Poland Communist criminals before the courts The PSSH leadership protects its own

Every positive step democracy takes in Albania, they consider it their “Party duty” to oppose BAHKIM KOPLIKU Member of Parliament, member of the DP leadership On Friday, Parliament also approved the President’s decree on privatization vouchers. It was good that the President exercised his constitutional initiative to issue decrees, since it helps speed up the fulfillment of one of the DP’s main promises: the distribution of three values, or privatization vouchers. The decree sets out when they will be distributed and tasks the Council of Ministers with addressing the technical details of the issue. Naturally, the decree does not claim to, and it is obvious that, the issue of privatization vouchers, or securities for privatization, or privatization money, neither begins nor ends with this decree. Just as privatization money was distributed to former political persecuted people during 1994, privatization vouchers will be distributed to citizens during 1995. In Parliament, from the very beginning of the session, the PS deputies launched hundreds of questions, so many that even their newspaper “ZP” devoted “two pages” just to a summary of the questions (because if it had printed them in full, the newspaper would have had to run to several pages). Thus, from the outset, the desire to obstruct Parliament’s work was clear. Then their discussions began, often even in contradiction with their own “published program,” but “in line with their unpublished one”! They left no issue untouched, naturally with their usual aim: disruption. I will comment on what lies behind the issues they raised. The speech of the PS group was characterized by the spirit of the former communist State Planning Commission: they demanded that “the socialists’ army” supposedly be distributed on “lease” to “private domestic and foreign companies”; that individuals be forced to give [unclear] so that “they command,” that is, so that socialism triumphs. We would give socialism its “melting” business plan, “technical and economic effectiveness,” mass planning [unclear] state direction, which is embedded in the ideology of the Albanian socialists. We should do things for it, with strategies and huge studies, which would “solve all the problems of privatization with one stroke.” The Government was delaying their distribution. The decrees were… … “We will honor” a business plan … “technical and economic efficiency” … a state planning framework design, which is customary for them: destruction. I am commenting on what … after some issues were raised. … The PS group’s position was characterized by the spirit of the former State Planning Commission. It is therefore clear that the Albanian Socialists’ desperate effort is to restrict the distribution of securities and block it completely, so that they never reach the hands of citizens. Privatization in general and securities in particular, such as ongoing. (Continued on page 3) … unpublished!) destruction. I am commenting on what … after some issues were raised. The PS group’s words were … the minister … the State Audit … to carry out … On the basis of Council of Ministers Decision 183, dated 14.5.1992, and the amount is not $400,000 but $1,600,000, for which, in letter 1876 dated 27.9.93, we filed a complaint seeking the criminal prosecution of Ramiz Alia; the complaint was filed in the document drawn up by the State Audit. “We know that the periodic decisions of the PPSH Central Committee secretaries determined the allocation of the funds; some were signed by Enver Hoxha, some by Hysni Kapo, and some by Ramiz Alia. Nevertheless, Ramiz Alia is responsible for the misuse of all the funds mentioned above, not only as a member of the Secretariat, but also as the former secretary who oversaw the foreign sector and, for the period 85–90, as First Secretary of the PPSH Central Committee. Accordingly, we are sending the complaint material against Ramiz Alia for misuse of state funds in the amount of 3 million 997 … To clarify this matter further, after receiving the prosecution’s request for additional and more precise documents, in December 1993 we completed them and sent them again to the prosecution in letter 2499. Among the issues addressed in this letter, from the 11 million 565933 that was called the Solidarity Fund, we separated out the following. 1—Solidarity Fund, 3 million 839 thousand 659 dollars; there we request … (Continued on page 3) … in the public interest … For the first time … it is still much too early for the electoral campaign work to begin, because it is still much too early for a genuine electoral done, to see where the people’s money went, and it was not a because the State Audit verified the PPSH documentation funds in the amount of 3 million 997 … (Continued on page 3)

