Ever since the victory of “No” in the referendum of 6 November, the government has found itself under an unrestrained attack by the Socialist Party. An attack that encompasses public appearances and statements by former members of Hoxha’s secret police; the lining up, as in the past, of dozens of individuals, for whose services to the dictatorship they were rewarded with academic titles; outright nihilism and an endless stream of accusations of corruption directed everywhere and at everyone; taking it upon themselves in advance to solve all the difficulties facing reform today (by expressing solidarity with every strike); threats of political trials; openly declaring that they will interfere with the organs of justice tomorrow (“when we take power”—ZP, 8 November 1994 ... February ’95) by freeing one person or imprisoning another; proclaiming themselves champions of sensitivity, competence, and the fight against corruption, and so on. Yet this veritable arsenal of psychological and propaganda attacks lacks the elements of constructiveness and an alternative. There is no point dwelling on the first, since the socialist leadership denounced itself only one day after democracy’s historic victory on 22 March, when it called for early elections. What about the second? This is precisely the key. Realizing that the chances of regaining power had diminished, and confronting the reality it had itself helped create—the results of the vote on the draft constitution—the socialist leadership found itself exposed in terms of its potential and its ability to offer an alternative. Precisely to conceal this, it decided to launch a frontal attack against the government, over every good or bad thing, and against everyone. It needed this tactical move to demonstrate strength, including against certain small parties which, at particular times, have played—and still hesitate to play—the role of vassals to the communist leadership that gave birth to them. The vacuum where alternatives should have been was so exposed that the Socialist Party took a second step: publishing its programme ahead of time. And beyond the obligatory principles for a party seeking to overturn the rules of the democratic game—principles currently enshrined in laws by the democratic parliamentary majority—there was no other alternative there except the courage to openly profess the philosophy of crime: Marxism as read by the Albanian Marxists of the Socialist Party. The step was a profound one. The broad public’s reaction did nothing but force the Socialist Party to make the destructiveness of its attack its main line of defence. In any case, this does not conceal the poverty of ideas for resolving the problems of economic reform. Invited by the President of the Republic, Berisha, to a round table of parties on deepening the privatization process, the party that proclaims itself a party of social character did not consider it appropriate to present its own alternative in a process involving measures with such social consequences as the distribution of vouchers, compensation, and so forth. The poverty of ideas and the lack of serious alternatives compelled it not to attend the meeting. A party’s strength is shown by its response at decisive moments in the country’s politics and economy. It seems that the Socialist Party understands this political maxim differently. By “strength” it means attacks, slander, insults, threats, skull-cracking, and so on. Alternatives, perhaps... measures, and so forth, are foreign to it. The above reasoning would be incomplete if we did not put it to the test. Since 6 November, there is Ruci, during whose reign crime flourished and blood was spilled, now calling for a fight against organized crime; Doka and his associates, who astonished Europe by declaring themselves against their country’s accession to the Council of Europe, while speaking of a European socialist movement (they have been left outside its doors), of excellent relations with Europe, against strengthening relations with the United States, and so on; the leadership headed by an intellectual who claims he will fight corruption; Professor of M-L Pellumbi, whose presence provokes Albanians and makes them mourn the dictator Hoxha, and so on. Finally, they offer Albanians Marxist governance—Albanians who did not erect statues to Marxists without bringing them down, and who experienced Marxism, Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Hoxhaism, and so on, at their own expense. While the government is fully committed to implementing the DP programme and correcting its own shortcomings and mistakes, as well as corrupt practices, the rule of law has the duty to make it clear to the left that laws govern Albania. Those who trample them underfoot must be brought to justice.

