Prof. Dr. Tritan Shehu, Secretary General of PDSH Lately, the opposition, and especially the leaders of PS, have been abusing this issue incessantly, and they seem to find the idea of the communist danger “strange”—the very danger that concerns you most. In these days, too, in “Zeri i Popullit,” Servet Pellumbi says: “Two flags are unfurled in Albania today; one of them is the flag of ‘anti-communism’... There is a competition among right-wing political forces to hold this flag, thinking that this is how they will win the next elections. But their desire is one thing, and reality is another.” Berisha, Pellumbi says, has become the promoter of the call for a struggle “against the communist danger,” against Marxism, etc. Perhaps the devil, demons and crocodiles have appeared to Berisha in a dream, and he has started singing “against Marxism.” Regarding these statements and opinions, I would say to Mr. Pellumbi: First: Does Marxism and its offspring, communism, not seem to you, Mr. Pellumbi, like the devil, a demon and a crocodile, given that it really did devour people, humiliated and insulted them, consumed people among themselves, and plunged this people into extraordinary poverty, isolation and division through class warfare? Second: Why does the “communist danger” seem strange to you, Mr. Pellumbi? It is not about the person, but about the arsenal of ideas and actions that communism used in Albanian political and social life. Everyone understands that in Albania there are no more Burrel and Spaç; on the other hand, however, the use of street crime, mass destruction and psychological terror—methods widely used in 1991 in Albania to obstruct democratic developments—remains a weapon in the arsenal of Marxist forces, a weapon they may use whenever the opportunity arises. Is it not an expression of the “communist danger” that new elections are being demanded as early as 23 March 1992? Is it not an expression of the “communist danger” when you tell representatives of the Council of Europe that the fruit on the tree is not yet ripe enough for Albania to join that Council? Is it not the “communist danger” when you still rely on the former State Security? Is it not the “communist danger” when you say that the transition is difficult and call on people to go on strike? Is it not the “communist danger” when you roam around Europe and leave no stone unturned in your campaign against democracy and democratic reforms in Albania? Is it not the “communist danger” when your party works under the motto “slander, slander, and something will...” [text continues outside the frame]? Is it not also the “communist danger” that you demand everything from the state, as if we were not in a market economy but in a bureaucratically centralized economy? Is it not also the “communist danger” that you seek to intrude into every person’s private life, as your communism did? Therefore, Mr. Pellumbi and the other leaders of PS must understand more broadly the “communist danger” raised by PD. This is not a theory... communism as a devil, demon and crocodile, since it truly ate people, since it humiliated and insulted them, since it divided people among themselves, since it plunged the Second: why does the “communist threat” seem strange to Mr. Pellumbi? What does he call a “communist threat”—the resurrection of Enver Hoxha, or a meeting of the Political Bureau? Even a child knows that the former dictatorial regime will not return to Albania, because the people, with the exception of the red elite, no longer accept that regime. But Mr. Pellumbi should understand the “communist threat” more broadly. The issue is the ideas, concepts, methods, machines, degradations, indoctrination, centralized economy, restriction of rights...

Statement by the President’s Spokesperson The President’s Spokesperson announces that on 20 February 1994, in his address to the National Council of the Democratic Party, after analyzing recent political developments in the country and informing the Council about the further pursuit of reforms and integration into Europe, the President of the Republic stated that he considered Mr. Selami’s efforts unacceptable. The President’s Spokesperson announces that on 20 February 1994, in his address to the National Council of the Democratic Party, after analyzing recent political developments in the country and informing the Council about the further pursuit of reforms and integration into Europe, the President of the Republic stated that he considered Mr. Selami’s efforts unacceptable: - to become prime minister only a short time after the Meksi Government had received its latest vote of confidence in parliament; - his insistence on changing the country’s system of governance at a time when the government was working successfully to deepen and accelerate reforms; - his unjustified demand that he resign from the position of PD chairman; - his violation of the PD National Council’s decision on this matter. At this point, we no longer have a difference of opinion, but a difference of position. Given his position, the PD chairman was obliged to abide by the decisions of the National Council and not adopt the positions of PS, which has proven to be deeply obstructive on the issue of the constitution, having abandoned parliament in June 1993, as well as in the case of the referendum. Regarding Mr. Selami’s claims that the President allegedly proposed his dismissal at yesterday’s meeting, we declare that this is not true. In his address, the President emphasized: “...I would not agree with resolving this problem through Mr. Selami’s resignation, but I consider it necessary to consult on management issues within the PD, as well as with its Extraordinary Conference.” As for Mr. Selami’s statements, the President expresses his regret and believes they were an insignificant lapse, the result of some haste.