File “Alia, Dokle, Ruçi, Benc and Co.” Criminal proceedings begin over the “Solidarity Fund” Dokle with $400,000, the tip of the iceberg of corruption among the Socialist leadership Dokle justified taking money from the state budget In recent days, after examining the facts and documents, the prosecution decided to initiate criminal proceedings in what is known as the file “Alia - Dokle - Ruçi - Benc and Co.” That is, over the disappearance of millions of dollars between the “Solidarity Fund” and, in particular, the matter of the $400,000 that R. Alia transferred to ZP to buy a printing press that never arrived in Albania. On this matter, SHKSH Chairman Mr. Blerim Çela and Deputy Prosecutor General Mr. Fatos Dervishi comment. SHKSH’s complaint is based on a complete factual record Commenting is SHKSH Chairman, Mr. Blerim Çela Question: The Alia, Dokle, Benc matter is being discussed. Is this matter being raised for propaganda purposes, given that we are on the eve of the ’96 election campaign? Answer: This is not an election campaign, because it is still far too early for a genuine election campaign to begin. This is part of the work carried out by the State Audit to ensure that justice is done, to find out where the people’s money went—and it was no small amount, but $400,000. The issue is not these $400,000, because the State Audit … The prosecution has decided to initiate criminal proceedings Commenting is Deputy Prosecutor General Mr. Fatos Dervishi Question: Meanwhile, what is the opinion of Deputy Prosecutor General Mr. Fatos Dervishi? Has the investigation of the file begun, and when? Answer: On this matter, I would like to clarify that the State Audit Service sent material to the prosecution in 1993 concerning problems with the Solidarity Fund …

Meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation countries concludes During the meeting, our minister held a separate meeting with Greek Prime Minister And[r]eas Papandreu and Foreign Minister Papulias. They reaffirmed the positive developments in bilateral relations and expressed their satisfaction with this. During the meeting, our minister held a separate meeting with Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreu and Foreign Minister Papulias. They reaffirmed the positive developments in bilateral relations and expressed their satisfaction with this. Minister Papulias stressed that the outlook for Greek-Albanian relations is promising in all areas. Minister Serreqi held an important meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu, who stressed that relations between Albania and Turkey are good. They discussed the ways in which Turkey could contribute to Albania’s economic development. The fifth international meeting of the Conference of the 11 Black Sea Economic Cooperation countries, whose proceedings were held in the Greek city of Athens, was marked by disagreements among the participating countries regarding Greece’s request—as the organization’s rotating chair—to call for the lifting of the international embargo against Serbia and Montenegro. Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi and Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu opposed Greece’s initiative to send a joint letter to United Nations Secretary-General Butros Ghali, in which the long-term or short-term negative impact of this embargo on their economies was emphasized. The text of the letter signed by Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine emphasized that, because of the geographical position of the respective countries, on the basis of this decree there would be other legal and sub-legal acts that would resolve major and important problems for each of the groups, such as privatization in general and securities in particular, including those for former owners, the wealthy, etc. The process is ongoing. This time I will not dwell merely on issues of reform connected with the aforementioned provisions and the resolution of the Kosovo issue, as part of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu called it paradoxical that Greece had called for the lifting of the embargo against Serbia while the suffering of the Bosnian people had not ended. He also pointed to the fact that Greece had itself imposed an economic embargo against Macedonia. Meanwhile, the head of Greek diplomacy, Karolos Papulias, estimated at 15 billion dollars the damage caused to the economies of the countries of the southeastern Balkans by the sanctions against Belgrade, implemented since June 1992. “No common position on lifting the sanctions among the eight affected countries could be adopted,” Bulgarian Foreign Minister Pirinski acknowledged in his statement. Russian Foreign Minister Kozirev stressed that he “supports the spirit of this initiative” but “noted that Russia had not joined the request submitted, as it had not been affected.” The member countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation decided to organize an economic summit, attended by heads of state or government, at the end of June in Bucharest. BLEDI KASMI

