President of the Republic Sali Berisha set off for London, Paris, Moscow Yesterday, President Sali Berisha set off to take part in ceremonies to be held in London, Paris and Moscow in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Prime Minister Meksi, members of the government, and Tomor Malasi, Deputy Chair of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, had come to see the President off. The ambassadors of Russia and France were also present, as was the chargé d’affaires of the United Kingdom in our country. RD Correspondent

Today the remains of the writer, publicist and politician Bilal Xhaferri arrive in Athens

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance

Interview with the well-known scholar and poet Sabri Hamiti

NAMIK ÇEPANI, veteran

The President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, takes part in the ceremony held on this occasion On the occasion of May 5, National Martyrs’ Day, yesterday morning the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, paid tribute at the National Martyrs’ Cemetery and laid a wreath at the “Mother Albania” Monument bearing the inscription “Honor to the Fallen.” “We honor the sacrifice, the blood, the courage and the heroism of those who fell for Albania,” President Berisha told a group of veterans. “Today,” he continued, “we must draw important lessons, because by defending, consolidating and expanding freedom, we honor the fallen, their sacrifice, their struggle and their suffering.” To the accompaniment of the funeral march, during the ceremony tributes were paid and wreaths laid beside the “Mother Albania” monument by the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, and Prime Minister Bujar Bukoshi. On behalf of the People’s Assembly, the wreath was laid by the Chair of the Presidium, Pjetër Arbnori, while on behalf of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi laid a wreath in honor of the martyrs. Wreaths were also laid by representatives of local government, veterans’ associations, and the diaspora. * * * This afternoon, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Tirana paid tribute at the National Martyrs’ Cemetery and laid wreaths beside the Mother Albania Monument. (Continued on page 2) Meeting between President Berisha and a group of veterans Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, met with a group of veterans. “I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to you, and to convey my deepest respect to you, to your comrades who are not here, and to your comrades who fell in the war for Albania’s liberation, who fell in the struggle for free speech, freedom of belief and freedom of thought, and who fell in the fight against dictatorship. I want to express my deepest respect to your families, to the families of the martyrs, and to all Albanians who have remembered and struggled, have made sacrifices and are ready to make sacrifices for the values of freedom. This is a day honoring freedom. On this day, all Albanians together honor freedom, honor the fallen, and honor their sacrifices for freedom.” The President then stressed that today everyone is united by the desire to build a truly free society and an Albania where people’s lives become safer and happier. The veterans expressed their gratitude to the President for this meeting and for the recognition he gives to their sacrifices in the war for the liberation of the country and under the dictatorship. Continuing the discussion, they spoke about the existence of two veterans’ associations, emphasizing that nothing separates them from the other associations representing the sacrifices made for their fellow countrymen. They said that they considered it essential for the veterans to unite in a single association, but that this is now proving impossible because our comrades who belong to the other association still do not understand that Enver Hoxha committed crimes, not mistakes; that he committed genocide against this people and killed our comrades. This was an invitation from these veterans to their comrades at the meeting with the President, with the sole condition that they agree on their position toward the figure of Enver Hoxha.

