades, the mandatory oath and their own testimony, and the old chief established the fact regarding the first ten [unclear], and the hearing was conducted on the basis of the existence of the Politburo lists of 23.3.1976 and 8.1973. The General Directorate of the Politburo’s 1976 decision and the decision on punishment were questioned by the Bureau, which had accompanied this structure of the decision and its formation, while examining the «rule» and insisting that they had signed without knowing anything—that is, without knowing its contents. The witnesses’ statements reveal that the 1976 Politburo decision «led the evidence» to «the crime of inequality among states». This is open to discussion. The Politburo created the justification for the special traffic, although the government was responsible for the payment side. «The Party was everything; it directed the life of the country.» And the government opened the funds itself for the General Directorate, while this directorate was never subject to economic and financial control! But why should it have been subject to control? Even if there had been some violation, the leadership comrades would have done it! Kino Buxheli, meanwhile, spent a long time giving testimony, as there were many questions for him. He explained how the Reception Directorate worked, its duties, and how it was connected with the service it belonged to, since 60 percent of its activities concerned these obligations. The obligations to those who benefited from the 1976 decision were included in one list, while for other expenses there were requests from the interested parties themselves, on the basis of which the deputy prime minister’s orders were drawn up. After them, other witnesses were questioned, and the proceedings were also expected to continue today. SHPETIM LIKUCI

On Monday, December 12, gunshots were heard in the Fahri Rama neighborhood, [unclear]. «Continued on page 4»

The results of the parliamentary elections in Russia and Zhirinovski are a very strong political signal to the West and demonstrate the necessity of NATO’s opening up and of the membership in the organization of Eastern European countries that are determined to follow the path of democracy—President Berisha told Wilfred Martens, President of the Union of Christian Democratic and Popular Parties of Europe, during a dinner he hosted in honor of the delegation he headed. Among other matters, the discussion of Albania’s relations with the European Community had a prominent place at the dinner. For his part, Mr. Martens assured President Berisha that the Union of European Christian Democrats greatly values Albania’s major achievements in building the rule of law and a market economy, and that the Union and he personally will support and back Albania in its integration into European institutions.

The owners were forcibly dispossessed, and shops on one street clashed; [unclear] the statue of a picnic and the industrial-goods shop belonging to the «Kuka» company. The events at these shops are among the first in 10–12 years, at a time when, in this place, according to the redevelopment plan— (Continued on page 4)