Yesterday in the People's Assembly The most worrying phenomenon raised in yesterday’s session by the chairman of the parliamentary committee on economy and finance, Bashkim Kopliku, was the lost hope in the economy. According to Mr. Kopliku, the government has followed a restrictive and budgetary course in order to curb inflation and not affect the budget deficit, while at the same time pursuing a policy of delaying reforms. Both phenomena are manifestations of the same thing: a lack of will and courage to drive changes forward. The problem raised by Mr. Kopliku in yesterday’s session is not linked only to the economic decline. More important is the moral problem — that of the loss of hope. This is a moral crisis of the government, visible not only in the blockage of reforms but also in the government’s behavior toward public opinion. In yesterday’s session the government officially admitted that the increase in VAT was not its mistake. This makes even more scandalous the fact that, with this decision of the Council of Ministers and after concessions by the president and the chairman of the PD, Albanians today pay 2 billion new lek more in favor of the government’s pockets. The VAT episode, according to the chairman of the parliamentary committee on economy and finance Bashkim Kopliku, has proven that this decision of the Council of Ministers is a tribute against the poor and middle classes, while favoring wealthy speculators. The chairman of the parliamentary committee declared yesterday that the government’s decision on VAT is an abuse of power with serious moral consequences. In this context, Mr. Kopliku said that Prime Minister Meksi concealed the truth for as long as he not only failed to express remorse or apology, but did not even call the government’s unjust decision such. In attempts to justify yesterday’s direction of the government, former Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi has clung to that illusion mentioned in analyses by old communist analysts about the stabilization of the situation, but in light of recent developments the thesis of stabilization seems meaningless. On the contrary, lost hope in the economy cannot be restored with justifications and declarations, but with real reforms. (continued on page 2)

So, with the State Security, you have infiltrated, Mr. Gjinushi Safi of "RD" is being made to publicly publish the decision by which he persecuted us and Gjinushi Gjinushi, once again in "RD", sees and writes everything about himself, about the members of his family and the relatives of his wife, about your collaboration with the former secret police and the censorship of your job decision in today's Albania, but says nothing about his own real issue. [Gjinushi] has continued the tradition of denial more boldly in democracy. [... text partially illegible ...] (continued on page 2)

- Four years after the March 31, 1991 elections, people from the solidarity front continue to dirty the most compromised monument of communism and propaganda, - 10 thousand dollars in '91 awaiting the renewal of F. Nokes's works - Four years after the March 31, 1991 elections, people from the solidarity front continue to dirty the most compromised monument of communism and propaganda, - 10 thousand dollars in '91 awaiting the renewal of the works of F. Nokes EDI PALOKA In earlier articles about the internal scandals of the National Gallery and the International Center of Culture, it has been made clear that during the dictatorial period and later, within this institution of art, the pernicious politics that also ruled other spheres of the country's life has been and continues to be practiced. And precisely where art should have been farthest from the destructive propaganda politics of communism, the most heavily propagated work of all times under the communist regime still continues to stand as a shameful symbol: the sculpture of Enver Hoxha. The monument built in the center of Tirana began to shake with the fall of the dictatorship, but the monument that is shaking more slowly and with greater difficulty, and that still remains firmly on its feet, is his sculpture, completed over 20 years and placed inside the National Gallery. The removal of Enver Hoxha from the center of Tirana and from the hearts of an ever smaller number of people who still admire him has, for several months now, led to a reassessment of his figure. At first sight the phenomenon seems entirely normal. However, the poems of Tufa or Fishta in Albanian literature textbooks, or the page of Kledi by Konica or De Rada in reading and historiography textbooks are not the same as the reassessment being made of Enver Hoxha. His reassessment as a historical figure should be done by historians with great care, but the reassessment of his bust placed in an art institution is not a historical problem, but a political one. And the problem becomes such when the evaluation of this bust is supported by official acts from the leaders of the Gallery and the Ministry of Culture themselves. On 4.4.91, in place of the sculptor Genc Hajdari, removed from the gallery for political reasons, the sculptor Arben Bajo is appointed director of the National Gallery. As soon as he takes charge of the gallery, Mr. Bajo orders the placement of the giant statue of E. Hoxha in its interior premises. The order signed by the new director of the Gallery is quite clear: the sculpture of E. Hoxha must be placed as soon as possible in the gallery premises. In the decision dated 5.4.91 signed by him it says: “Based on the order of the Minister of Culture R. M. dated 2.4.1991 on the placement of the sculpture of E. Hoxha in the premises of the National Gallery...” The decision in question also specified the place where the sculpture had to be placed and the measures to be taken for its transport. In addition, the decision also set the date 6.4.91 when the bust had to be transported and installed in the gallery. Under the signature of the director of the Gallery appears also the director of the International Center of Culture R. R. At that point, the motive for the decision to dismiss Mr. Bajo from his post on 31.5.95 becomes completely incomprehensible. In the order of the Minister of Culture number 81, dated 31.5.95, for his removal from the gallery leadership, it is written: “For inability in leadership in the conditions of democratization and reform of the institution.” If Mr. Bajo had not displeased the minister until 31.5.95, why then should he have been removed from the post precisely now and not on 4.4.91, when he sat in the director’s chair of the gallery? Was Mr. Bajo then so zealous in carrying out his minister’s orders? Such a document and others like it should remind us that the appointment and dismissal of a director or cultural official is not simply an administrative matter. Nor can it even be imagined that the placement of E. Hoxha’s bust in the National Gallery was merely a technical solution to save it from falling or from damage. It was a political act with major symbolic consequences. (continued on page 2)