-The progress of reform and the achievements of democracy are forcing the destructive leaders of the PS and PSD to withdraw from televised debates. -The leadership of the extreme left fears public discredit. -An unprecedented case: opposition leaders who claim they want power are avoiding TVSH. A complete lack of alternatives. -Gjinushi, who lost the last televised debate, follows Pellumbi’s example by ordering his own people not to take part in the debate. -Lakrori, Milo and Ulqini obey their bosses Pellumbi and Gjinushi The leaders of the far-left PS-PSD showed yesterday that they fear public opinion. Pellumbi is no longer the lone knight who abandoned the public debate table on investment. Yesterday’s case showed that the PS leadership has decided to withdraw from public debates on various issues concerning the progress of reforms. Naturally, Gjinushi joined this strategy too. What are the reasons that the destructive leader of the Albanian opposition, unlike what happens elsewhere in the world, is withdrawing from public debates? It is well known that, theoretically, the opposition is in a more comfortable position in such debates, because it criticizes and offers alternatives. So why are the PS and PSD leaderships choosing to capitulate to the government by withdrawing from televised debates? There are several reasons. The most important include: a) The development of reforms, their progress and the achievements of democracy are such that they expose the deeply destructive stance taken by the far-left leadership over the past three years. Its continuous denial of reality has brought the far-left leader to the brink of discredit, self-exposure and political failure. b) The complete absence of alternatives. The far-left leadership, which talks from morning until night about future electoral victories, cannot offer a single alternative. Its alternatives are Marxism and halting reform. A complete lack of alternatives is the death of a political force. A political force that is unable to offer alternatives has signed its own defeat. c) Previous television debates have resulted in the opposition leader’s failure. Albanians are optimistic about the future, while PS-PSD leaders see only gloom; Albania is first in the family campaign—they reduce it to the poverty of 1990–91; Albania is opening the way for investment to be realized in practice, while they distort figures and lie publicly. Blen Cez ategon vedhjen, Dokle bron grupet terroriste. The recent failure over the elections has led Pellumbi to follow the path of withdrawal. These and other reasons prevented Milo, Lakrori and Ulqini from appearing yesterday in the televised debate between parliamentary political forces, which was also attended by Minister of Education Teliti and focused on the progress of education reform. Those responsible for education did not dare appear on television. Teachers are among the most enlightened sectors of society; they know and appreciate the changes in the education system, so it is difficult to face them with nihilistic and destructive arguments. By not sending a PSD representative to the studio, Gjinushi, the Minister of Alise, showed that he has never been concerned about Albanian education. He has been and remains concerned about his own seat. The perennial losers Pellumbi, Gjinushi, Dokle, Ruci and Milo have failed. They fear public opinion. They have no alternatives. They offer nothing … offer no appeal to any electorate. They should withdraw from the Albanian political scene. BLEDI KASMI … the influence and transparent conduct. According to the source, several former ambassadors and former officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are expected to emerge alongside the biggest beneficiary from the firm PROGRESI. The source in question believes that the 250 thousand dollars allocated for the purchase of the printing house have gone up in smoke... E.B. Then why did the PS and PSD, in the name of honesty, sign a capitulation to the government by withdrawing from the televised debates? There are several reasons. Among the most important are: a) The development of reforms, and the progress and destructive stance of the far-left leadership over these three years. To deny reality before a broad Albanian television audience means nothing more or less than committing political suicide. This is the line of nihilism “with pain,” as Dokle puts it: that Albania should not have entered the Council of Europe. But a figure like Dokle has no way to take it back. On September 8, ’93, Atkinson would declare at a press conference: “I cannot imagine a party that does not accept that its country should become a member. That would be a disgrace for that party, which would be selling its country so cheaply.” head of the delegation, Mr. Devid must be picked as ripe as possible.” (“ZP,” September 9, 1993) He could not have put it more clearly.

According to an extremely reliable source from ZP, it is said that, in order to cover up the financial scandal concocted by Dokle and his associates, the ZP leaders, in a state of utter anxiety, have ordered the ZP collection to be burned—the collection in which the advertisements for the firm PROGRES, alias Xhixa and CO., were published, advertising the sale of salad oil brought from Bulgaria and IFA cars—as well as to keep them separate from the transparent sales. According to the source, the most heavily enriched people from the PROGRES firm are said to include Foreign Affairs. The source in question is of the opinion the printing house have been made

Sali Berisha lays a wreath at the monument.

the PROGRES firm are said to include the printing house have been made

President Berisha received the group of Albanians from America, who accompanied him and took part in the ceremony organized in Tirana on the occasion of the return of Faik Konica’s remains. President Berisha and the Albanians from America expressed their satisfaction at fulfilling the bequest that all the Albanian diaspora and the great colossus Faik Konica should finally return to the Homeland—a return made possible only by the establishment of democracy in Albania. President Berisha and the Albanians from America then held a conversation about the changes and achievements in Albania during these three years of democratic governance, and about the democratic Government’s plans for building the rule of law and a market economy. The Albanians, for their part, took the floor to congratulate President Berisha on the visible changes they had observed over these past three years. President Berisha praised the diaspora’s efforts to support democratic developments in Albania, focusing on the real opportunities that exist in Albania for developing a profitable business. He commended those Albanian businesspeople from the diaspora who have begun economic activities in Albania and invited his compatriots to take part, through their investments, in building the homeland. President Berisha also discussed aspects of the Albanian question in Kosovo and the Balkans, and Albania’s policy of avoiding tensions with its neighbors and encouraging the resolution of problems through democratic means. Press and Information Office attached to the President

Yesterday morning, on the occasion of May 5, “Martyrs’ Day,” Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi visited the family of martyr Xhemal Mustafa Zajmi. Prime Minister Meksi was accompanied, to honor the memory of martyr Xhemal Zajmi, by the Prefect of Tirana, Mr. Xheher Kapic, the secretary of the United Organization of Veterans, Islam Lushi, and others.

