Anniversary of the laying of the first pipe in the construction of Tirana’s water supply system Today, four years have passed since the start of work on the construction of the new water supply system for Tirana. In March 1991, the laying of the first pipe was marked. This anniversary coincides with a major change in the water supply conditions for the capital. The aim of this project is to provide drinking water, stable and with capacities comparable to those of European capitals. The work has progressed at a good pace and significant investments have been made. The new infrastructure is expanding the network and bringing new technical standards. The project is one of the most important for Tirana’s urban life, because it is directly linked to public health, household finances and the development of the city. Representatives of institutions, specialists and workers from this sector took part in the commemorative ceremony. It was emphasized that work must continue without interruption and that the water supply will improve significantly in the next phases. (continued on page 6)

1991 was your year, the 25th year of history, the year of survival and survival for Albania Another very heavy pamphlet against me and my family the President of the Republic is said to have called “90 days of opposition rule.” He could not tolerate the criticism of him from the opposition and rushed to his most beloved weapon: vulgar insult, slander, denigration. Even the cactus-like worldview that distinguishes him in his political journalism would not make one deal with his work. In his article, “90 days of opposition rule,” he judges the period of pluralism in our country as a “time when the inexperienced and shattered forces of civil society” supposedly won the right over the state. Naturally, by these forces he means the opposition right-wing forces, which he considers “opponents” of the state. It is understood that this is not about the government that emerged from democratic elections, but about his conception that the country should be governed by the old caste. His article continues with harsh allusions to the year 1991, a period he calls a “fatal year” for Albania. He insists on the thesis that pluralism brought chaos, destruction and poverty, mentioning migration, the disintegration of institutions and the change of order as inevitable consequences. He writes that “’92 turned out as thought” and tries to draw a sharp division between the first pluralist period and the later consolidation of power. In his analysis, the left is presented as the guarantor of order, while the right is the source of disintegration. Moreover, he uses the figure of Enver Hoxha and nostalgia for the former system as a rhetorical weapon, to justify failures and to defend himself. Instead of confronting responsibilities, he chooses to stigmatize the opponent. This is an old strategy. Whenever he is criticized, he seeks refuge in dogma, in propaganda, in the misuse of the past. But Albania cannot move forward by rehabilitating the figures of the dictatorship, nor by cursing the year of democratic opening. That very year paved the way for fundamental freedoms, for pluralism, for elections and for the hope of another society. Whoever attacks that year attacks the democratic transition itself. In the end, his article is nothing more than an attempt to defend his own political and moral position. By defending Enver, he is in fact defending himself, his past, and the power that past has given him. That is why his pamphlet is not analysis, but an apology for a mindset that Albanians have rejected. (continued from p. 8)

President Berisha and President of the Republic Sali Berisha in Tirana The South is bringing Albanian solidarity. The Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, accompanied by the Italian minister, stayed in Tirana. His visit was assessed as an act of particular importance for relations between the two countries. In the meetings held, broad discussions were held on economic cooperation, infrastructure projects and Italy’s role in supporting Albania. President Sali Berisha stressed that Albania has an urgent need for infrastructure investment. According to him, roads, energy, water supply and communications are the most urgent fields. He underlined that economic development and European integration cannot progress without a modern infrastructure base. For his part, President Scalfaro expressed Italy’s readiness to help Albania and to encourage Italian business to invest. The visit was seen as a positive political and economic signal for the future of bilateral relations. (continued on page 6) Photo: Albani

Professors of economics and finance argue that Albania should orient itself toward Western models of development. The experience of developed countries shows that free markets, the rule of law and democratic institutions are the basic conditions for prosperity. In this context, the Albanian economy needs sustainable reforms, the encouragement of investment and the creation of a climate of trust. Experts stress that the country can become part of regional success only through the modernization of the administration, the improvement of the banking system and the strengthening of private property. Such a western orientation is seen as a guarantee of stability and development. (continued from page 8)

FLUTURA MAKO The question being asked today of part of the political opinion is clear and not belated: are the old forms of communist mentality being revived? Examples of verbal violence, exclusion and political labeling give this question particular relevance. The memory of the dictatorship period remains alive and the signs of its return, even in language and behavior, do not pass without alarm. The author argues that contempt for human beings, incitement to hatred and placing crime above the institution were traits of the communist system. According to her, these “values” are reappearing in the behavior of the Socialist Party and in its political discourse. This represents not only moral regression, but also a threat to democratic culture. She raises the concern that when the level of public debate falls, the standards of the rule of law are also weakened. For this reason, the return of hate speech must be firmly rejected. (continued on page 7)

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