Today, the biggest uproar concerns suspicions that the opening of the files is being exploited by those who opened them On behalf of the main parliamentary group of PDSH, Mr. Ali Spahia, former political persecuted Written by: Teki Dervishi For this last point, it was left to the commission to decide whether to meet or not, as the parliamentary opposition decided. Thus, on Friday at the last meeting of that group, in the presence of the Socialist Party deputy Servet Pëllumbi, who presented his own version with the opposition's remarks, the chairman of the PDSH parliamentary group, Mr. Ali Spahia, stressed that the PD has always been in favor of opening the files, while at the same time urging that this whole issue not degenerate into accusations and personal insults. Since PD governance has begun the establishment of [the commission?], it is logical to think that [some?] files exist and that these may be [opened?]. But what is [worrying?] is that [some] of the PDSH exponents [are trying] to [exploit] this climate in order to [cover up] their own [sins?]. The President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, during the meeting with journalists, declared that the issue of the files concerns all persons who were collaborators of the former Sigurimi, including those who hold official posts. He said that opening the files must not turn into a tool of political revenge. Further on, Mr. Ali Spahia clarified that the Democratic Party has no reason to fear the truth, because from the beginning it has supported a break with old practices. He also added that Albanian society needs transparency and a proper legal process. (continued on page 2)

President George Bush writes a formal letter of thanks to the Albanian president in connection with the visit to Tirana. The letter praises the path of democratic reforms and American support for Albania. (continued on page 2)

- Proposes to Gjinushi that he put the president’s old block into the archives. -Proposes to Gjinushi that he put the president’s old block into the archives. Mr. Gjinushi, and the incomplete voice [??] [has] [proposed] [a] [solution] that essentially implies a return to the old models. He aims to place the president and the former bloc on the same level, which is unacceptable. KADIJ DJUSAJT (continued on page 7)

Representatives of PDSH, led by their chairman, Dr. Sali Berisha, held a meeting yesterday with the chairman of PKSH, Hysni Milloshi, and its secretary general, Xhelal Çela. The meeting included a long and open discussion about the problems of the political situation in the country and, in particular, about the possibilities of cooperation between political forces. PDSH expressed support for cooperation and understanding among political forces, with the sole aim of bringing the country out of the economic and political crisis in which it finds itself. PDSH set out the need to respect the law and the Constitution, and especially free elections held to standards. All of this was assessed positively by the representatives of PKSH as well. At this meeting, it was also discussed that the process of integrating Albania into the European family requires respect for political pluralism and cooperation between parliamentary and non-parliamentary political forces. Issues of economic reform and property were also addressed. (continued on page 7)

Everyone demands that the 5th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Council be the 21st Dear chairmen and parliamentarians of APASCE-U, PAYMENTS, due to the decline of the economy and the unsatisfactory attitude of the [leading] [structures], [have] [become] [a] [serious] [problem]. [... partial text ...] PAYMENTS, due to [the] [decline] [of] [the] [economy] [and] [the] [difficulties] [of] [the] [transition], [have] brought [social] [costs] [for] [citizens]. Up to 21. (continued on page 21)

the stamps and doctorates cry out The times demand a new mentality Alf. Uçi: man, symbol of political, economic and cultural genocide, and of the destruction of nations, of the terror and the disappeared of yesterday, the terror and the disappeared of today [?] ARBEN IMAMI responds "PS" conditions Albania and Kosovo with shocks to Europe The abuse of speech in the tribunes with the ink of slander