Yesterday, Mr. Pjeter Arbnori, Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the Popular Democrats, received representatives of the Popular Democratic Party of the Albanians in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, led by its chairman, Iljaz Halili. Mr. Arbnori gave a broad overview of democratic developments in Albania, stating that the mother country is committed to the human and national rights of Albanians wherever they may be, but without violating the accepted European principles against changing centuries-old borders by force. The Party delegation assessed the current reality, noting that they did not feel equal, and at the same time presented evidence that Albanians there do not feel free to receive the education they desire. The interlocutors stressed that all actions undertaken would always be democratic in form, with a view to the real democratization of life. They also expressed their natural enthusiasm for the visible progress Albania makes every day. “ZP,” September 9, 1993

“RD” repeats the truths to you, gentlemen of the PS It is an understatement to call Namik Dokle’s interview in yesterday’s “ZP” shameless. The interview was headlined “Euro-Atlantic structures were and remain the political vision for the PSSH.” In it, the PS vice-chairman, without the slightest moral qualm, declares that Albania’s entry into the Council of Europe is chiefly the PS’s merit. Albania’s integration with European organizations “is a view that the PS has stated publicly many times,” Dokle says—precisely that Namik Dokle who became notorious, along with his party, for the shameful statements he made against Albania’s admission to the Council of Europe. But Albanians know very well what the truth is; the facts speak for themselves. On September 7, 1993, at a meeting in Albania between representatives of the Commission for Relations with Non-Member Countries of the Council of Europe and representatives of parliamentary groups, the head of the delegation, Mr. David Atkinson, asked: “Do you think Albania is ready to be admitted to the Council of Europe?” The chairman of the PS parliamentary group, N. Dokle, replied: “The wish of the PS and its parliamentary group is for Albania to be ready to be admitted to the Council of Europe as soon as possible... but so that tomorrow we will not be ashamed before Europe, nor Europe of us... The apple must be picked as ripe as possible.” During the visit of the Council of Europe delegation led by Mr. Atkinson, the latter stated, among other things, that one of the prerequisites for Albania’s membership in the Council of Europe was the adoption of the Law on Human Rights—the very law that the PS did not approve. In any case, the shamelessness of a swindler should not surprise us. Dokle’s interview makes it seem as though the Council of Europe’s political body has sung nothing but praises for the Albanian opposition; according to Dokle, the Commission praised the package of laws prepared by the PS, while, as for the constitutional alternative presented by the opposition, it would not be considered, just as no proposal that had not followed the legal route would be considered. And yet “Euro-Atlantic structures, the PS’s political vision,” writes “ZP.” One of these structures is the head of NATO. It was Nano who, unable to break away from his spiritual father Hoxha, would philosophize in the Enverist manner about Albanian foreign policy, which, according to him, should not fall prey to NATO. It was the chairman of the parliamentary group, Dokle, who likewise, with short-sighted logic typical of his kind of fanatical serf, would invent the most absurd slanders in Parliament on December 25, 1992, when he claimed that “in foreign policy, ill-considered steps have been observed, such as the positions taken toward NATO.” These surrogate slogans, the product of the deep despair of Alia’s servile sacrificial presidential candidate, would be continued by a half-witted mind, the so-called “PS shadow foreign minister,” Zejneli, who would call the Democratic Government’s efforts to cooperate with NATO dilettantism. And still Dokle is not ashamed to present himself and his party as the fiercest champions of Albania’s integration with “Euro-Atlantic structures”; indeed, to make this convincing, he cites words that, according to him, were spoken by members of the Council of Europe’s Political Commission, who praised the opposition. Dokle forgets to mention even one truth in his own words, such as the direct accusation Lord Finsberg made against him, calling him a liar. We have nothing more to add about Dokle and the other PS leaders, who, after having had no shame in opposing Albania’s integration into Europe, are now unashamedly presenting themselves as champions of that integration. E.PALOKA When the head of the delegation, Mr. Devid Atkinson, asked, “Do you think Albania is ready to be admitted to the Council of Europe?”, the chairman of the PS parliamentary group, N. Dokle, replied: “The wish of the PS and its parliamentary group is for Albania to be ready to be admitted to the Council of Europe as soon as possible... but so that tomorrow we will not be ashamed before Europe, nor Europe of us...” The apple must be picked as ripe as possible.” (“ZP,” September 9, 1993)