The return of the hoodlums from Greece and the making of a false image of Albania with the methods by which the PS rabble declares it will take power... In December, in Andreas Papandreou’s last government, our country was listed for the second year in a row among the leading countries for clandestine emigration. That same month, a denigrating campaign began in the Greek press, not only against Albania but also against Albanians, openly directed by certain political circles linked to the opposition. What was happening? The elections of 5 April 1992 were approaching. The Greek Socialists were preparing to carry out the same operation as in 1991, for part of public opinion in our country: to create the idea that Albania was in chaos, that the democratic government did not control the situation, and that only a return of the left to power would stabilize the country. If we recall what this meant for the PS, it becomes clear that we are not dealing with random propaganda. The ties of some Socialist leaders to PASOK circles have been longstanding. Since the time of political pluralism, through the media and numerous contacts, an attempt has been made to construct a false perception of Albania as an unstable country. The return of emigrants, the rise in imported crime, and propaganda attacks have been used as arguments to strike at the country's image. This is not the first time that circles close to PASOK have projected destabilizing scenarios for Albania. This tactic seeks to frighten public opinion and create ground for political adventurism. Today marks two years since the beginning of PD rule, and this anniversary coincides with a new wave of propaganda attacks from the Greek media. It is significant that these attacks coincide with the intensification of statements by Socialist leaders that they are ready to take power. Is this a coincidence? The voices coming from Athens, the synchronization of statements, and the presence of destabilizing elements at the border and in the main cities raise serious questions. Some of these circles speak of an imminent political “change” in Tirana. Who are these schemes working for? Albanian democracy needs a normal opposition, not dark support from abroad. Any party seeking power must do so with the free vote of the citizens and not by fabricating crises or denigrating the country on the international stage. [Note: parts of the text are difficult to read in the image and have been transcribed approximately.]

At the invitation of Defense Minister Safet Zhulali, today the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, General Michael P. C. Carns, arrives in Albania for a visit . He will meet with the Minister of Defense, the commander of the Albanian Air Force, and other military leaders. His visit is regarded as an important step within the framework of military cooperation between the two countries. The general will visit several military units and institutions. During his stay, discussions are expected on the modernization of defense structures, training, and future cooperation programs. The visit takes place at a time when Albanian-American relations are expanding in various fields, including defense and security. (Continued on page 2)

In another entry from “ZP” Attempts to present Albania as a country in crisis and the government as incapable of controlling public order have reappeared in the Greek press and in some voices of the Albanian left. “ZP” focuses on the way these messages circulate and on how part of politics tries to profit from them. According to the article, imported crime, the return of emigrants, and exaggerated news are being used to feed the idea of a destabilized Albania. If this strategy aims to create panic and insecurity, then the responsibility is not only moral but also political. People who seek power by blackening their own country before the world bear responsibility for every damage they do to the national image. Public debate should be based on facts and not on imported scenarios. Albania has difficulties, but it cannot allow them to become an alibi for political games.

The article deals with a public polemic with A. Balëta, presenting him as part of an old and failed propagandistic line. The author argues that lost battles cannot be recycled as new ideas and that the public can now see through the political aims behind them. In this spirit, the text brings references to media debates, to the familiar rhetoric of the transition period, and to the way certain opinions seek to relativize responsibilities from the past. According to the article, this is an unsuccessful attempt to influence collective memory. The author emphasizes that Albanian society has entered another phase and that ideological nostalgias can no longer be turned into a convincing public alternative.

[?] The article in the central lower column is partially legible. The title can be read with difficulty as “WHERE” IS ASSOCIATED IN GREEK. Beneath the title there are several paragraphs, and at the end the author’s name appears to be “E. P.” [?] The internal text is not clear enough for a reliable word-for-word transcription. LAZER STANI

[?] The text is very hard to read in the image. A piece with a large title can be made out in the lower left column, with several long paragraphs beneath it. Because of the image's ambiguity, an exact word-for-word transcription is not possible without risking fabrication. [?] Fragments such as: “Let us do it”, “courage”, “word”, “politics” and a continuation at the bottom of the column can be discerned. The full text remains unreadable.

By 19 April 1994, at 11:00, the chairman of the PD, Mr. Eduard Selami, will give a press conference at 11:00 in the office of the central leadership of the Democratic Party. Three diplomatic questions.