Democracy cannot be built with those people who have stained their hands with the blood of innocent people, or who have ordered the committing of monstrous crimes, trampling underfoot the primitive laws of the dictatorship LAZER STANI The tendency to create panic and terror has, throughout this whole time, almost been the platform of the Socialist Party newspaper “Zëri i Popullit”. The same thing is also being tried by the deputy editor-in-chief of this newspaper, Luan M. Rama, in an article published a day earlier, with the “background” and the “prophetic” subtitle “Albania cannot move forward on the road of democracy without the former communists and their children.” Luan M. Rama’s problem this time is that he has been gripped by internal panic and terror, and it is precisely this panic and terror that he tries to inject into hundreds and thousands of people. How absurd and idiotic such an act is, of course, hardly needs comment. Luan M. Rama, steadfast in word and deed to the former officials, to those who led Albania through one of its darkest and most terribly destructive historical periods, is truly terrified by the possibility that a law may be approved that would remove from politics the former senior officials of the PPSH, namely the former members of the Central Committee of the PPSH, the former ministers of the dictatorship, the former State Security officials, the former heads of the internal branches and the former secretaries and chairmen of the districts, together with the former spies of the political police, who unfortunately and shamelessly installed themselves in Albanian political life and are a serious obstacle to Albania moving along the road of democracy, exactly as Luan M. Rama himself states and wishes. After long and tedious stretches in his schoolboyish writing, complaining about the people’s troubles and the problems that need solving, Luan M. Rama only near the end reveals the real reason for his terror and panic, and he tries to inject it into all former communists and their children, their sons and daughters, blowing them up as well, because he tries to blame everyone: the former prime minister, the ordinary communist who worked in an enterprise, the former drafters of death lists, and the sons and daughters of innocent leaders and of hundreds and thousands of communists. The terror and panic of Luan M. Rama in this case concern only the possibility that a law may be approved condemning genocide and removing his idols, and the people dear to his heart and dozens upon dozens of others who in fact have suffocated the Socialist Party and turned it into a party of the unredeemable remnants of the past. You, Luan M. Rama, with your deliberately obsolete ideas, try to equate the constructors of evil and genocide committed against the Albanian people with the innocent former communists and their children, who were forced to find everything through their own idealism. With this you seek to create a psychology of terror and incite hatred among Albanians, something the leader of the opposition too has seen as an effort and from time to time as such, since you have even threatened skull-cracking and the Night of Saint Bartholomew. But democracy in Albania will not be forgotten, nor will it be sacrificed by being built in prisons and concentration camps for hundreds and thousands of people, brought in by the dictatorship and its criminal tools. Today the class struggle is no longer the driving force of a society moving forward, as has remained in your memory from the lessons of Party History and communist education, where no one is to blame for your obsessive memory that spins dreams with ghosts. Albania, as Luan M. Rama also writes, has entered the irreversible path of democracy. But for this democracy to move forward, new people are needed. It cannot be built with those who built one of the most barbaric and cruel regimes known to history. Democracy cannot be built with those people who have stained their hands with the blood of innocent people, or who have ordered the committing of monstrous crimes, trampling even the primitive laws of the dictatorship. At the very least, these individuals should have had enough remorse and enough self-awareness to remove themselves from politics. But since they want to carry their stubbornness through to the end, it is the law that will force them to withdraw from politics.

TRIBUTE AT THE GRAVE OF FAN NOLI PHOTO: ROLJTER A grand reception for President Berisha in Boston The night before last, according to Radio “Voice of America”, President Berisha was given a grand reception in Boston, at the Pjer Ford restaurant of the Albanian-American businessman Antoni Athanas. With the participation of over 500 people, the President was welcomed in the restaurant to the strains of the Albanian and American anthems. Throughout the dinner, Albanian songs were performed, while those present approached the table where President Berisha was seated to greet him and ask for his autograph. After dinner, members of the organizing committee greeted President Berisha and all those present. At the end, President Berisha himself took the floor, thanked Mr. Athanas and all the participants, and assured them that the path toward democracy and the Albania and Government that began three years ago would continue. At this dinner, President Berisha also repeated his satisfaction at having had the opportunity to meet with American President Bill Clinton, and with two senior American officials, Kristofor, and the secretary, Uorren Kristofor, Defense Secretary Uiliam Peri, the presidential adviser on national security issues, Entoni Lejk, Republican Senator Robert Doll, and many other American officials. The day before yesterday afternoon, President Berisha went to the Fort Hill cemetery in Boston, where Fan Noli’s grave is located. After a short religious ceremony, led by Father Artur Liolin, President Berisha laid a wreath of flowers on Fan Noli’s grave. Afterward, President Berisha stopped at Konica’s gravestone, where, next to the date of birth and date of death, the stone read: “His remains have rested in Tirana, Albania, since May of the year.” After leaving the cemetery, President Berisha stopped for a few minutes at the Cathedral of St. George, which is in the center from Fan Noli. Yesterday President Berisha left for New York, where he is to be given a warm reception by the Albanian-American community. TRIBUTE AT THE GRAVE OF FAN NOLI PHOTO: ROLJTER