An Albanian parliamentary delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjeter Arbnori, leaves today for Brussels to attend an interparliamentary meeting with the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Eastern Europe. The internal situation, international issues such as the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Albania’s relations with the European Union, will be discussed.

It has been reported that there have been further arrests of Albanian activists. It is said that Nevzat Halili has also been arrested. Regarding yesterday’s situation, PPD vice-chairman Mendu Thaci informed TVSH by telephone: “There appears to be calm, but the actions of the Macedonian police continue to keep the situation tense. He once again repeated that the demand for a university is a legitimate one. But this, he said, should be pursued through the institutions, if possible. We also agreed with his view that it should be done through the institutions...” They have begun arresting others as well. According to the information we have, PPD leader Mr. Nevzat Halili has been arrested, as has Hushin Halili, a professor at the Faculty of Law and a magister. We have as yet unverified information that others have also been arrested. Mr. Thaçi also reports on a meeting held on Monday evening by PPD chairman Arber Xhaferi and vice-chairman Menduh Thaçi with Mr. Van Der Shtoel. At this meeting, Mr. Thaçi reports, Shtoel as...

. Defense Minister Safet Zhulali held a special meeting with the Greek military attaché in Tirana, Colonel Aleksander Ksiros, on the occasion of the beginning of his assignment in Albania. At the outset, the Greek military attaché invited the Albanian defense minister, on behalf of the Greek defense minister, to visit Greece, and also expressed the possibility of the Albanian army participating in joint exercises. Minister Zhulali, noting the positive steps in relations between our two countries, expressed his readiness to continue advancing them, emphasizing mutual understanding, seriousness, transparency, and reciprocal interest in building good bilateral relations. He then underlined the need for measured steps in the process of developing these relations, stressing that problems should not be bypassed, but that efforts should be made to resolve them, for example the issue concerning borders and the corresponding markings, etc. Finally, Mr. Zhulali confirmed that, within the framework of the positive steps to be taken in the future and the gradual resolution of the outstanding problems, there would be appropriate positive responses from the Albanian side, in the interests of relations between our two countries.

Prosecutor Dritan Ribaj yesterday requested that the defendant Arben Lika and the three other defendants, Dashnor Shenaj, Hajredin Halilin and Edmond Meçe, be found guilty. According to him, during the trial it became clear that their forgery had been carried out as part of the smuggling operation, that is, as a means of achieving this aim and not as a separate criminal offense. The defendant Edmond Meçe also stated that he does not contest the accusation of collaboration, since he was aware that his criminal offense had been committed in cooperation with the others. In conclusion, prosecutor Ribaj requested that, for the criminal offense of smuggling in cooperation, Arben Lika and Dashnor Shenaj each be sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while Hajredin Halili be sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment. A sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment was requested for the defendant Edmond Meçe. The next hearing will begin on Monday at 9:00. Zhaneta Lazri - ATSH [Photo: three men in a courtroom.]