This is not the first time Dokle has been caught out regarding the matter of the ZP printing press. And he told “Gazeta Shqiptare” that it was reas[o]nable to acquire the printing press, because, as he puts it, “For years this newspaper set aside its revenues for the coffers of the Central Committee of the former PPSH”. This is not the first time Dokle has been caught out regarding the matter of the ZP printing press. And he told “Gazeta Shqiptare” that it was reas[k]onable to acquire the printing press, because, as he puts it, “For years this newspaper set aside its revenues for the coffers of the Central Committee of the former PPSH”. Nevertheless, with the argument that “ZP” had given money to the Central Committee of the PPSH, the reasoning turns into a “debt” owed by the Central Committee of the PPSH to “ZP”—that is, taking $400,000 from the Solidarity Fund, in reality from the state budget. During the televised debate with Çela, Dokle said that ZP was the only Albanian newspaper that had made a profit for 40 years and had a large circulation of more than 100,000 copies. “According to the calculations made,” Dokle continued in the debate, “at that time ZP made a profit of around 100,000 dollars a year and helped cover the expenses of the magazines Ylli, Rruga e Partise, etc.” Mr. Dokle knows very well that ZP and the entire press were financed by the state and operated at a loss. There was no question of making a profit. He can tell his story about the profit ZP supposedly generated to some adolescent like those he himself has nurtured at ZP, but he should not forget that his former colleagues at the newspaper “Puna” will be astonished to hear the term “profit” from Dokle’s mouth—a term that supposedly existed even at a time when, strangely enough, money could be found for the dictator’s pyramid while the press was printed using 1920s technology. Mr. Dokle should not forget that the four pages of ZP, blank and unprinted, cost fifty qindarka, whereas after labor and other material inputs such as ink, electricity, etc. were added—in other words, after costs multiplied—the state had nevertheless decided (because that was what the Party-State had ordered) to sell it for thirty qindarka. So Mr. Dokle should not lie that … A lie has short legs. But why is Dokle lying so shamelessly now? Because he does not have the courage to tell the truth. Blerim Çela tells the truth in the televised debate, citing a study conducted by ZP itself in 1990, which states on TV that: “Ultimately, the loss borne by the Central Committee of the PPSH through the state budget for the Party press (ZP, Rruga e Partise, etc.) amounts to 1 million 837 thousand lek a year.” And that sum, in today’s money, is more than 20 million, as Mr. Çela explained on TV. Will Dokle continue telling lies? Of course. Just wait until one day he tells us that the Professional Union also made a profit, because we used to lie about the low costs in “defense” of workers’ interests.

The PS leadership in a position of wretched defense He, the son of the Albanian Pol Pot... manages to threaten?! How and where the offspring of the bloc leaders live PAGE 2

P. 6 – The week’s sports page P. 7 – Humor, writings, anecdotes, by Harxhi Isufi

Message from the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha . On the occasion of the traditional Easter holiday, I take this opportunity to wish all Catholic believers, wherever they may be, in Albania, abroad and in the diaspora: “Many happy Easter holidays!” Easter is the feast of resurrection and hope, the feast of understanding and tolerance, and for us Albanians such holidays have a special meaning and importance. By celebrating together and wishing one another happy holidays, we bear witness before ourselves and the world to our harmony, culture and ancient traditions, preserved and cultivated over the centuries, as well as to the wonderful spirit of understanding among the three religions. Let us celebrate one another’s holidays together, let us brighten our joys and share with one another the everyday problems of this period as well. Tonight, on the night of Christ’s resurrection, let us honor all believers, and the resurrection over these last 3–4 years of the martyrs of the clergy and Albanian religious faiths, and their great steadfastness and unwavering faithfulness to God. With faith in ourselves, in today and tomorrow, I once again wish all Albanian Catholic believers, wherever they may be: “Many happy Easter holidays!” “Glory to God!” Greeting The Easter holiday gives us the opportunity to address all Albanian Catholic believers, wherever they may be, with the wish: “Many happy Easters, the feast of resurrection, peace, harmony and friendship among people!” DEMOCRATIC PARTY Greeting On the occasion of Easter, we wish all Catholic believers, wherever they are: “Happy Easter, health and happiness in your families!” “DEMOCRATIC RENAISSANCE”