The struggle of the democratic state and government to establish law and justice has recognized no positions or ranks... When they hit a sore spot, you jumped up, accusing others in order to save yourself... The State Audit Service has dismissed the slanders and accusations of MP Perikli Teta, whose aim is to discredit the work of this body, which has been and continues to be at the forefront of the fight against corruption. Through its work, the State Audit Service has contributed significantly to establishing order and financial discipline among citizens, after they had been completely undermined in 1991–1992 by the communist regime. Despite difficult conditions and a small staff, hundreds of state enterprises and institutions have been audited each year and over the course of its activities; legal violations, embezzlement, and corrupt acts have been uncovered in connection with almost all cases. During this period, the State Audit Service imposed administrative measures and fines on 2,307 people; for shortages, deficits, damage, and financial violations involving 40,654 people, 493 cases were referred for criminal prosecution; state funds amounting to 2 billion 365 million lekë were recovered; and the invalidation of 246 sales contracts relating to illegal privatizations was requested. It has directly influenced both legal improvements and operational improvements in the conduct of affairs, from municipalities and enterprises up to the Government, in almost every area of economic and social activity. The struggle of the State and the Democratic Government to establish law and justice has spared no one on account of position or rank, regardless of their functions. Yet you are the ones who defended crime and corruption, from Fatos Nano down to those accused by the prosecutor’s office, labeling them as political victims without distinction. Who is politicizing the fight against corruption? The State Audit Service has not conducted its work on political motives; the broad range of issues it has addressed in the press, on TV, in Parliament, and everywhere else proves this best—from communist leaders and socialists, your protégés, right through to Democrats. When they hit a sore spot, you jump up, accusing others in order to save yourself. Even in political struggle, a person must be honest, criticize and denounce every illegal or corrupt act, but not resort to gossip and invented arguments that have no legal basis whatsoever. It seems, Mr Teta, that the words honor and honesty are unknown to you. And this is only logical, because from a dishonest person, a slanderer and a liar, one can expect nothing else; the only weapon left to you for smearing democracy is intrigue. The State Audit Service publicly denounces all the slanders directed at its work, assuring honest people and the entire public that its efforts and work will continue to be strong, honest, and uncompromising with anyone who does not respect legality and justice. Spokesperson for the State Audit Service

At the meeting yesterday between the Minister of Defence, Safet Zhulali, and the Ambassador of Great Britain in Tirana, Stiven Nesh, thanks were conveyed to the British Minister of Defence for taking part in the “Sarex ’95” manoeuvres. He also expressed readiness to further deepen cooperation between the two armies and highlighted Britain’s assistance in the education and training of Albanian officers. In this context, Minister Zhulali presented the “Naim Frasheri” decoration, awarded by the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, to the Englishman Makjell Long, with the citation “for one year of excellent work teaching English to our military personnel”. The English lecturer expressed his gratitude for the great honour bestowed on him by Albania and noted that, over two six-month courses, 100 Albanian officers had been trained. For his part, the British Ambassador, Mr Nesh, expressed support for further deepening relations in the military field, in implementation of the memorandum of cooperation between our two countries.

Statement by the leadership of the National Association of Former Political Prisoners and Persecutees of Albania On Friday, 3 February 1995, at around 8:30, a still-unidentified person entered the office of the Association’s Secretary-General, Mr Engjell Kokoshi. While he was reading the newspaper, the person, without saying a word, struck Mr Kokoshi in the face with a stone and left him injured. As a result of the blow, Mr Kokoshi suffered facial fractures and continued bleeding. After he was rushed to hospital and received immediate medical treatment, Mr Kokoshi’s condition is improving. The leadership of the National Association considers this incident not only an attack on Mr Kokoshi, one of the Association’s founders and prominent activists, but also, at the same time, a despicable attack and provocation against all those who were politically persecuted by the communist dictatorship. The leadership is convinced that extremist forces seeking to impose their will on our association intend, through this provocation, to prevent its radicalization, as well as state initiatives. At the association’s forthcoming meeting, elections will be held for its assembly, leadership, and president. The leadership of the National Association of Former Political Prisoners and Persecutees of Albania Editor’s note: Sharing our concern over such an act, our editorial office also reacts with indignation and calls on the competent authorities to act as soon as possible to bring the perpetrator of this act to justice.