Yesterday in the People's Assembly Amendments adopted to several laws and decrees Hysen Osmani replaces Arben Likë in Parliament At the beginning of yesterday's plenary session of the People's Assembly, the chairman of the Presidium, Mr. Pjeter Arbnori, invited the deputies to vote to place on the agenda the request of the PD parliamentary group to replace deputy Arben Lika with another deputy from the PD's multi-name list. This request, after being put to a vote, was approved by a majority. The proceedings then continued with the review and approval of the draft law “On an amendment to the law” “On the construction, administration, maintenance and use of irrigation and drainage systems”. According to the changes made to this law, it is stipulated that the Water Directorates of the water enterprises handle the main irrigation and drainage systems. As for the internal irrigation and drainage canals that irrigate or drain up to 15 hectares of agricultural land, they are to be maintained and operated at their own expense by the water users' associations. (To be continued on page 2)

Yesterday morning, in the military camp of Durrës, the joint Albanian-American exercise, codenamed “Peaceful Eagle ’95”, began. About 150 American soldiers from the engineering battalion of the 82nd division of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Division, with headquarters in Bamberg, Germany, and 150 Albanian soldiers from the Albanian division of Shijak, with headquarters in Shijak, for one full week, within the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace exercises, will carry out the first full joint Albanian-American exercise, which links Albanian and American soldiers at every level. This exercise, said the deputy chief of the Albanian army’s general staff, Major General Armando Vincani, in his greeting at the opening ceremony, aims to highlight President Berisha’s success in Washington and is a very clear expression of fruitful military cooperation between Albania and the USA. While the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division of the American forces in Europe, General (To be continued on page 2)

Regarding your request no. 318, dated 11.8.1995, I reply that: 1. No third body of police exists against the Court of Cassation; there are only guards requested by you. 2. The vice-chairman is independent from the other powers in the administration of justice, but it appears that you are dependent on the law. 3. You have tried to place yourself above Parliament by requesting the reform of an illegal staff. 4. You keep people from the former secret police in the administration and bypass lawful decisions for their removal. 5. You produce politics instead of giving justice. 6. You have a one-sided attitude toward the mistakes concerning Parliament’s tolerance toward justice. Now even the support of the deputies who defended you has exhausted the argument. PJETER ARBNORI

Meetings of the Secretary General of the PD, Mr. Tritan Shehu, with residents of Kërrabë Continuity of dialogue, work with the individual, and confronting achievements with what still needs to be achieved were also at the center of the meeting held in Kërrabë. Members, supporters and residents of this commune took part in the discussion with the Secretary General of the PD, Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, the chairman of the PD branch for Tirana, Mr. Albert Brojka, as well as the deputy for the area and member of the PD Presidency, Mr. Shaban Memia. The meeting was opened by the chairman of the PD section for Kërrabë, Mr. Skender Gjeta, who, after thanking the guests, pointed out the number of new members admitted in recent months, as well as the problems that require solutions related to the same investment effort in the area for nurseries and kindergartens. Mr. Albert Brojka, underlining the satisfaction that the meetings with the sections and the electorate, after his election as chairman of the PD branch for Tirana, were beginning from Kërrabë, then continued with the area's problems, achievements, and the needs for their implementation in order to be constructive in solving and managing shortcomings. The area's deputy, Memia, after briefly presenting to those present the reform with its successes so far and the tasks related to Karabane's approach to the solutions that have been made and the problems still waiting to be resolved, outlined the prospects of the PD and the democratic government regarding the demands for the functioning of the Kërrabë ministry, for implementation, the social consequences of the transition, the restructuring of infrastructure, health services, etc. Afterwards, the director of the Water Supply Enterprise, the head of the health service for the Tirana district, as well as the director of the Mine, presented the problems, taking on concretely the solution of the drinking water problem, the ambulance and the school facilities, despite the investments made in them, as well as the sports and cultural facilities. Mr. Shehu, in his speech, emphasized the importance of dialogue with the electorate, an open dialogue based on the logic of argument and on constructive grounds. The fact that Albania and its citizens look farther ahead, compare themselves with developed countries and show progress toward moving on the safe road. Meanwhile, in today's development, the far-left forces only oppose it, which shows their low level of emancipation and that their renewal is at such a level that it offers no prospect for a quick implementation of reforms. The PD, as a political force organized differently according to the principles of democracy, must and will win in the coming elections. Questions and discussions from the participants closed the meeting. I.BAJO

ARTA SAKJA (ATSH) Yesterday at 9:00 a.m., the Constitutional Court took up the Council of Ministers’ request concerning a violation of the law by the President of the Court of Cassation. The Government representatives, the Minister of Justice, Mr. B[]n, the President of the Court of Cassation Zef Brozi and Mr. Kasoni(?), Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic, presented a material in which their opinions on the matter were set out. The Government’s representative in yesterday’s trial, Minister of Justice Hektor Frasheri, defended the accusation brought by the Government. The violations of the law by the President of the Court of Cassation. In yesterday’s trial, witnesses were summoned from all districts of the Republic. During the reading, the secretary of legality of the Court of Cassation, Agim Hoxha, also spoke, giving explanations regarding the practice followed by the Cassation and its court as an administrative official for the reporting of cases and the distribution of files. At the end, the documentary evidence was submitted. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Frasheri, requested that the judicial investigation of this matter be brought to an end. The date and time of the decision will be announced by the Constitutional Court through the press. PHOTO: A. DHIMITRI