On the occasion of February 20, the day the monuments to dictator Enver Hoxha were toppled, the “20 February” association in Korçe organized a commemorative meeting at the “A.Z.Çajupi” theater, attended by hundreds of participants in the toppling of the dictator’s monument in the city of Korçe, representatives of local government, political parties, and associations. The prefect of Korçe, Pjerin Kodra, was also present. The commemorative address was delivered by Fredi Olli, a participant in the toppling of the dictator’s monuments. Other participants then shared memories of that day as well as of the violence inflicted on them in prison by the communist authorities of the time. At the end of the meeting, 18 people who had risked their lives in toppling the dictator’s monuments were awarded “medals for bravery,” conferred by the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha. B. Fejzullai

Interview with the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Laws, Mr. Halit Shamata, given to journalist Ndreke Gjini Question: Mr. Shamata, as the Parliamentary Committee on Laws, you have begun work on reviewing the Code of Criminal Procedure. What is the significance of this legal act within the structure of our legislation in general? Answer: I believe that the draft Code of Criminal Procedure, which the Committee on Laws has begun reviewing, constitutes an important aspect of what is generally called legislative reform, and particularly reform in the field of justice. The purpose of this Code of Criminal Procedure is to further strengthen and democratize the justice system, and Albanian justice in general. The Committee on Laws undoubtedly represents an extremely particularly reform in the field of justice. It is a well-known saying that democracy is, first and foremost, procedure. This is because procedure itself concerns the application of the rules and principles of democracy; in this context, the Code of Criminal Procedure is connected with a fair legal procedure, one that is equal for everyone and comprehensive in protecting freedoms and rights. (Continued on page 2) [Photo: Halit Shamata.]

The leaders of the PS have gone out on the election campaign trail to convince people that early elections are near and that the PS is certain to win. They are the same faces: the Marxist ideologue S. Pellumbi; Ruci, the dictatorship’s former interior minister; and L. Hajdaraga, who swore he would destroy all the laws and resume the fight against the former victims of the dictatorship, among others. At one of the pre-election meetings, PS deputy chairman Hajdaraga, who has distinguished himself for his “patriotism” through statements he made on Greek television stations, spoke about the “values” of the joint PS-PASOK declaration: “Time has proved the value of the joint PS-PASOK declaration and the peaceful nature of the attacks against it,” he also said in Gjirokaster. It is not very clear what Hajdaraga means by proving its values, but the PS-PASOK (or Nano-PASOK) declaration is certainly not in the interests of Albanians alone. As in other declarations, it expresses a pro-Serbian stance and calls, in a way, for what Milosevic has long been demanding: that Serbia be left free to carry out its aggression in the Balkans and that international forces not intervene to maintain peace in the region, including the Balkans. Although the declaration gives considerable importance to the rights of the Greek minority in Albania, it says not a word about the rights of the Chams and Albanians in Greece. But perhaps, when Hajdaraga speaks of the proven values of the Nano-PASOK declaration, he means the Serbian terror in Kosovo, whose door no one has opened; perhaps he also means the violence inflicted on Albanians in Tetovo, or perhaps the recent killing of a young Albanian by Greek soldiers. These are indeed achievements of that declaration too, and so Hajdaraga is right to boast. E. Paloka [Photo: a man in a suit.]

Disinformation by Northern Epirote circles in Piraeus, Athens, rejected Greek-minority schools in the Delvine district have not only not been closed, but have been given priority, declared Ramiz Beqiri, director of the district’s education directorate. Disinformation about this issue at a gathering held several days ago by Northern Epirote organizations in Piraeus, Athens, prompted this statement. The directorate reports that, although the number of pupils in minority schools has fallen sharply because of the mass departure of families from these villages, state education bodies have made efforts to keep the schools open, even though one teacher now teaches four pupils. With this positive and important aim in mind, several classes have been combined in the villages of Dhrovjan, Lefterhor, etc., so that lessons can continue normally. The heads of the minority schools themselves attest to the efforts of the district’s education bodies to ensure that work in these schools continues normally, as well as to provide minority teachers with pedagogical and scientific training. SH. HAJNO

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Page 6 ...For steps to normalize the situation, an atmosphere of mutual understanding must be created, and Prof. Dr. Fadil Sulejmani and the others must be released from prison; the university must be allowed to function under normal conditions, and then we can begin talks between the political structures, which will also include representatives of the University, on how to integrate the university into Macedonia’s education system. his opinion that it should be done within the framework of the institutions, but our demands were directed toward the idea that, first of all, talks should begin to normalize the situation and...