Izet Shehu—MP Albanians at the end of this century are engaging in politics more than at any other time in their history. Their emergence from the old framework of denying freedoms, their liberation from the ideological straitjacket imposed on their character, freed them from fear and brought their feelings and thoughts, dreams and virtues to light. George Washington says: “A people who lose their virtues lose their freedom.” The communist epidemic crippled the soul of the Albanian people. There are many examples. Let us mention only the poets Gençi, Leka, Vilson Blushi (executed by the dictatorship), Fasil Haliti, and Visar Zhiti. Fear had even made people hide their ears. Bringing it out into the open was considered a disgrace. Even today there are vices, just as there are virtues. But one thing is clear and concrete: fear has been fundamentally overcome. In the freedom everyone enjoys, two vices are emerging: corruption and gossip. Corruption is an ugly, shameful shadow in every social system. Where there is poverty, it can take root easily and spread like a contagious disease. More specifically, it had also taken root in the dictatorial system as a disease. For example, how one obtained an apartment, a refrigerator or a television, a job, and so on. Today, too, corruption is widespread in our fragile democratic society. Its cure is a necessity. Wherever it appears, it must be fought. The trials held so far testify to the state’s determination. One thing must be said first: those political informers, so cruel under the dictatorship and so violent in the democracy, have penetrated the very heart of Albanian life; even today they intrigue, amplify, and spread gossip, making black seem white and white seem black, in order to justify that macabre strategy: “We went from rain into hail.” At first, in the days immediately after 22 March, it was hard to spot any Sigurimi agent in the streets and cafés. Frightened, they hid behind the curtains of their windows, in their beautiful homes. They watched, cursed, and remembered. They placed past and future events against a red backdrop. They watched and became convinced. They tested the waters. One by one, like mice leaving their holes, they emerged into the streets, from behind apartment buildings and into café corners. They came out in the morning, and most of them in the afternoon and early evening. Not in the dark—but today they come out even after dark, especially since they have stepped up their meetings in the darkness after the 6 November Referendum. They became convinced that their victims are people with big hearts. They are not killers. They are not executioners. They let the rule of law do its work. How generous democracy is! It holds all of them in its embrace: former persecutors and their victims, the corrupt and the honest, communists and democrats, those who believe in God and those who do not, both in words and in practice—even the anti-humanists. May Democracy be the best thing given by God!

The newspaper “Koha Jone”, “Alcanca” and several other newspapers—forces which have long pursued activities in support of Greek-Serbian chauvinist circles and used the financial resources of a prominent Serbian foundation to support an anti-Albanian platform in the Albanian press. The newspaper “Koha Jone”, “Alcanca” and several other newspapers—forces which have long pursued activities in support of Greek-Serbian chauvinist circles and used the financial resources of a prominent Serbian foundation to support an anti-Albanian platform in the Albanian press—yesterday put forward their bluff about “Vela Luka”: “an ... document and papers fabricated by the Serbian secret services and their allies, with the aim of convincing others that the vessels mentioned were transporting weapons for Serbia or had other purposes. “Arms for the former Yugoslavia and against the Albanians,” Mr Teta announced yesterday. With the commotion he stirred up, he thinks he will be able to escape serious responsibility for killings and arms trafficking. An old collaborator of the State Security Service, implicated in crimes of extermination and in attempts to weaken the Albanian army, you continue your foul deeds. But be sure that no propaganda campaign, aided by Serbia and its cronies in Albania, will save you from responsibility for the criminal acts you have committed, with grave consequences for the Albanian cause. The images and other means are merely thrashing about in vain, following the orders they receive to protect you. You have committed crimes with terrible consequences for innocent victims, and there is only one alternative for you: the verdict of justice.

By June of this year, 40 apartments currently under construction in the city of Lezhe will be completed. The government has allocated 45 million lekë for these apartments, which will be distributed to homeless families. In fact, around 80 apartments had been under construction in this city, but 20 of them were completed in ’94 with emergency funds and allocated to former political persecutees. In the city of Lezhe, as well as in Shengjin, where no apartments have been allocated for eight years, the National Housing Agency has requested that around 80 new apartments be built. ATSH

This city already had a chamber of commerce operating in 1934 In Korça, the tradition of organizing businesspeople into an association is being revived. As was stated at a meeting with businesspeople from the city, a chamber of commerce was already operating here in 1934. The committee for establishing the chamber of commerce also announced that 118 commercial firms operate in the city, with regular representation throughout the country. Six of these firms are investors, 68 are producers, and 44 are other commercial firms. All private traders, regardless of their capital, as well as state enterprises, can now become members of this chamber with equal rights. The chairman of the district council, Pavllo Lapanxa, also spoke at the meeting. Among other things, he reported that the chambers of commerce of Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece had expressed interest and readiness to establish relations immediately with the Korça Chamber of Commerce. At the chamber’s forthcoming meeting, elections will be held for its assembly, leadership, and president. B.FEJZULLAI

Page 2 AGR ON BERBERI Member of the DP, Constituency 36, Tirana

Page 2 AFRIM KRASNIQI Chairman of the FRPD

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